A night in prison (it's really a hotel)

I stayed a night in a prison cell, had Krispy Kremes in a castle, sang in a medieval church and, while carrying takeout tandoori chicken back to my room, passed the spot where three bishops were burned at the stake in the 16th century.

Just another day in Oxford, the ancient British university town.

It took me the advertised hour in my rented car to get from London's Heathrow Airport to the ring road that circles Oxford. Then I orbited, John Glenn style, for another 90 minutes before lucking upon the gravel drive of Oxford Castle, next to my hotel, the Malmaison.

I am a fan of oddball hotels, and the Malmaison is one of the oddest in the world. It's the old city jail, and it looks it. Except for the cheery sign with the hotel's name, the dark stone edifice still looked like a place to lock up the bad guys.

First, a bit about Oxford. I had a very short stay here, so I didn't have time to get out to my favorite country pub, the Trout, in north Oxford beside the Thames. But I arrived early enough that I was able to make my way to the Christ Church Cathedral, in one of Oxford's colleges, for Evensong, the daily Anglican song and sermon. Even if you have never been to England you have probably seen the Christ Church college (and its church), either in the Harry Potter movies or, for an earlier (read: my) generation, in the old "Brideshead Revisited" series on PBS.

The warm evening light was bouncing off "Old Tom," the nickname of the tower over the Christ Church college entrance. I made my way past a fountain and into the church. The choir's singing of psalms and anthems was a restful end to a very long day. On the way out, I stopped at the Thomas Becket window, which memorializes the onetime Archbishop of Canterbury, who was murdered at prayer for opposing Henry II.

I wandered the streets, peeking into even the most standoffish of the "students only" areas at the colleges, which are scattered around town and together make up the university.

Jet lag began to take its grip, so it was back to the hotel. The Malmaison is a former prison that has kept its interior close to its original form, though rooms have been expanded. The main area is a vaulted, three-tiered narrow hall with the former cells — now rooms — lined up in neat rows. The old iron stairways are blocked off but add to the penal character. But this is no hellhole. It's all been painted a bright white, and the old roof has been replaced with one featuring skylights that drench the interior with sunlight.

The high windows with grilling were made to replicate the prison-cell bars. The interior is plush, all plaid fabrics and lacquered black wood, with a flat-screen TV.

An odd bit of Americana: In a modern annex next door, styled in stone to look like part of the castle, was a popular cafe. But not just any cafe. It was a Krispy Kreme. Over the counter was a note from then-Prime Minister Tony Blair, thanking them for the doughnuts provided on a train trip.

Too tired to sit in a restaurant, especially on my own, I strolled up to Chutneys, a great Indian restaurant, for takeout. On the way back, I passed the spot where three bishops were burned at the stake for heresy. Just another street corner in Oxford.