The Architecture of Oxford and the Thames Valley



Overview

An Architectural Journey up the Thames from Mouth to Source.

Whilst not the longest river in Britain its history has been at the heart of the nation. This course will look the architectural heritage of riverside London, and Thames-side towns and villages from the mouth between Kent and Essex, to the Cotswolds beyond Lechlade in Gloucestershire. We will also look at the Medway which flows into the mouth of the Thames. The course will be constructed in ten section as if the student was walking or cycling the Thames path. The reason for using the Thames as a theme on which to trace the story of English architecture from the medieval to the present day is that so many famous buildings, from castles to former royal palaces, churches, houses for rich and poor, industrial buildings and numerous bridges of different shapes and sizes.  Where appropriate old master paintings such as those by Canaletto and Turner, engravings such as those by Whistler, and early photographs will be introduced. 

Students will be given notes, maps and lists of buildings as the course progresses; also appropriate books may be suggested as well as buildings to visit. 

Programme details

Course starts: 22 Jan 2026

Week 1: Introduction: a broad pictorial survey of two hundred miles of waterway

Week 2: Woolwich and Greenwich

Week 3: Through Docklands, old and new landscape

Week 4: Through Tower Bridge and past the City

Week 5: Westminster to Chelsea

Week 6: Up river to Hampton Court and Windsor

Week 7: Windsor to Reading through the Chiltern Hills

Week 8: The Thames Valley to Oxford

Week 9: Oxford's controversial riverscape

Week 10: The infant Thames or Isis;  from Oxford to Lechlade & Cricklade

Certification

Credit Accumulation Transfer Scheme (CATS) Points

Only those who have registered for assessment and accreditation will be awarded CATS points for completing work to the required standard. Please note that assignments are not graded but are marked either pass or fail. Please follow this link for more information on Credit Accumulation Transfer Scheme (CATS) points

Digital Certificate of Completion 

Students who are registered for assessment and accreditation and pass their final assignment will also be eligible for a digital Certificate of Completion. Information on how to access the digital certificate will be emailed to you after the end of the course. The certificate will show your name, the course title and the dates of the course attended. You will be able to download the certificate and share it on social media if you choose to do so.

Please note students who do not register for assessment and accreditation during the enrolment process will not be able to do so after the course has begun.

Fees

Description Costs
Course fee (with no assessment) £300.00
Assessment and Accreditation fee £60.00

Funding

If you are in receipt of a UK state benefit, you are a full-time student in the UK or a student on a low income, you may be eligible for a reduction of 50% of tuition fees. Please see the below link for full details:

Concessionary fees for short courses

Tutor

Dr Hubert Pragnell

Tutor

Hubert Pragnell has been a part-time tutor for OUDCE since 2003. He trained in fine art at the Ruskin School of Fine Art in Oxford, as well as holding a masters degree, and doctorate in history from the University of York. He is a tutor in history of architecture and has written and illustrated a number of books on British architecture. He has a special interest in buildings including industrial from the 16th to the 20th century.

Course aims

The aim of the course is to look at the architectural heritage as well as the landscape setting.

Course Objectives:

1.  To be familiar with the major architectural landmarks on the river

2. To recognise architectural style

3. To know something of the broader history of the river beyond the architectural

Teaching methods

The course will be delivered by power-point, however additional notes and diagrams will be given out at appropriate points during classes. Students will be encourage to ask questions, discuss and indeed offer their own impressions of places they have visited and which are seen on the course. 

it may be that the progress or journey up the Thames is adjusted from week to week to spend more time discussing a specific topic or building. So the course weekly outline is not rigid. 

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course students will be expected to:

1. Be familiar with the architectural character of major towns and settlements on the river bank from Gloucestershire to the mouth in the North Sea

2. Understand the reason for the commercial development of specific areas such as Docklands

3. Put the buildings seen into the broader context of England's architectural development.

4. To know something of the social and economic conditions  and changing landscape of the regions  through  which the Thames flows

Assessment methods

The summative assessment for this course is a piece of coursework of 1500 words on an aspect of the course. There is also a formative assessment of 500 words, to be submitted during the course.

Only those students who have registered for assessment and accreditation will submit coursework.

Application

To be able to submit coursework and to earn credit (CATS points) for your course you will need to register and pay an additional £60 fee per course. You can do this by ticking the relevant box at the bottom of the enrolment form or when enrolling online. Please use the 'Book now' button on this page. Alternatively, please complete an Enrolment form for short courses | Oxford University Department for Continuing Education

Students who do not register for assessment and credit during the enrolment process will not be able to do so after the course has begun. If you are enrolled on the Certificate of Higher Education you need to indicate this on the enrolment form but there is no additional registration fee.

 

Level and demands

The Department's Weekly Classes are taught at FHEQ Level 4, i.e. first year undergraduate level, and you will be expected to engage in a significant amount of private study in preparation for the classes. This may take the form, for instance, of reading and analysing set texts, responding to questions or tasks, or preparing work to present in class.

 

Terms & conditions for applicants and students

Information on financial support