The unexpected

I've been visiting buildings as part of Oxford's annual Open Doors Weekend for so long now that I've seen almost everything in the programme. But there are always a few buildings open for the first time or that I've overlooked previously and today I chose three. First, the University of Oxford joinery workshop, based in an appealing stone building which used to be part of Morrell's Brewery's old Malthouse. The workshop makes high quality bespoke pieces for the university and colleges: bookcases, display cabinets, old-style furniture, elegant reception desks, doors, interior and exterior seating, bridges over some of Oxford's many streams and brooks and much else.

Downstairs, the workshop manager, who's worked there for 46 years, enthused about a new sort of wood, accoya, which lasts untreated for 50 years above ground and 25 years below. Eh? A new wood? Turns out it's a sort of pine, pinus radiata, a fast-growing, medium-density softwood which is native to a few bits of south western USA and is now an introduced plantation species in Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Kenya, and South Africa. This spread is because of a treatment that makes pinus radiata behave much more like a hardwood. Under pressure, the wood is impregnated with acetic anhydride which reacts with the naturally occurring hydroxyl groups in the wood (which absorb and release water), and converts them into acetyl groups. The wood's consequent reduced ability to take in or release water means is doesn't  swell or shrink and it lasts longer.

Upstairs, one of the joiners acknowledged his boss's enthusiasm, showed us how accoya splinters unless you are using large pieces and wondered how you can know that a recently introduced process will make wood last 50 years.

Next summer this joinery workshop is moving and the building will be converted to offices so I was glad to have this chance to see it.

Next, unplanned because I happened to be walking past, Blackfriars, a priory established in Oxford in 1221 for a community of Dominican Friars which is also a university hall for students. I caught bits of guided tours by two friars, both of whom exhibited a lot more humour than my prejudice would have predicted - to a wailing infant: 'Oh lovely, simultaneous translation for the under-ones!'

Most interesting were the stations of the cross (carved by Fr Aelred Whitacre, a pupil of the infamous Eric Gill) which depict all 'enemies of Christianity' - Pontius Pilate, assorted Romans and other onlookers - as 'deformed'. JRR Tolkien used to serve at mass at the priory regularly and apparently these bas-reliefs were his model for the Orcs. He also appropriated a statue by Gill of St Dominic with a star on his head for the Silmarillion. Not at all what I would have expected.

My last two were the First Church of Christ Scientist, where I thought I was visiting a 30s building but found a 'modern' 80s building, and the Berlitz Language Centre where I was led to believe I'd see a 15th century Grade II building but actually mostly saw painted woodchip and lots of brochures promoting courses. At least they tried to bribe me with coffee and a croissant to learn Spanish (or anything, really). Having missed breakfast I was ready for that.