The East Anglian Film Archive, the first and largest Regional Film Archive in England, was established in 1976. Since 1984, EAFA has been owned and operated by the University of East Anglia, Norwich (UEA), to support research and work to preserve our moving image heritage. More than 250 hours are freely available online as examples of the wide range of film which attracts interest the world over.
This film is part of Free
Town and Gown
Focusing on each town’s university colleges, main streets, gardens, statues and memorials with a narration of the history of the buildings, notable scholars, and traditions.
From the collection of:
Overview
The graduation anthem, Gaudeamus Igitur accompanies the title sequence to this guided tour of the two university cities, first Oxford then Cambridge, and also the Cambridgeshire village of Grantchester. In Oxford the students carry their caps and gowns in the street to avoid breaking college regulations if they choose to smoke, and in Cambridge we learn that on many maps the river changes its name at the Silver Street Bridge and is called Granta above and Cam below it.
In Oxford, ‘little changed through the centuries’, we visit Magdelen College and its Tower which was built by Wolsey and stands at the end of the High Street, the University Church of St Mary’s, Queens College, St Johns College, the Martyrs’ Memorial, Worcester College founded by Benedictine monks, Folly Bridge over the River Thames to Christ Church, and Wren’s Tom Tower named after the bell, Great Tom. In Cambridge, ‘a more intimate city’, the sights include King's College Chapel, Peterhouse – the first college founded in Cambridge, Jesus College, King's Parade, St John's College, Trinity College with its famous fountain, punting on the Backs, and the picturesque village of Granchester.
Related
Glimpse of Oxford Glimpse of Oxford
Amateur film 1930 2 mins Silent Location: Oxford
Sydney Martin takes us on a whistle-stop tour of the landmarks of Oxford and surrounds including an occasional wry eye.
Real Tennis Real Tennis
News 1980 3 mins Location: Oxford
Tennis as the monks played it: Oxford University's real tennis is a million miles away from the professional circuit.
Oxford Housing Oxford Housing
Current affairs 1982 5 mins Location: Oxford
Against the odds, same sex couples in Oxford get the right to register for council housing, but for how long?
Safety all the Way Safety all the Way
Instructional film/TV programme 1953 16 mins Location: Oxford
Hair-raising scenes of weaving cyclists, dopey drivers and pedestrian near-misses caught on camera during a typical day in 1950s Oxford.
Cambridge and Oxford Cambridge and Oxford
Amateur film 1953 10 mins Location: Cambridge
Time has taken an interesting toll on this contrasting portrait of Oxbridge by pro-am filmmaker Mathew Nathan
Laura Mulvey in Conversation Laura Mulvey in Conversation
Inside Film 2025 76 mins
Laura Mulvey in conversation, following her BFI Fellowship Award.
George Clooney in Conversation George Clooney in Conversation
Inside Film 2025 74 mins
George Clooney visited BFI Southbank to look back on his life and career.
Chloé Zhao Screen Talk | BFI London Film Festival 2025 Chloé Zhao Screen Talk | BFI London Film Festival 2025
Inside Film 2025 65 mins
The Oscar®- winning director of Nomadland discusses her unique approach to filmmaking and the inspiration behind the adaptation of Hamnet.
Edgar Wright on The Running Man Edgar Wright on The Running Man
Inside Film 2025 28 mins
The director talks to Mark Kermode about putting Stephen King's dystopian life-or-death gameshow thriller through its paces.
Richard Linklater Screen Talk | BFI London Film Festival 2025 Richard Linklater Screen Talk | BFI London Film Festival 2025
Inside Film 2025 69 mins
Richard Linklater discusses his remarkable and wide-ranging body of work, including Blue Moon and Nouvelle Vague.
Daniel Day-Lewis Screen Talk | BFI London Film Festival 2025 Daniel Day-Lewis Screen Talk | BFI London Film Festival 2025
Inside Film 2025 73 mins
Daniel Day-Lewis, the ultimate actor’s actor discusses his career in conversation with Mark Kermode.