Jesus College (in full: Jesus College in the University of Oxford of Queen Elizabeth's Foundation) is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. It is the eighth wealthiest college, with closing reserves and endowments of £79,700,391 (2003).
| Jesus College | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oxford | ||||||||||||
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| Full name | Jesus College | |||||||||||
| Established | 1571 | |||||||||||
| Named for | Jesus of Nazareth | |||||||||||
| Colours | ||||||||||||
| Sister college | Jesus College, Cambridge | |||||||||||
| Head | Sir John Krebs | |||||||||||
| Undergraduates | 344 | |||||||||||
| Postgraduates | 134 | |||||||||||
| Website | Homepage | |||||||||||
| Boat club | Boatclub | |||||||||||
History
Jesus College was founded in 1571, occupying in part the site of the earlier White Hall, which had existed for several hundred years from the 13th century up until 1570, just before Jesus began. Jesus was founded by eight commissioners, of whom Hugh Price is often credited as the main force, and received its Royal Charter from Elizabeth I.
The college was originally intended for the education of clergymen. The 1571 charter stated that it was to be a 'college of learning in the sciences of philosophy, the moral arts, and knowledge of the Hebrew, Greek and Latin languages, with the eventual aim of professing sacred Theology'. The intention was to satisfy a need for dedicated, learned clergy to promote the Elizabethan Religious Settlement in the parishes of England, Ireland and Wales.The college has since broadened the range of subjects offered, beginning with the inclusion of medicine and law; the college now offers almost the full range of subjects taught at the university.
In 1974, Jesus was among the first group of five men's colleges to admit women as members.
There has long been a rivalry between it and nearby Exeter College.
Location and Buildings
Jesus is located on Turl Street in the centre of Oxford, on a comparatively small site by the standards of many Oxford colleges, and is one of the three Turl Street colleges along with Lincoln College and Exeter College. Much of what are considered the original buildings date from the 17th century, although parts date back to the college's foundation. Most of these earlier buildings have undergone some degree of restoration, although this is not generally obvious, and parts of the rear of the college are much more modern.
The main college buildings include the chapel (in the First Quadrangle) which was built in the early seventeeth century in Jacobean-Gothic style under Sir Eubule Thelwall (Principal 1621-30), and extended at the east end in 1636. It has a fine barrel-vaulted roof, a late seventeenth-century ante-chapel screen and an early seventeenth-century pulpit. The chancel arch was widened in 1864 by George Edmund Street, and also features a Victorian stained-glass window and stone altarpiece. The stone flooring and much of the woodwork also date from Street's alterations. Also worth seeing is the large copy of Guido Reni's St Michael subduing the Devil which hangs in the chancel. This was given to the college by Thomas James Bulkeley, 7th Viscount Bulkeley (a student in 1769), who acquired it in Rome during his Grand Tour.
The college Hall, accessed from the passage between the two main quadrangles, contains a fine full-length portrait of the college's Founder, Elizabeth I, attributed to Nicholas Hilliard or his school. This was presented to the college in 1687 by James Jeffreys, brother of George Jeffreys, the "Hanging Judge". Other portraits to be found here include contemporary likenesses of Charles I and Charles II, as well as numerous other benefactors, former Principals and alumni including T. E. Lawrence and Harold Wilson.
In recent years the college has also built two annexes for student accommodation in the north and east of the city (known as Stevens Close and Herbert Close respectively). Many students continue to live on the main central site, which remains the hub of the social and academic life of the college. The Herbert Close annexe is known as "Barts", after nearby Bartlemas, and the college sports grounds are also located there.
Student life
The college has a reputation within Oxford for being a friendly, close-knit community[1]. Some have attributed this to the relatively small physical size of the main college site, where first-year students live in close proximity to one-another and form strong bonds of friendship and a keen sense of college spirit. The college has a reputation for apathy when it comes to Oxford Union and OUSU student politics.
Students from the college participate in a variety of extra-curricular activities, their successes not being limited to any one field in particular. Some contribute to student journalism for The Cherwell or The Oxford Student. In the Arts, the annual Turl Street Arts Festival is of particular note. This week-long student-organised event is held annually in conjunction with Exeter and Lincoln colleges. The festival, which takes place in Fifth Week of Hilary term, includes exhibitions, plays and concerts. Although the college does not award Choral Scholarships, the Chapel Choir is well-attended by enthusiastic college members and others. The choir is non-auditioning for college members, and is run by one or more undergraduate Organ Scholars.
In common with many in Oxford, the college is well provided with sporting facilities, including extensive playing fields at the east Oxford annexe site for (Association and Rugby) football, hockey, cricket, tennis etc., modern squash courts on Saint Cross Road, and a boat house on The Isis.
The Welsh connection
Although it accepts students from all over the UK and indeed the world, Jesus has a particular association with Wales and is often referred to as "the Welsh college". The college is also home to the university's Professor of Celtic, and a specialist Celtic library in addition to the college's normal library. To reflect this connection, the college's undergraduate gossip sheet is entitled The Sheepshagger in allusion to a racist joke about Welsh people's penchant for sheep. Furthermore, the Welshness of the College is self-perpetuating, as Welsh students will often apply to Jesus because it is seen as the Welsh college. To this day there is a larger proportion of Welsh undergraduates than in other colleges.
College Graces
The College Grace is read by a Scholar of the college at Formal Hall (the second, more elaborate sitting of dinner) on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. It is relatively unusual for the grace after dinner to be read, as the custom is for those not dining on High Table to retire after finishing dinner, the Scholar who read the first grace having first requested permission from the Principal or the senior Fellow present.
Grace to be said before Dinner
- Nos miseri et egentes homines pro cibo quem ad alimoniam corporis sanctificatum nobis es largítus, ut eo utamur grati Tibi, Deus Omnipotens, Pater caelestis, gratias reverenter agimus, simul obsecrantes ut cibum angelorum, verum panem caelestem, Verbum Dei aeternum, Dominum nostrum Iesum Christum nobis impertiaris, ut illo mens nostra pascatur et per carnem et sanguinem Eius foveamur, alamur et corróboremur.
- Amen
Grace after Dinner
- Quandoquidem nos, Domine, donis Tuis, Omnipotens et misericors Deus, exsatiasti, effice ut posthac quid per nos fieri aut secus velis diligenter observemus, atque illud animo sincero effectum praestemus, per Iesum Christum Dominum nostrum.
- Amen
- VERS. Domine, salvam fac Reginam.
- RESP. Et exaudi nos in die qua invocaverimus Te.
- Deus, in cuius manu sunt corda regum, qui es humilium consolator et fidelium fortitudo et protector omnium in Te sperantium, da Reginae nostrae Elizabethae populoque Christiano triumphum virtutis Tuae scienter excolere, ut per Te semper reparentur ad gloriam, per Christum, Dominum nostrum.
- Amen
Famous former students
- James Burke
- William Boyd
- Thomas Charles
- Edward Davey
- Geraint Davies
- Richard J. Evans
- John Richard Green
- Ffion Hague
- Paul Jones
- T. E. Lawrence ("Lawrence of Arabia")
- Siân Lloyd
- Magnus Magnusson
- Norman Manley
- Dom Moraes
- Walter H. Stockmayer
- Henry Vaughan
- William Vaughan
- Harold Wilson
- See also Former students of Jesus College, Oxford.
Academics/teachers
- Sir Leoline Jenkins
- Professor Niall Ferguson
- Professor John Gray