Carfax Tower (formally St Martin’s Tower) is the only surviving remnant of the 12th-century St Martin’s Church in Oxford. It stands at the junction of High Street, Cornmarket Street, Queen Street, and St Aldate’s — the historic crossroads in the centre of the city. Visitors can climb 99 steps for panoramic 360-degree views across Oxford. This guide covers opening hours, admission, directions, accessibility, and practical tips for planning your visit.
Last updated: June 2026. The tower has extended summer hours until 6pm in June, July, and August — many older guides still list 5pm as the summer closing time. The tower also has an annual Spring Cleaning closure each February; this year it was 23 February–1 March.
Quick facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Address | Carfax Tower, Queen Street, Oxford, OX1 1ET |
| Summer hours (June–August) | Daily, 10:00–18:00 |
| Spring/Autumn hours (April–May, September) | Daily, 10:00–17:00 |
| March/October hours | Daily, 10:00–16:00 |
| Winter hours (January–February, November–December) | Daily, 10:00–15:00 |
| Last entry | 15 minutes before closing |
| Adult admission | £4.00 |
| Child admission | £3.00 |
| Parking | No on-site parking; Park & Ride recommended |
| Typical visit length | 15–25 minutes |
Carfax Tower opening hours
The tower is open every day of the year on a seasonal schedule:
| Months | Hours |
|---|---|
| January–February | 10:00–15:00 |
| March | 10:00–16:00 |
| April–May | 10:00–17:00 |
| June–August | 10:00–18:00 |
| September | 10:00–17:00 |
| October | 10:00–16:00 |
| November–December | 10:00–15:00 |
Last entry is 15 minutes before closing.
The tower undergoes an annual Spring Cleaning closure, typically in late February. In 2026 this ran from 23 February to 1 March. Check the official City Sightseeing Oxford website before planning a visit in late February.
Opening hours and ticket prices were checked on the official City Sightseeing Oxford website and last updated in June 2026.
Carfax Tower ticket prices
| Ticket type | Price |
|---|---|
| Adults | £4.00 |
| Children | £3.00 |
Tickets are purchased at the tower entrance on the day. No advance booking is required. A combo ticket combining tower entry with a City Sightseeing Oxford hop-on hop-off bus tour is available from £22.50.
Carfax Tower is not included in any separate Oxford city pass scheme, though it can be bundled with the bus tour as above.
How to get to Carfax Tower
Carfax Tower is at the very centre of Oxford — the crossroads of High Street, Cornmarket Street, Queen Street, and St Aldate’s. It cannot be missed.
By bus: Multiple Oxford Bus Company and Stagecoach routes serve Carfax. Park & Ride services from all five sites around the city stop at or near Carfax. Hop-on hop-off bus tour: alight at Stop 7 (or Stop 8 on some routes).
By train: Oxford station is approximately 10–15 minutes’ walk from Carfax. Follow the city centre signs along Park End Street and Queen Street.
By car: Driving directly to Carfax is not practical — Cornmarket Street and much of the surrounding area is pedestrianised. Use the Park & Ride network (five sites on the main roads into Oxford) and take the bus into the centre.
On foot: Carfax is a central reference point for the entire city. All major Oxford attractions are within 10–15 minutes’ walk.
Parking at Carfax Tower
There is no parking at or near Carfax Tower. The Park & Ride network is the strongly recommended option for visitors arriving by car. Five sites are located on the main roads into Oxford, each with frequent bus services into the city centre. Carfax is the central stop on most Park & Ride routes. Limited pay-and-display street parking exists in some city-centre streets, but availability is very limited and access restrictions are extensive.
How long to spend at Carfax Tower
Allow 15 to 25 minutes. The climb (99 steps) takes about 5 minutes each way; most visitors spend 5–10 minutes at the top. The total visit is short but the view is the attraction. The tower is often combined with a visit to other nearby sites rather than as a standalone destination.
Accessibility at Carfax Tower
Carfax Tower is not accessible to wheelchair users, pushchair users, or visitors with significant mobility difficulties. Access is entirely via 99 narrow, winding steps in a 14th-century staircase.
Children under 5 are not admitted. Children aged 5–15 must be accompanied by an adult at all times.
There is no lift. There is no step-free alternative route to the top. Visitors with heart conditions or pre-existing medical conditions should assess carefully before attempting the climb.
What to see at Carfax Tower
The view from the top
The tower stands 74 feet (23 metres) tall. By law, no building in central Oxford may be built taller, meaning the views from the top are largely unobstructed. From the viewing platform visitors can see across the rooftops to Christ Church and Tom Tower to the south, the Bodleian complex and Sheldonian to the north, the Radcliffe Camera and University Church spire to the east, and on clear days to the hills beyond the city. This is widely considered one of the two best elevated views of Oxford available to the public (the other being from the Sheldonian Cupola).
The Quarterboys
Halfway up the tower, visitors pass the famous Quarterboys — two bronze mechanical figures that strike a small bell every 15 minutes. The figures are copies; the originals were removed when Cornmarket Street was widened. The current bells date from 1898.
The history of the tower
St Martin’s Church, of which the tower is the last remaining part, served as Oxford’s official civic church from 1122. At least 20 Mayors of Oxford were buried inside. The main body of the church was demolished in 1896 to relieve traffic congestion at the Carfax crossroads — then, as now, the busiest junction in central Oxford. The tower was retained as the only surviving trace of the medieval parish church.
Halfway landing
About halfway up, a small information room with interpretive panels and a short film provides context on the tower’s history and Oxford’s development as a city.
Practical visitor tips
| Tip | Detail |
|---|---|
| Last entry is 15 minutes before closing | If arriving in the final half-hour before closing, check the clock — the 15-minute cut-off is enforced. |
| Summer hours run to 6pm | From June through August, the tower stays open until 6pm. This is later than many guides suggest. |
| The annual Spring Cleaning closure | The tower closes for approximately one week each February for maintenance. Check before planning a late-February visit. |
| No children under 5 | Under-5s are not permitted. Children 5–15 must be accompanied by an adult. |
| Combine with nearby attractions | At 15–25 minutes, the visit is short. Plan to combine it with the Covered Market, Bodleian Library, or the Museum of Oxford, all within a few minutes’ walk. |
Frequently asked questions about Carfax Tower
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Is Carfax Tower suitable for children? | Yes, for children aged 5 and over. Under-5s are not admitted. Children 5–15 must be accompanied by an adult. The 99-step spiral staircase requires confident walking. |
| Do you need to book in advance? | No. Tickets are bought at the door on the day. No booking is needed or available for individual visitors. |
| Is Carfax Tower open on Sundays? | Yes, open every day of the year (except the annual Spring Cleaning week in late February). |
| Is Carfax Tower wheelchair accessible? | No. Access is via 99 steps only. There is no lift or step-free route to the viewing platform. |
| What is the annual Spring Cleaning closure? | The tower closes for approximately one week each late February for maintenance. In 2026 this was 23 February–1 March. Check citysightseeingoxford.com before visiting in late February. |
Things to do near Carfax Tower
- Museum of Oxford (~2 minutes’ walk, Oxford Town Hall, St Aldate’s) — The only museum dedicated entirely to the history of Oxford and its people.
- Oxford Covered Market (~2 minutes’ walk, between Market Street and High Street) — A Victorian-era covered market with independent traders, food stalls, and cafés.
- Christ Church College (~5 minutes’ walk south, St Aldate’s) — One of Oxford’s largest and most visited colleges, with a cathedral, great hall (the model for Hogwarts), and picture gallery.
- Bodleian Libraries — Weston Library (~5 minutes’ walk north) — The modern Weston Library has free exhibitions in Blackwell Hall and a café. Guided tours of the Old Bodleian (including Convocation House) depart from here.
- University Church of St Mary the Virgin (~5 minutes’ walk east, High Street) — Oxford’s main university church offers a tower climb with arguably the best view in Oxford.
What to visit tomorrow: similar tower climbs and elevated views within two hours
- University Church of St Mary the Virgin, Oxford (~5 minutes’ walk) — Many visitors consider the view from St Mary’s Tower superior to Carfax, with clearer sightlines over the Radcliffe Camera.
- Sheldonian Theatre Cupola, Oxford (~5 minutes’ walk north) — 114 steps to a 360-degree viewing gallery over central Oxford. Admission charged; check open days in advance.
- St Michael at the Northgate, Oxford (~3 minutes’ walk) — Oxford’s oldest building, a Saxon tower on Cornmarket Street with its own tower climb and views.
- Salisbury Cathedral Tower Tour, Salisbury (~1 hour south) — Guided tower tours of England’s tallest spire (123 metres).
- Worcester Cathedral Tower, Worcester (~1 hour north) — Seasonal tower tours of the cathedral overlooking the River Severn.
More Oxfordshire travel
Other Oxfordshire travel guides on Planet Whitley include:
- Enjoy the highlights of Oxford University, including the Ashmolean Museum, the Pitt Rivers Museum, the Museum of Natural History, the History of Science Museum, the Sheldonian Theatre and the Bodleian Library.
- 9 reasons to visit Oxford, England.
- Shudder at dark tales of incarceration at Oxford Castle and Prison.
- Oxford city centre attraction guides: The Story Museum.
- Are dogs allowed inside Blenheim Palace?
