The two great academic centers of England—Oxford and Cambridge—are steeped in history reaching back to the 12th and 13th centuries. The dozens of constituent colleges at both universities each have their own history, with so many famous people having studied and taught at both institutions:  For the moment, just consider Charles Darwin at Cambridge and J. R. R. Tolkein at Oxford–not to mention royals, prime ministers, Nobel Prize winners, and so many more.

The college libraries allow one to step back into the Middle Ages; the quads, chapels, and gardens remain places of serene beauty; the River Thames and the River Cam, respectively, allow for additional natural beauty; and the preservation of so much historical and cultural material, including great collections of medieval manuscripts, continues to attract scholars to the two cities.

Scholar and historian Gary Rendsburg has lived and has conducted academic research in both cities. In this richly illustrated lecture, he brings the verve and culture of these great university towns to life, sharing history flavored with a pleasant dose of Anglophilia.

Rendsburg is the Blanche and Irving Laurie Professor of Jewish History in the Department of Jewish Studies at Rutgers University.

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