Jesus College, Oxford Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Jesus College

Blazon: Vert, three stags trippant argent attired or.

University

Oxford

Location

Turl Street

Coordinates

51°45′12″N 1°15′25″W / 51.7534°N 1.2569°W

Full name

Jesus College in the University of Oxford of Queen Elizabeth's Foundation

Latin name

Collegium Ihesus

Established

1571; 453 years ago

Named after

Jesus of Nazareth

Sister college

Jesus College, Cambridge

Principal

Sir Nigel Shadbolt

Undergraduates

346 (2017/2018)

Postgraduates

198

Boat club

Boat Club website

Map

Location in Oxford city centre

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 England. It is in the centre of the city, on a site between Turl Street, Ship Street, Cornmarket Street and Market Street. The college was founded by Elizabeth I on 27 June 1571 for the education of clergy, though students now study a broad range of secular subjects. A major driving force behind the establishment of the college was Hugh Price (or Ap Rhys), a churchman from Brecon in Wales. The oldest buildings, in the first quadrangle, date from the 16th and early 17th centuries; a second quadrangle was added between about 1640 and about 1713, and a third quadrangle was built in about 1906. Further accommodation was built on the main site to mark the 400th anniversary of the college, in 1971, and student flats have been constructed at sites in north and east Oxford.

The life of the college was disrupted by the English Civil War. Leoline Jenkins, who became principal after the war in 1661, put the college on a more stable financial footing. Little happened at the college during the 18th century, and the 19th century saw a decline in numbers and academic standards. Reforms of Oxford University after two Royal Commissions in the latter half of the 19th century led to removal of many of the restrictions placed on the college's fellowships and scholarships, such that the college ceased to be predominantly full of Welsh students and academics. Students' academic achievements rose in the early 20th century as fellows were appointed to teach in new subjects. Women were first admitted in 1974 and now form a large part of the undergraduate population.

There are about 475 students at any one time; the Principal of the college is Sir Nigel Shadbolt. Former students include Harold Wilson (who was twice British Prime Minister), Norman Washington Manley (Chief Minister of Jamaica), T. E. Lawrence ("Lawrence of Arabia"), Angus Buchanan (winner of the Victoria Cross), and Viscount Sankey (Lord Chancellor). The university's professorship of Celtic is attached to the college, a post held by scholars such as Sir John Rhys, Ellis Evans and Thomas Charles-Edwards. Past or present fellows of the college include the historians Sir Goronwy Edwards, Yuval Noah Harari and Niall Ferguson, the philosopher Galen Strawson, and the political philosopher John Gray.

Images for kids

The college's founder, Queen Elizabeth I, shown in a portrait in the college hall
Monument to Sir Eubule Thelwall, 1630, in Jesus College Chapel, Oxford.
The tombstone of Leoline Jenkins in the college chapel
An 1837 engraving of the first quadrangle
Harold Wilson
The main entrance
Front door of the principal's lodgings, showing the shell-hood of c.1700
A detail of the hall screen
The Dutch gables around the top of the buildings in the second quadrangle
The third quadrangle from the steps of the Old Members' Building looking east; the Ship Street entrance is through the archway on the left; the spire in the distance is the chapel of Exeter College.
The Principal's Lodgings (left) and the chapel (right) are located within the First Quad of Jesus College.
The college crest above the Ship Street entrance gate.
David Lloyd George, pictured in 1911, was elected an Honorary Fellow of the college in 1910 and said that he would prize no honour more highly.
T. E. Lawrence
Opening lines of one of the Mabinogion tales from the Red Book of Hergest (written pre-13c, incorporating pre-Roman myths of Celtic gods): Gereint vab Erbin. Arthur a deuodes dala llys yg Caerllion ar Wysc... (Geraint the son of Erbin. Arthur was accustomed to hold his Court at Caerlleon upon Usk...)
Late 19th-century stained glass in the chapel, showing St David, the patron saint of Wales

Jesus College, Oxford facts for kids

Images for kids

See also