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QUADS & DEER PARK
The quads at Brasenose are pretty plain.
For our time at Brasenose they have served perfectly for our leisurely
lounging and games of crochet. There are no trees for us to run into after a
late night  of fun. I am
actually pretty sure that was a conscious decision on part of the College
when building the quads. Another interesting development that came about in
the construction of the college was the deer park. This expansive
park in the middle of the college does not have any deer in it anymore. In
investigating the absence of the deer in the deer park I was directed to
the dining hall. It was there related to me that there was in fact deer at
Brasenose at one time but that one of the dons had a pet unicorn. During this
specific don’s stay here at Brasenose the unicorn became frustrated that he
was the only unicorn in the college and felt quite lonely. It is then said
that one school year the unicorn couldn’t take it anymore and in a fit of
frustration attempted to ‘impale’ all of the deer and drove them off to Magdalen College. The story of the
‘Unicorn in Deer Park’ has fittingly
been immortalized in the Brasenose dining hall. From this you can see the
history of Brasenose College and the serious
nature with which the college held nature. If it had not been for that one
tragic page in Brasenose history visitors today would be flocking here to see
the deer rather than Magdalen College.
On a more serious note, Brasenose College’s simple lawns and
small deer park create a very
calming and atmosphere. With no overabundance of nature the modesty of the
college might serve to keep the students undistracted and provide a haven of
home from the bustling streets of Oxford. In fact Brasenose
is considered a staging ground for students that would like to study at other
colleges. By keeping things simple the school’s collective image of nature
might be fitting to and successful by creating a light atmosphere that one
does not get all caught up in. Then again I could be wrong, but it is an
idea.
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