Harry Potter Places
Book Two
OWLs: Oxford
Wizarding Locations
A Novel Holiday Travel Guidebook
By CD Miller
ISBN 978-1-937520-54-0
Published by First Edition Design eBook Publishing
January 2012
www.firsteditiondesignpublishing.com
Copyright, 2012 by Charly D Miller
Smashwords Edition
(PRINT)Published by:
A Novel Holiday Travel Guidebooks
16614 226th Street
Ashland, NE 68003
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical—including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system—without written permission from the author, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review.
The publisher and author(s) of Harry Potter Places Book One have taken great care to ensure that all information provided is correct and accurate at the time of manuscript submission. However, errors and omissions—whether typographical, clerical or otherwise—do sometimes occur, and may occur anywhere within the body of this publication.
Changes in real-life site information will inevitably occur. As aptly stated by the Internationally-renown travel guidebook author, Rick Steves: “Guidebooks begin to yellow even before they’re printed.” This rule holds true for eBooks, as well.
Users of any Harry Potter Places travel guidebook are advised to access the Internet links provided within each Site entry in order to obtain the most up-to-date information during the planning of your UK Potter holiday. For instance, the ticket and entry fees cited are those that were in effect during our last pass at researching each site.
Currency equivalents are offered only to provide an approximate idea of what British Pounds (£) equals in US Dollars ($). Currency exchange rates change daily. Check current foreign exchange rates by using a free Internet currency converter such as the one offered by Oanda:
http://www.oanda.com/currency/converter/
The publisher and author(s) of Harry Potter Places travel guidebooks hereby disclaim any liability to any party for loss, injury, or damage incurred as a direct or indirect consequence of errors, omissions, or post-manuscript-submission information changes, whether such errors, omissions, or changes result from negligence, accident, or any other cause.
Disclaimers
J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter books are so popular, that an amazing number of unauthorized Harry Potter guidebooks have been published over the years.
http://harrypotter.wikia.com/wiki/List_of_Harry_Potter_unofficial_guidebooks
In order to avoid the threat of litigation related to copyright or trademark infringement, all unauthorized Harry Potter guidebooks publish at least one Disclaimer. Below are the several important Disclaimers.
Harry Potter Places Book Two—OWLs: Oxford Wizarding Locations, is an Unauthorized Harry Potter Travel Guidebook
Harry Potter Places Book Two [hereinafter referred to as HPP Book 2] is not authorized, approved, endorsed, nor licensed by J.K. Rowling [hereinafter referred to as JKR], Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc. [hereinafter referred to as WB Inc], the Scholastic Corporation, Raincoast Books, Bloomsbury Publishing Plc., nor by any other persons, entities, corporations or companies claiming a proprietary interest in the Harry Potter books, movies, or related merchandise.
HPP Book 2 is not officially associated with the seven Harry Potter novels written and copyrighted by JKR. Nor is HPP Book 2 in any way officially associated with the eight Harry Potter movies produced and trademarked by WB Inc.
The Purpose of HPP Book 2
HPP Book 2 is written solely for the purpose of providing an historical review of and directions for finding, the real-life Oxford and nearby-Oxford locations that:
● Were mentioned within one or more of the Harry Potter novels.
● Are sites where Harry Potter filming took place.
● Significantly influenced the design of studio sets built for filming one or more of the Harry Potter movies.
Use of Harry-Potter-Associated Names, Places, Titles or Terminology
HPP Book 2 does not claim, nor does it intend to imply, ownership of, or proprietary rights to, any of the fictional character or place names mentioned within JKR’s Harry Potter novels, nor any of the titles or terminology used or created by JKR within her books or within the movies made thereof.
More information about Potter and Potterlike terminology found within HPP Book 2 is provided in the Prior Incantato section.
Publication of Harry Potter Movie Screenshots
Screenshots are split-second still photos captured from a movie. Each of the four (4) HPP Book 2 Potter Site entries include one or more small movie screenshots. The sole purpose of including them is to enhance the experience of Harry Potter fans [Potterites] who visit a real-life film site, or a real-life place that strongly influenced movie studio set design. By having one or more screenshots to observe while visiting, Potterites are better able to recognize the specific areas where filming occurred, and are armed with a guide important to assuming positions similar to that of the actors in the scene(s) filmed at the site when snapping their personal photographs.
To be an effective site identification and photography guide, however, Harry Potter movie screenshots had to be substantially altered in a variety of ways so that the site location’s background could more easily be recognized.
All eight Harry Potter films were produced and trademarked by WB Inc. HPP Book 2 does not claim, nor does it intend to imply, ownership of, or proprietary rights to, any portions of the Harry Potter movies. The caption of every screenshot and screenshot segment that appears within HPP should read “™©WB Inc.” Because this info is given here, we instead have captioned HPP screenshots with identification of the movie from which it was captured.
Use of Google Maps UK Images to Create Potter Maps
In order to assist visiting Potterites to find multiple filming locations within one Site (such as the Knight Bus Pickup Playground, or the Ministry of Magic Area), a few Potter Maps were created for Harry Potter Places Book 2.
When using Google Maps UK images to create Potter Maps, HPP Book 2 authors strictly adhered to the Google Maps and Google Earth Content Rules & Guidelines, and appropriately attributed Google with credit for the full-sized Potter Map included within a Supplementum PDF posted on the Internet, as well as for any thumbnail-sized Potter Map images published within the travel guidebook.
HPP Book 2 does not claim, nor does it intend to imply, ownership of, or proprietary rights to, any of the Google Maps UK images used within the travel guidebook or the Supplementum PDFs posted on HarryPotterPlaces.com.
Author vs. Authors of Harry Potter Places
The A Novel Holiday travel guidebook publishing company concept was solely conceived by Ms. Charly D Miller in 2007, as was the concept of the first series of A Novel Holiday (ANH) travel guidebooks, Harry Potter Places. However, during the researching and writing of HPP travel guidebooks (as well as during design of the ANH and HPP websites), Ms. Miller was so generously assisted by other individuals, that she feels unworthy of claiming sole credit for authoring the text’s or websites’ content. Thus, plural terms—such as, “authors” … “we” … “our”—are used throughout the HPP travel guidebooks, as well as throughout the ANH and HPP websites, when referring to the writers or creators of same.
However, for all legal purposes, every A Novel Holiday Harry Potter Places travel guide- book was solely written and published by CD Miller. She, alone, is responsible for all the content ultimately published within any eBook or print versions of the HPP travel guidebooks, as well as all the content posted on ANH and HPP websites.
Ms. Charly D Miller hereby avows and affirms that any and all other individuals who participated in or contributed to the researching, writing, or publication of Harry Potter Places travel guidebooks and associated websites, are indemnified and held harmless from and against: any and all demands, claims, and damages to persons or property, losses and liabilities, including attorney’s fees arising out of or caused by any form of litigation brought against the A Novel Holiday Harry Potter Places travel guidebooks or websites.
Credits and Acknowledgments
Thank you, Tara and Wolfgang!
The two most generous and dedicated Contributing Harry Potter Places Researchers are Ms. Tara Bellers of the US, and Mr. Wolfgang Mletzko of Germany.
Tara Bellers traveled from the US to the UK on three different occasions between 2009 and 2011. During each of those trips, she voluntarily spent personal time investigating answers to Potter Place questions that couldn’t be found on the Internet. In addition to snapping location pix for us, Tara discovered and reported info important to enhancing other Potterites’ enjoyment of a similar visit.
When not traveling, Tara continued to significantly contribute to this project. While at home, she independently performed hundreds of hours of Internet research, leading to the discovery of several important Potter Places we might have missed. Thanks to Tara, Potterites will have no trouble finding even the most obscure UK Potter Places.
Wolfgang Mletzko began visiting UK Potter Places long before A Novel Holiday travel guidebooks (let alone Harry Potter Places) were even a concept. Since 2002, Wolfgang has performed several well-researched UK Potter treks, and always has freely-posted his marvelous photos and Potter travel tips on his website—which is how we found him!
http://www.bdyg.homepage.t-online.de/index.html
If you can’t read German, go to Google’s Translation website and paste-in Wolf- gang’s website address.
Photo Credits
Beneath each photograph in Harry Potter Places is the name of the person who snapped the pic. With few exceptions, permission for using these photos was granted free of charge. Some photos were obtained from Wikipedia or Wikimedia, where they were posted by photographers who generously offered the freedom of their commercial re-use.
Art Credit
The Harry Potter Places Coat of Arms—an emblem seen on the title page of every Harry Potter Places Supplementum and Portkey PDF, as well as in the Banner atop each HarryPotterPlaces.com webpage—was designed by two terrifically talented graphic artists, Karen Stoehr and Ben Dale. They also created our three site ratings icons. Thank you both, so very much, for all your work!
http://www.coroflot.com/kstoehr
http://bendale.daportfolio.com/
OWLs Map Credit
Potterites have Linda Barna of Lincoln, Nebraska, to thank for the crisp and clear quality of the OWLs Map. Our original version was horrible!
Book Cover Credits
DC Carson created all five of the original 2012 HPP Book Covers—free of charge! Were it not for her, the HPP books and website would not have had images to use while CD Miller was still broke.
All photos used for the HPP Book Covers were snapped by Ms. Tara Bellers.
From the Author, CD Miller
I am more grateful to Ms. Carson than mere words can possibly convey.
Dina has helped me with this project from the very beginning—for more than three years—entirely free of charge! These guidebooks would be krappe were it not for Dina’s incredible writing talent and editing instruction, as well as her invaluable assistance with getting the eBook and print versions published. Dina also was vitally important to the design of the A Novel Holiday and Harry Potter Places websites.
My fondest wish is to someday be able to reciprocate, and help her as significantly as she’s helped me. Unfortunately, I cannot imagine what I could ever do that Dina can’t do better! Thankfully, I anticipate being able to financially reward her for all her work very soon.
Then, there’s Tara Bellers.
I couldn’t afford to visit the UK more than once—a measly 2 weeks in 2008—while initially working on the Harry Potter Places project. Thus, the information offered in all HPP books would be terrifically incomplete were it not for Tara’s voluntary UK Potter
Place site research and photography, as well as the Internet research she continues to freely perform. In addition to that, Tara took me to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando, Florida, in 2010!
I’ll never be able to adequately thank Tara for all her generosity and assistance. But, perhaps I’ll soon be able to reward her by taking her on an all-expenses-paid UK trip!
As for my Personal Friends:
Susan and Bob, Jamie, Janet, Chet, Sandy, Leeenda and Mike … these are just a few of the scores of people I need to thank!
I was broke and homeless. (Much like JKR was while writing Sorcerer’s Stone, oddly enough.) Yet, each of my friends contributed—in their own way—to ensure that I had a place to live, and the means for living comfortably, during the several years it took me to complete my first HPP travel guidebooks. You guys have no idea how much I’ve appreciated your help. I swear that, someday, I’ll find a way of repaying you.
Lastly, to Drew and Annabeth, Auntie Dot and Uncle Itchy:
Bless You for always believing in me!
Table of Contents
Title Page and Copyright Information
Disclaimers
Credits and Acknowledgements
Chapter 1 - PRIOR INCANTATO (Introduction)
Harry Potter Places Portkeys
Ratings Icon Guide
The Potterite Prime Directive Harry Potter Places Terminology
Chapter 2 - LUMOS BRITANNIA
Non-Potter UK Travel Guidebooks
Free UK Travel Tips Available on the Internet
Official UK Travel Internet Websites
UK VAT Tax Information
Potterite UK Travel Supplementums
Chapter 3 - LUMOS OXFORD
Oxford Introduction, Potterly-Important Tips, and Reference Links
Non-Potter Places of Interest in Oxford
Broomsticks to Portkeys: Oxford Transportation Tips
The Burrow to Malfoy Manor: Oxford Lodging Options
Chapter 4 - SPECIALIS REVELIO OXFORD
Part One: Ready-Made Harry Potter Oxford Tours, Designing Your Own OWL Visit, the
Duke Humfrey’s Library Conundrum
Part Two: Suggested OWL Itineraries
Chapter 5 - AMBULATUS OXFORD
The Oxford Wizarding Locations Map
Maps and Walking Directions for Reaching Central-City OWLs from Various Oxford
Arrival Points
Directions for Walking Between the Central-City OWLs
POTTER PLACES in OXFORD
Please Note: Our Site numbers continue from Harry Potter Places Book One—London and London Side-Along Apparations.
Chapter 6 - Site #29: Blenheim Palace: Woodstock, Oxfordshire (the only outside-Oxford OWL)
Chapter 7 - Site #30: Bodleian Library: Duke Humfrey’s Library and the Divinity School
Chapter 8 - Site #31: Christ Church College
Chapter 9 - Chapter 10 Site #32: New College
Chapter 1 - Prior Incantato
Welcome to the A Novel Holiday travel guidebook, Harry Potter Places Book 2— OWLs: Oxford Wizarding Locations, the second of five guidebooks designed to help Harry Potter Fans (Potterites) visit places found in the United Kingdom of Great Britain (the UK) that are associated with the Harry Potter Universe (the Potterverse). In the Potterverse, you’ll find:
● Real-life places mentioned within J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter novels.
● Real-life locations where Harry Potter movie filming took place.
● Real-life sites that significantly influenced Harry Potter movie studio set design.
The Prior Incantato section is the Harry Potter Places Travel Guidebook Introduction. As such, it contains important explanations of the symbols and terminology found within each of the five Harry Potter Places (HPP) travel guidebooks.
Harry Potter Places Portkeys
To assist Potterites using eBook-reading devices that don’t have a web browser—devices from which you cannot apparate—or Potterites using a printed HPP travel guidebook, we’ve created HPP Portkeys: Internet-posted PDFs containing all the Internet resource links provided in each section of every HPP book.
Go to HarryPotterPlaces.com. Click on the link for Book Two, then click on the Supplementums link. There you can access the Portkeys.
Harry Potter Places Ratings Icon Guide
It took more than three years of research, but we managed to find sixty-eight (68) Potter Places in the UK—specifically on the island of Great Britain. However, not all of these sites are places every Potterite will enjoy. Thus, we assessed each for their reasonable importance to an average Potterite’s UK holiday, and created icons that provide an at-a- glance recognition of their rating.
The Great Site icon indicates a Potter Place you don’t want
to miss. These are important sites mentioned in the books, or film
locations readily recognized in real-life.
The Might Be Fun icon identifies places some Potterites might
find disinteresting, or unworthy of the inconvenience required to
reach them. Each Might-Be-Fun Site’s entry explains why it received
that rating.
The Skip It icon is assigned to places we strongly suggest you
avoid visiting, and the Site’s entry explains why. Although we
provide SatNav/GPS coordinates and/ or addresses for Skip-It-rated
sites, we do not provide directions for finding them, nor are Skip-It
sites included in any of the suggested Harry Potter Places
itineraries. Potterites divinely inspired to visit any Skip-It site
should investigate the location using the information provided in its
Site entry, then create their own itineraries.
The Potterite Prime Directive
To POLITELY Go Where Potterites Need to Go
— without PERTURBING anybody —
So That Other Potterites Can Continue to ENJOY GOING THERE!
It is vitally important that all Potterites be as polite as possible when visiting any Potter Place. This rule is even more important when visiting a Site situated within a private Muggle neighborhood. It only takes one noisy or disrespectful fan to ruin the reception experienced by all Potterites who visit thereafter. Please be the very best Potterite Ambassador you can possibly be, everywhere you go.
Terminology Used within the Harry Potter Places Travel Guidebooks
Like any other author of fiction, J.K. Rowling (JKR) exercised artistic license when selecting or creating names, phrases, and terms for her Potterverse. Most often, she borrowed from Latin and Greek languages or mythologies. Occasionally, JKR’s Potterverse terminology was influenced by other languages, such as French, Irish, Italian—even Arabic. Below are links to two resources that comprehensively discus the origin of Potterverse names, phrases, and terms.
http://www.harrypotterfanzone.com/word-origins/
http://www.languagerealm.com/hplang/harrypotterlanguage.php
JKR also often used words that predate her creation of the Potterverse, such as Witch, Wizard, broomstick, and the like. Sometimes, JKR altered the previously-popular meaning of the words she used. For instance, Time Magazine reported in 1931 that “Muggle” was one of several slang names for a marijuana cigarette. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,742157,00.html
The authors of Harry Potter Places have similarly exercised artistic license when using Potterverse terminology within our travel guidebooks. Some names, phrases, and terms used within HPP have the same meaning as they do in the Potterverse. Others have been redefined.
For example: Prior Incantato is a Potterverse incantation spoken to reveal the last spell performed by a wand. JKR created this phrase from the Latin word, prior, meaning former or previous, in combination with incanto, meaning “to enchant,” or incantate, meaning “to speak a spell.” However, in the Harry Potter Places travel guidebooks, Prior Incantato is the title of each books’ Introduction.
Potterverse names, phrases, and terms found within Harry Potter Places that may have been independently-created by J.K. Rowling are used only for the purpose of enhancing Potterites’ enjoyment of the travel guidebook. The authors of Harry Potter Places do not claim, nor intend to imply, ownership of, or proprietary rights to, any terminology found exclusively within Harry Potter books.