Ghosts of students past

As noted by many contributions one of the benefits of lockdown was exploring local paths, hitherto neglected or not visited for some time. In a circular route from New Hinksey, over the railway bridge, then cut north you come across the new college sports grounds for Pembroke College and the older grounds. The latter have now been turned into a community project with the pavilion occasionally used as a pop-up cafe, the old cricket pitch as a communal picnic space, and the tennis courts turned into spaces to grow fruit and vegetables.

2020-05-09 See all items with this value

Old Pembroke College Grounds, Hogacre Common

Stuart

This was the period of lockdown when the sun was shining every day and everywhere was silent apart from nature. I found myself looking at the disused tennis courts, with the fences rusting, weeds growing, and thinking about the students of previous days who had made their way over the railway to play tennis, cricket, or just socialise. There was something quite elegiac about it all, and the silence of the pavilion with stacked furniture inside seemed to occasionally fill with the ghosts of students past. I wondered what they would think of the current Oxford, and the current situation? But I mused on the fact that out of these 'ruins' new life was growing, communities were working together, there was a nearby forest school, and I felt that the ghosts were smiling.