Tom Quad is the largest quadrangle at Christ Church College, laid out in the 17th century. It sits behind the Porter’s Lodge and centres on a grassy lawn with a fountain topped by a statue of Mercury. Two notable towers overlook the square: Tom Tower, designed by Sir Christopher Wren, houses the great bell Great Tom which has marked the hours for over 300 years; and the Bodley Tower, which contains the staircase leading to the Great Hall. Lewis Carroll lived in rooms facing the quad and wrote part of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland here. The harmonious proportions and historic architecture make Tom Quad a quintessential Oxford scene.