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All the United Kingdom England Oxford Alice's Shop
AO Edited

Alice's Shop

The shop where the girl who inspired the beloved character once bought sweets is now a book-themed commercial curiosity.

Oxford, England

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Fred Cherrygarden
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Mad Hatter Tea at Alice’s Shop, Oxford.   Ben Sutherland/cc by 2.0
Alice’s Shop.   Phlizz (atlas obscura user)
Alice and the Knitting Sheep.   John Tenniel/public domain
Alice’s Shop.   Phlizz (atlas obscura user)
  missingfilm / Atlas Obscura User
  Ursula / Atlas Obscura User
  Ursula / Atlas Obscura User
  Ursula / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
The sign outside the shop   rbenn250 / Atlas Obscura User
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  cait7911 / Atlas Obscura User
Post Card   SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
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About

Unless you're a huge fan of Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland and have read the books, you may not be familiar with the Old Sheep Shop, which appears in Wool and Water, the fifth chapter of Through the Looking-Glass. In the book, Alice finds herself in a shop owned by an old Sheep, and, after a brief, "very queer" boat trip, buys an egg which turns into the famous Humpty Dumpty, all without any clear transition—just as in dreams.

The Sheep's shop, like many characters and things in the Alice books, was inspired by contemporary Oxford in real life. Specifically, it is said to have been based on the grocery store that Alice Liddell, major inspiration for Carroll's iconic "dream-child," frequented to buy her favorite sweets: barley sugars.

Located right opposite Christ Church College, of which Alice's father was Dean and where Charles Lutwidge Dodgson—the real name of Lewis Carroll—taught mathematics, the little shop was originally built in the 15th century along with the building next door. They were remodeled in the 17th century, and the shop continued to sell groceries through the Victorian era to the mid 1960s, when Alice in Wonderland memorabilia began to show up on its shelves.

Today, it has officially become Alice's Shop, filled from corner to corner with Alice-related gifts and souvenirs, including candies, tea bags, postcards, handmade magnets, thimbles, Disney figurines, and books.

Related Tags

Shops Literature Children's Literature

Know Before You Go

The shop is open every day from 11 am to 4 pm except on Saturdays, when it is open from 11 am to 5 pm

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Added By

Fred Cherrygarden

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SEANETTA, Kerry Wolfe, rbenn250, Ursula...

  • SEANETTA
  • Kerry Wolfe
  • rbenn250
  • Ursula
  • missingfilm
  • cait7911

Published

December 26, 2019

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Sources
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice%27s_Shop
  • https://www.lonelyplanet.com/england/oxford/shopping/alice-s-shop/a/poi-sho/1596643/358941
  • https://www.experienceoxfordshire.org/venue/alices-shop/
  • https://www.visitsoutheastengland.com/things-to-do/alices-shop-p984201
Alice's Shop
83 St Aldate'
Oxford, England, OX1 1RA,
United Kingdom
51.748905, -1.256783
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Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Oxford

Oxford

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Stories 8

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Photo of Oxford

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