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History of colleges

How many original colleges were there in oxford and cambridge? and how many of the colleges at each are new i.e built in last 100 years or so?

Reply 1

MadNatSci

12

Define 'original'?

Cambridge's new colleges (at least those who admit non-mature undergrads) are Robinson, Fitz (ish), Churchill, Homerton (ish again) New Hall. Girton and Newnham were founded in the late 19th century; I think Fitz was founded back then as well but all its buildings are very new now.

It's difficult to say how many 'original' colleges there are until you define your use of the term! There are no college buildings, as far as I'm aware, that date back to 1280 or whenever it was that the university was founded. Peterhouse is the oldest college and was founded back in the 13th century, but its buildings are newer. As far as I know Jesus has the oldest buildings, but they weren't originally part of the college: they're from a monastery that once stood on that site.

Reply 2

KaiserSoze

1

John's has the school of pythagoras, which is the oldest college building in Cambridge (c. 1200), but it predates the college.

There are no 'original' colleges as such -both universities expanded fairly organically as new ones were founded, and joined the university - I don't think there was any founding of the university in itself.

Reply 3

S@sha

7

There was only one original College, which was the first and the oldest: Balliol.

Reply 4

ThePants999

14

It's about time you stopped living in denial... it's funny how nobody but people from Balliol think Balliol's the oldest. In fact, even Balliol itself doesn't make that as a serious claim - it claims to have been founded in 1263. Although University aren't sure of their exact founding date, their founder died in 1249. For those of us who can do basic arithmetic, that's pretty telling...

Reply 5

InterCity125

1

But we all know that Merton was the first popper college. Although Univ. may have statutes, Merton had the set up of a college that we would recognise to this day (1264 foundation)

Reply 6

S@sha

7

ThePants999

It's about time you stopped living in denial... it's funny how nobody but people from Balliol think Balliol's the oldest. In fact, even Balliol itself doesn't make that as a serious claim - it claims to have been founded in 1263. Although University aren't sure of their exact founding date, their founder died in 1249. For those of us who can do basic arithmetic, that's pretty telling...

Yea. and it was finished sometime in the second half of the 14th century and only then began to function as a college. Who cares when it began being built? It's when it became a college that matters.

Reply 7

ThePants999

14

Uh-huh? The university accepts Univ as having been founded in 1249. Wake up, nobody believes Balliol :smile:

Reply 8

S@sha

7

ThePants999

Uh-huh? The university accepts Univ as having been founded in 1249. Wake up, nobody believes Balliol :smile:

Being founded and becoming a college of the university is different.

Technically Magdalen is the oldest institution as it was a hospital/infirmary/whatever for a few centuries before the others were found, but became a college later.

If I go and put a brick in the ground and call that the first Time Gate for travelling in time and then finish building it when someone has actually built a proper one, then I wouldn't have the first Time Gate, or at least I would be a sad loser if I did think that.

Reply 9

ThePants999

14

Indeed. But "founded" in this sense does not mean "the foundation stone laid", it means established as a teaching institution.

http://www.ox.ac.uk/aboutoxford/history.shtml - "University, Balliol and Merton Colleges, established between 1249 and 1264, are the oldest." Congratulations on your silver medal.

Reply 10

ThePants999

14

InterCity125

But we all know that Merton was the first popper college. Although Univ. may have statutes, Merton had the set up of a college that we would recognise to this day (1264 foundation)

And I just noticed this. The idea of Merton being first is simply laughable (and indeed, if you try to say that in person to someone not from Merton, I expect you will actually be laughed at!) - regardless of whether Univ predated Balliol, Balliol definitely predated Merton.

Reply 11

Morgan

At Oxford the oldest college is Keble :wink:

. Ignore all these people that tell you its not, because it is, the original brick, which has now been stolen by our own society for the destruction of the college was laid in the time of Jesus, not by himself of course, only Keble was important enough to lay the brick that now resides in someone's room :smile:

.

Reply 12

ThePants999

14

No, I tell you! St Catz is clearly the oldest!

Reply 13

Fluffy

15

Gotta love pre-historic concrete :wink:

Reply 14

BazTheMoney

Oxford college in (kinda) chronological order:

<1300 - Balliol, Hertford, Merton, Teddy Hall, Univ

<1400 - Exeter, New, Oriel, Queen's

<1500 - Lincoln, Magdalen

<1600 - Brasenose, ChCh, Corpus, Jesus, John's, Trinity

<1700 - Pembroke, Wadham

<1800 - Worcester

1800+ - Keble, LMH, Mansfield, Anne's, Catz, Hilda's, Hugh's, Peter's, Somerville

Oh, and as a former Balliol student, I accept Univ is the oldest.

Reply 15

Golden Maverick

4

BazTheMoney

Oxford college in (kinda) chronological order:

<1300 - Balliol, Hertford, Merton, Teddy Hall, Univ

Oh, and as a former Balliol student, I accept Univ is the oldest.

Teddy Hall <1300 ?!? They became a college in 1950! Yes I have read the history and I am biased (Queen's), but they matriculate at the end and their crest is not on the union celieng etc.

Reply 16

Lawz-

14

Golden Maverick

Teddy Hall <1300 ?!? They became a college in 1950! Yes I have read the history and I am biased (Queen's), but they matriculate at the end and their crest is not on the union celieng etc.

Teddy hall was part of Queens wasnt it?

Reply 17

Golden Maverick

4

Lawzzzzzz

Teddy hall was part of Queens wasnt it?

At some point yes - it was a hall for some Queen's students. The main reason for the intercollege rivalry (apart from the rugby)

Reply 18

ThePants999

14

Golden Maverick

Teddy Hall <1300 ?!? They became a college in 1950! Yes I have read the history and I am biased (Queen's), but they matriculate at the end and their crest is not on the union celieng etc.

They were built and began teaching quite a long time before Queen's, but due to Queen's then taking control and refusing to let go, they weren't granted their charter to become an official college until the 20th century.

Reply 19

Golden Maverick

4

ThePants999

They were built and began teaching quite a long time before Queen's, but due to Queen's then taking control and refusing to let go, they weren't granted their charter to become an official college until the 20th century.

There was teaching there before Queen's but their claim to be the oldest college is false. From the 15C to 1931 they had a maximum of 45 undergraduates. Pretty comprehensive history
Reading through this it is not clear who now owns the freehold for the Hall. It says "..under the aegis of Queen's College." But says nothing further about the freehold after Queen's buys it. Anyway, not an Oxford college until 1957, accepted in the history.

History of colleges

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