Convocation House is a 17th-century ceremonial chamber inside the Old Bodleian Library complex on Broad Street, Oxford, used for over 300 years as the meeting place of the University of Oxford’s governing bodies and three times as England’s Parliament during the Civil War. It is not independently accessible — visitors can only enter Convocation House on a paid guided tour run by the Bodleian Libraries. This guide covers the tours available, prices, booking, what to see, and how to plan a visit.
Last updated: June 2026. Convocation House is included in the 60-minute Bodleian guided tour (£17.50) and the 90-minute tour (£22.50). It is also accessible on the Ceremonial Oxford Tour with the Sheldonian Theatre (£17.50). The 30-minute tour does not include it. Many visitors arrive expecting to access Convocation House independently or as part of the Divinity School-only visit — this is not possible.
Quick facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Address | Old Bodleian Library, Broad Street, Oxford, OX1 3BG |
| Opening hours | Accessible only via guided tours; Weston Library (tickets) open Mon–Fri 9am–9pm, Sat 9am–5pm, Sun 11am–5pm |
| Entry price | Via guided tour only; 60-minute tour £17.50; 90-minute tour £22.50 |
| Booking | Tickets available in person at Weston Library or online (limited, released one month in advance) |
| Nearest transit | Oxford station (~15 min walk); bus station (~10 min walk) |
| Parking | No on-site parking; Park & Ride recommended |
| Typical visit length | 60–90 minutes (as part of tour) |
Convocation House opening hours
Convocation House has no independent public opening hours. It is accessible only as part of a guided library tour run by the Bodleian Libraries. Tours that include Convocation House run daily (60-minute tour) or on Saturdays and Sundays only (90-minute tour).
The Weston Library information desk (where tickets are sold in person) is open:
- Monday–Friday: 9:00am–9:00pm
- Saturday: 9:00am–5:00pm
- Sunday: 11:00am–5:00pm
The Bodleian Libraries may close spaces at short notice for events or maintenance. Check the plan-your-visit page at for current closures before travelling.
Opening hours and ticket prices were checked on the official Bodleian Libraries website and last updated in June 2026.
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Convocation House ticket prices
Convocation House is included in the following Bodleian Library guided tours:
| Tour | Price | Duration | Days available | What you see |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60-minute library tour | £17.50 per person | 60 minutes | Daily | Divinity School, Convocation House, Chancellor’s Court, Duke Humfrey’s Library |
| 90-minute library tour | £22.50 per person | 90 minutes | Saturdays and Sundays only | Divinity School, Convocation House, Chancellor’s Court, Duke Humfrey’s Library, Gladstone Link, Radcliffe Camera |
| Ceremonial Oxford Tour | £17.50 per person | 60 minutes | Daily (begins 15:15) | Divinity School, Convocation House, Chancellor’s Court, Sheldonian Theatre Auditorium |
The 30-minute library tour (£12.50) and the Duke Humfrey’s Library tour (£12.50) do not include Convocation House.
A Tour and Tea package (from £47.50) combines the 60-minute tour with afternoon tea in the Bodleian Café — available Monday–Friday.
Children: Only children aged 11 and over are permitted on library guided tours. Children aged 11–16 must be accompanied by a responsible adult.
Convocation House is not included in any commercial city pass scheme.
How to book Convocation House tours
Most tour tickets are sold in person on the day at the information desk in the Weston Library, Broad Street (adjacent to the Old Bodleian). Tickets sell out quickly, particularly at weekends and during July–August. Arrive early to avoid disappointment.
A limited number of tickets are released online exactly one month before each tour date (e.g. a tour on 5 August goes on sale online on 5 July at 10am). Check visit.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/tours/library-guided-tours to book online.
Tour tickets are non-refundable. If you are unable to attend, call the tours office at 01865 287400 before the tour starts so the guide does not wait.
How to get to Convocation House / Old Bodleian Library
The Old Bodleian Library is on Broad Street, directly opposite Balliol College, adjacent to the Sheldonian Theatre and the History of Science Museum.
By train: Oxford station is approximately 15 minutes’ walk. Follow signs through the town centre to Broad Street.
By bus: The city centre bus network and Park & Ride services stop at or near Carfax and St Giles’, both a few minutes’ walk from Broad Street.
By car: Broad Street and the surrounding area are pedestrianised or heavily restricted. Park & Ride is the recommended option — five sites on the main roads into Oxford run frequent buses to the city centre. Limited pay-and-display parking exists on Mansfield Road and Blackhall Road.
Meet at: The Proscholium, inside the Old Bodleian Library entrance on Broad Street (for the Ceremonial Oxford Tour). The Weston Library information desk (on Broad Street, the modern building) for all other tours.
Parking at the Bodleian / Convocation House
There is no visitor parking at the Old Bodleian Library. The Park & Ride scheme is recommended. The main city-centre car and coach park is on Oxpens Road — check the Oxford City Council website for full details.
Coaches may drop off and pick up on Beaumont Street (opposite the Ashmolean Museum) or St Giles’. Coach parking is not available in the city centre; coaches and minibuses are advised to use the Redbridge Park & Ride site south of the city.
How long to spend at Convocation House
Convocation House is visited as part of a guided tour lasting 60 or 90 minutes in total. The tour covers multiple spaces; time in Convocation House itself is typically 10–15 minutes as part of the broader tour narrative.
Accessibility at Convocation House
Convocation House and Chancellor’s Court are wheelchair accessible. However, all library guided tours involve stairs and no lift is available within the Old Bodleian. The Divinity School and Duke Humfrey’s Library sections of the tour are not accessible to wheelchair users.
The Ceremonial Oxford Tour (which includes Convocation House, the Divinity School, Chancellor’s Court, and the Sheldonian Theatre Auditorium) involves no steps or stairs, making it the accessible option for visitors who wish to see Convocation House without climbing.
For accessibility queries before booking, email [email protected]. Guide dogs and assistance dogs are welcome on all tours.
What to see at Convocation House
Convocation House itself
Convocation House was built between 1634 and 1637 as part of the westward extension of the Bodleian Library complex, designed by university mason John Jackson. It is described as a beautiful example of an original 17th-century “parliament house,” with a stone fan-vaulted ceiling built in the medieval Gothic style — deliberately old-fashioned for its time, to convey permanence and authority.
For over 300 years, Convocation House served as the meeting place of Convocation and Congregation, the University of Oxford’s two governing bodies. Formal decisions about university governance, the conferral of degrees, and the election of officers all took place here. The space retains its original wooden pews along either side.
The English Parliament in Oxford
In the 17th century, the English Parliament met in Convocation House on three occasions when London was deemed unsafe or inaccessible:
- 1625 — Parliament met in Oxford during a plague epidemic in London.
- 1643 — During the English Civil War, Oxford was the Royalist capital. Charles I summoned his Oxford Parliament to Convocation House.
- 1681 — Charles II dissolved the short-lived Oxford Parliament here, abruptly ending a session that had come to Oxford to discuss the Exclusion Bill.
These three occasions make Convocation House one of a very small number of buildings outside Westminster to have housed the English Parliament.
Chancellor’s Court
Immediately adjoining Convocation House is Chancellor’s Court, the University’s former judicial chamber. It retains its oak-panelled dock from the 1630s and portraits of former Chancellors on the panelled walls. The Court was used to try students for misdemeanours — among those who appeared before it was Oscar Wilde in the 1870s, charged with missing academic deadlines.
Chancellor’s Court is included in the 60-minute and 90-minute library tours, and in the Ceremonial Oxford Tour.
The wider tour context
Convocation House is always visited as part of a tour that includes the Divinity School — the 15th-century examination hall adjacent to it, with one of the finest stone fan-vaulted ceilings in England. The 60-minute and 90-minute tours also include Duke Humfrey’s Library, the oldest reading room in the Bodleian, where books are still chained to the shelves. The 90-minute tour also covers the Radcliffe Camera and the underground Gladstone Link.
Practical visitor tips
| Tip | Detail |
|---|---|
| Convocation House is not independently accessible | You must join a guided tour to enter. Walk-up access to the room is not available at any time. |
| Arrive early for walk-up tickets | In-person tickets sell out at the Weston Library desk, particularly at weekends and in July–August. Arriving when the desk opens is the safest approach. |
| The 30-minute tour does not include Convocation House | Only the 60-minute tour, 90-minute tour, and Ceremonial Oxford Tour include Convocation House. The 30-minute tour goes to the Divinity School and Duke Humfrey’s Library only. |
| The Ceremonial Oxford Tour is the step-free option | This tour (daily at 15:15, £17.50) visits Convocation House and Chancellor’s Court without any stairs. It includes the Sheldonian Auditorium but not the Bodleian Library or Cupola. |
| Tours are conducted in English only | All guided tours are in English. Audio guides in other languages are not available for this specific tour format. |
Frequently asked questions about Convocation House
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Can you visit Convocation House independently? | No. It is only accessible on a paid guided tour run by the Bodleian Libraries. |
| Is Convocation House wheelchair accessible? | The room itself is accessible. However, most tours involving Convocation House also include stairs elsewhere. The step-free option is the Ceremonial Oxford Tour (daily at 15:15, £17.50). |
| Which tour is best to see Convocation House? | The 60-minute tour (£17.50) offers the best value specifically for Convocation House and Chancellor’s Court, combined with the Divinity School and Duke Humfrey’s Library. The Ceremonial Oxford Tour also includes the Sheldonian. |
| Are children allowed? | Only children aged 11 and over. Children 11–16 must be accompanied by a responsible adult. |
| Is the Bodleian Library the same as the Old Bodleian? | The name “Bodleian Libraries” covers multiple buildings. The Old Bodleian (on Broad Street) is where Convocation House is located. The Weston Library (also on Broad Street, the modern building) is where tours are booked. |
Things to do near Convocation House
- Divinity School (same building, included in most tours) — The 15th-century examination hall adjacent to Convocation House, considered one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture in England. Access via the same guided tours.
- Sheldonian Theatre (~1 minute’ walk, Broad Street) — Christopher Wren’s 1669 ceremonial hall with a painted ceiling and cupola views over Oxford. Open to visitors independently on most days.
- History of Science Museum (adjacent, Broad Street) — The world’s oldest surviving purpose-built museum building, with a free collection of historic scientific instruments. Open Tuesday–Sunday, 10am–5pm. See separate guide.
- Radcliffe Camera (~2 minutes’ walk, Radcliffe Square) — The iconic 18th-century domed library; the interior is accessible only on the 90-minute Bodleian tour or the Radcliffe Camera and City of Oxford Walking Tour.
- Ashmolean Museum (~5 minutes’ walk, Beaumont Street) — One of the world’s great encyclopedic art and archaeology museums, free admission, open Tuesday–Sunday.
What to visit tomorrow: similar historic parliament and court rooms within two hours
- Divinity School, Oxford (same site) — The 15th-century room adjacent to Convocation House is included in the same tours. The two rooms are always visited together.
- Great Hall, Winchester (~1 hour south) — The only surviving part of Winchester Castle, a 13th-century great hall that housed the medieval English Parliament and contains the legendary Round Table of King Arthur. Free admission; open daily.
- Houses of Parliament, London (~1 hour east) — Guided tours of the Houses of Parliament are available on weekdays when Parliament is in recess and on Saturdays throughout the year. Advance booking essential; admission charged.
- Hampton Court Palace, Surrey (~1 hour southeast) — The Tudor palace where Henry VIII convened the Privy Council; the Great Hall and state apartments are open to visitors.
- Ely Cathedral, Ely (~1 hour 30 minutes northeast via M11) — A Norman cathedral of exceptional scale and quality, with guided tours that include the 14th-century Octagon Tower.
More Oxfordshire travel
Other Oxfordshire travel guides on Planet Whitley include:
- The quietest times to visit Blenheim Palace.
- Enjoy the highlights of Oxford University, including the Ashmolean Museum, the Pitt Rivers Museum, the Museum of Natural History, the History of Science Museum and the Sheldonian Theatre.
- Shudder at dark tales of incarceration at Oxford Castle and Prison.
- 9 reasons to visit Oxford, England.
- Oxford city centre attraction guides: The Museum of Oxford, the Story Museum and Carfax Tower.
