Dame's Delight
Encyclopedia
Dame's Delight was a place for women to bathe in the nude on the bank of the River Cherwell
in the meadows near the Oxford University Parks opposite Mesopotamia Walk in Oxford
, England
. It was started in 1934, but closed in 1970 due to maintenance difficulties because of flooding.
A similar bathing area Parson's Pleasure
for nude male bathing, also existed nearby until 1991. It had been established at a much earlier date; both sites are now part of the folklore of Oxford University.
Dame's Delight inspired the title of a 1964 novel by Margaret Forster
.
River Cherwell
The River Cherwell is a river which flows through the Midlands of England. It is a major tributary of the River Thames.The general course of the River Cherwell is north to south and the 'straight-line' distance from its source to the Thames is about...
in the meadows near the Oxford University Parks opposite Mesopotamia Walk in Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It was started in 1934, but closed in 1970 due to maintenance difficulties because of flooding.
A similar bathing area Parson's Pleasure
Parson's Pleasure
Parson's Pleasure in the University Parks at Oxford, England, was a secluded area for male-only nude bathing on the River Cherwell. It was located next to the path on the way to Mesopotamia at the south-east corner of the Parks...
for nude male bathing, also existed nearby until 1991. It had been established at a much earlier date; both sites are now part of the folklore of Oxford University.
Dame's Delight inspired the title of a 1964 novel by Margaret Forster
Margaret Forster
Margaret Forster is a British author. She was born in Carlisle, England, where she attended Carlisle and County High School for Girls , and then won an Open Scholarship to read modern history at Somerville College, Oxford, from where she graduated in 1960.After a short period as a teacher at...
.