Winners of the 2024 Tower Poetry Competition announced

Christ Church, University of Oxford is delighted to announce the winners of the 2024 Christopher Tower Poetry Competition, the most lucrative prize for young poets in the UK.

Teenagers between the ages of 16 and 18 reflected on this year’s theme, ‘Mirror', and came up with a vast array of interpretations. 

The judges, Will Harris, Jane Yeh and Mishtooni Bose, were faced with the difficult task of choosing just thirteen poems from over 1750 entries. First prize was £5000, second prize was £3000, third prize was £1500, and there were ten ‘Commended’ awards of £500 each. The total prize money amounted to more than £14,000.

Judging was conducted anonymously and now the wait is over…

Congratulations go to:

First Prize – Nabiha Ali, mirror in [virginia's room] circa 1919

Second Prize – Heather Chapman, Two Vampires Cut Each Other’s Hair in Front of the Mirror

Third Prize – Sasha Mostafa, Photographic Memory

Commended – Erin Bishop, Ode To The Older Sister

Commended – Magdalena Bone, 9:12am

Commended – Tabitha Giddings, After Eve

Commended – Daphne Harries, Mamgu / Mirror 

Commended – Ivy Leatherbarrow, Mice Bites (in the mirror)

Commended – William G Marshall, Driving Lessons To Reflect On 

Commended – Luke Roberts, Lake-Face 

Commended – Izzie Smith, The Worst Man You’ll Ever Meet 

Commended – Oscar Tavernier, NamoW 

Commended – Leah Vickery, Jej Twarz

Winners and their guests were invited to Christ Church for the prizegiving ceremony on 17 April, joined by members of the Tower Family. The Dean of Christ Church presented the winners with their certificates. 

Read the winning poems.

  • Celebrating with family and friends
  • Celebrating with family and friends
  • Celebrating with family and friends
  • Winning poets with the judges and the Dean
  • The Dean presenting first prize
  • The Dean presenting second prize
  • The Dean presenting third prize
  • The Dean presenting certificates to the winners
  • The Dean presenting certificates to the winners
  • The Dean presenting certificates to the winners
  • The Dean presenting certificates to the winners
  • The Dean presenting certificates to the winners
  • The Dean presenting certificates to the winners
  • The Dean presenting certificates to the winners
  • The Dean presenting certificates to the winners
  • The Dean presenting certificates to the winners
  • The Dean presenting the prizes
  • Heather reading at the Tower Poetry prizegiving event
  • Judge, Jane Yeh, speaking at the Tower Poetry prizegiving event
  • Judge, Will Harris, speaking at the Tower Poetry prizegiving event
  • People talking at the Tower Poetry prizegiving event
  • People talking at the Tower Poetry prizegiving event
  • People talking at the Tower Poetry prizegiving event
  • People talking at the Tower Poetry prizegiving event
  • People talking at the Tower Poetry prizegiving event.
  • People talking at the Tower Poetry prizegiving event.
  • Sign pointing towards the Tower Poetry prizegiving event
  • Celebrating with family and friends
  • Celebrating with family and friends
  • Celebrating with family and friends
  • Winning poets with the judges and the Dean
  • The Dean presenting first prize
  • The Dean presenting second prize
  • The Dean presenting third prize
  • The Dean presenting certificates to the winners
  • The Dean presenting certificates to the winners
  • The Dean presenting certificates to the winners
  • The Dean presenting certificates to the winners
  • The Dean presenting certificates to the winners
  • The Dean presenting certificates to the winners
  • The Dean presenting certificates to the winners
  • The Dean presenting certificates to the winners
  • The Dean presenting certificates to the winners
  • The Dean presenting the prizes
  • Heather reading at the Tower Poetry prizegiving event
  • Judge, Jane Yeh, speaking at the Tower Poetry prizegiving event
  • Judge, Will Harris, speaking at the Tower Poetry prizegiving event
  • People talking at the Tower Poetry prizegiving event
  • People talking at the Tower Poetry prizegiving event
  • People talking at the Tower Poetry prizegiving event
  • People talking at the Tower Poetry prizegiving event
  • People talking at the Tower Poetry prizegiving event.
  • People talking at the Tower Poetry prizegiving event.
  • Sign pointing towards the Tower Poetry prizegiving event

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Christ Church Upper Library
Winners of the Tower Poetry Competition 2024 with the judges and the Dean of Christ Church

Other Christ Church news

COLLEGE |

A rare acquisition from our 17th-century librarian

Christ Church has acquired a rare book from the collection of its former Librarian, the influential scholar Robert Burton (1577–1640), author of The Anatomy of Melancholy. With the help of a generous grant from the Friends of the National Libraries, Christ Church has been able to purchase Burton’s copy of Michael Scot’s 1603 Mensa Philosophica. 

Today’s College Librarian Gabriel Sewell tells us more about Burton and Christ Church’s exciting new acquisition. 

Christ Church Upper Library