Oxford, England is a city and local government district in Oxfordshire. Oxford has a population of approximately 135,000 people and is home to the University of Oxford, the oldest university in the English-speaking world. The University of Oxford is first mentioned in 12th century records. Oxford has several tourist attractions belonging to the universities and colleges. The Oxford Story is a historical themed ride, and the Carfax Tower is in the center of town. In addition, there are churches and other religious institutions, museums, galleries, gardens, parks, meadows, and commercial areas. In addition to theaters, there are historic pubs. The BBC national radio station is in Oxford, and several radio and TV stations are close by. Literature is no stranger to Oxford, and J.R.R. Tolkien was a Professor of English at Merton. In addition, many novels have been set in whole or in part within the town of Oxford. Many know Oxford as home to higher academic schools, with students from all over the world. Some of the colleges date back centuries, and have kept single-sex education.