Oriel College
Oriel College
(18) Oriel College stands on the E. side of Oriel
Street. The walls are of local Oxfordshire stone with
dressings of the same material; the roofs are covered
with slates. The college was actually founded by
Adam de Brome, Rector of St. Mary's, in 1324, but
Edward II became the titular founder in 1326. In the
14th century also St. Mary's Hall, to the N. of the
college, was established, to some extent as a subordinate establishment to Oriel. The mediæval buildings of the college were entirely destroyed when the
whole structure was re-built between 1620 and 1642.
The W. Range was built c. 1620–22 and the S. Range was
built c. 1622; the N. and E. Ranges including the Hall,
Kitchen, Chapel and Library were built between 1637
and 1642 and in the latter year the chapel was consecrated. Portions of the buildings of St. Mary's Hall
may date from the 15th century; the W. Range was
re-built c. 1446 and the N. part of the W. wall may be
of this period; the W. part of the S. Range may also be
of this period; it seems to occupy the site of Bedel
Hall which was acquired in 1455. The E. part of the
S. range including the Hall and Chapel (now the Junior
Library) were re-built in 1639–40. After 1719 the S. part
of the E. Range was re-built under William King,
Principal (1719–63). In 1720 the Robinson Building on
the E. side of the Middle Quadrangle was erected,
followed, in 1729, by the Carter Building on the W.
side. The Library on the N. side of this quadrangle
was built in 1788 and in 1817–8 additions were made on
the E. and S. of the Robinson building and to the S. of the
Carter building. The W. range of St. Mary's Quadrangle was almost entirely re-built in 1825. St. Mary's
Hall was finally united to Oriel College in 1902. The
Rhodes Building on the N. front was erected in 1908–11
and there are minor modern additions.
Oriel College Arms
The front quadrangle forms an interesting example
of 17th-century Gothic and the hall and chapel have
noteworthy roofs and fittings.
Architectural Description—The Front Quadrangle
(Plate 1) (112 ft. by 97 ft.) has the Gatehouse near the
middle of the W. range, the Hall in the E. range and the
Chapel projecting from the S.E. angle. The W. Range is
of 1620–22, ashlar-faced and of three storeys, symmetrically designed; the upper part has been largely refaced.
The Gatehouse is of three storeys but rises above the
rest of the range and is finished with a restored embattled parapet. The outer archway has moulded and
shafted jambs and a four-centred arch in a square head
with traceried spandrels; it is fitted with wooden
doors of two leaves with moulded vertical panels in
four ranges; the upper panels are carved with rosesprays, oak and vine-foliage, thistle, Prince of Wales'
feathers, and shields-of-arms of the college, James I
and Anthony Blencowe, Provost (1572–1617); the
lower panels have jewel-ornament and there is a wicket
in the N. leaf of the doors. The first floor has an
entirely restored oriel-window of six lights on moulded
corbelling and the second floor a restored window of
four lights. On the E. or inner face is an archway
with moulded jambs, four-centred arch and modern
label; on the first floor is a restored oriel-window of
six lights and the window of the second floor has a
clock-face of 1820. The gate-hall has a stone fan-vault
(Plate 2) of two bays, with panelled Gothic cones and
round central panels enclosing cartouches of the arms
of James I and the college; the vault springs from
moulded corbels and shafts in the middle of each side.
The side doorways have moulded jambs and four-centred arches in square heads. The room on the first
floor has a plastered ceiling (Plate 37) of six bays with
moulded beams and pendants and panels enriched with
strapwork, roses and fleurs-de-lis. The fireplace (Plate
21) has moulded jambs and four-centred arch in a square
head; it is flanked by oak columns supporting the shelf
and overmantel; the latter is of plaster and of two bays,
divided and flanked by terminal figures supporting an
enriched frieze; the bays have oval panels enclosing
two differing shields-of-arms of Blencowe. The room
on the second floor has an original door. The side
portions of the W. range have wholly or partly restored
windows of two four-centred lights in square heads
with labels continued as string-courses. The top
storey is finished, on both faces, with a series of small
curvilinear gables all restored; the doorways, on the
E. face, have moulded jambs and four-centred arches
in square heads, with restored curvilinear pediments
and cartouches-of-arms of Blencowe and Hawkins;
the latter is modern (1903), the former with the others
round the quadrangle are restorations, the decayed
originals being re-set on the E. and W. walls of the
Back Quadrangle. Inside the range, the N. staircase
has exposed framing and some panelling of c. 1700.
The staircase S. of the gatehouse has a central newel
and an original balustrade at the first-floor level. A
room, on the first floor, near the S. end of the range,
is lined with original panelling, with a frieze and
cornice; the overmantel has coupled columns at the
sides supporting an enriched entablature and a large
central panel. A room in the S.W. angle has an
original doorway with carved stops, re-set.
The S. Range, of c. 1622, is generally similar to the
side portions of the W. range; the cartouches over the
doorways bear the arms of Dudley and Compton; the
S. front, to Merton Street, has been almost completely
refaced. Inside the range the two staircases have
exposed framing and some rooms have panelling of
c. 1700. A room on the first floor has moulded and
plastered intersecting beams with pendants at the ends
and in the middle and a modelled frieze of vine-scrolls.
The Chapel (Plate 167) consists of a structural Choir
(52 ft. by 21 ft.) and an ante-chapel (32½ ft. by 18 ft.). It
was consecrated in 1642 and is an ashlar-faced building
with an embattled parapet and a gabled E. wall; the
windows have been more or less restored. The E.
window is modern (1884) replacing a window of 1859,
which in turn replaced the original window which was
probably of four lights. The side walls of the choir
have both three windows, each of three cinque-foiled
lights with flowing tracery in a two-centred head with
moulded reveals and label. At the W. end of the choir
is a moulded three-centred arch with labels and springing from heavy moulded corbels. The ante-chapel
has, in the S. wall, a window similar to the side windows
of the choir but of four lights; below it is a modern
window. The W. wall has a short porch and a
doorway with moulded jambs, restored head and a
cartouche-of-arms of Frank; above it is an orielwindow of three four-centred and transomed lights on
the face and two on each return; the oriel has a
restored openwork parapet; further N. is a window
similar to the side windows of the choir; these two
windows form part of the general design of the E. side
of the quadrangle. The roof of the choir is presumably of trussed-rafter type and is boarded on the
soffit and divided into panels by moulded ribs forming
eleven bays; the wall-plates are moulded. The antechapel has a similar roof of eight bays. On the roof
is a hexagonal timber bell-cote with two transomed
lights in each face and an ogee capping and finial; it
contains a bell by Edward Hemins of 1729.
Fittings—All of the 17th-century, unless otherwise
described. Communion Rails (Plate 18): Of five bays,
including gate, divided by pilasters with carved pendants, each bay with enriched panel, including a strapped
oval of bay-leaves, enclosing scrolls, moulded and enriched upper and lower rails. Communion Table: with
turned legs, brackets and elliptical arches at ends,
moulded rails and stretchers and ball-feet. Door: In W.
doorway—of two leaves with three pilasters on face and
cornice carried round the four-centred head, panelled
back. Floor-slabs: In choir—(1) to R.S. (Robert
Say, Provost), 1691; (2) to G.R. (George Royse,
(4) to S.D. (Samuel Desmaistres), 1686; (5) to I.S.
(John Stonehouse), 1699; (6) to I.C., 1675; (7) to
I.F. (James Farren), 1660; (8) to I.H., 1656. Gallery:
In ante-chapel—reconstructed but incorporating
numerous pierced panels, possibly in part of late 17th-century date. Glass: In ante-chapel—in N.W.
window—panel made up of fragments with a figure of
St. Margaret with book, cross-staff and dragon, 16th-century. Lectern (Plate 25): of bronze, with threebranched scrolled feet, embossed baluster-stem and
eagle, on stem, the inscription "Hanc Orielensibus
dedit Aquilam Nathaniel Naper Armiger Gerardi Naper
de Middle Marsh Hall in Comitatu Dorset Militis et
Baronetti filius unicus et hujus Collegii Socius Comensalis 1654", with a quartered achievement-of-arms of
Napier and a cartouche-of-arms of the college. OrganCase: On gallery—with central bay and two towers of
pipes, cherub-heads and carved conventional foliageenrichments, 18th-century. Pavement: Of black and
white marble squares, on riser of step, painted shield-of-arms of Perrot and further W. two shields, one
blank and one of Say, laid down 1677–8. Panelling:
On E. and S. walls, divided into bays by pilasters, those
round the E. end with Ionic capitals, panels, generally
treated with perspective arches, entablatures and pediments, but panels at E. angles rectangular, continuous
bracketed cornice; panelling continued in modern
work to the W. extension of the choir. Screen (Plate
167): Of oak, three bays divided by pilasters, supporting an entablature; doorway in middle bay with architrave, broken pediment and blank cartouche, panelled
door of two leaves with open upper panel enclosing a
strapped circle, partly fixed; side bays each with a
similar open panel, eared architrave and pediment; on
W. face, two free Ionic columns in front of pilasters of
the same order, screen moved W. when choir was enlarged in 1884. Stalls: with shaped arm-rests and
plain seats, backs formed of panelling described above;
two stalls, against screen, with hexagonal canopies, in
the form of entablatures, with pendants and supported
on two slender shafts. Desks partly old and with
panelled fronts and ends with ball-terminals.
The E. Range, of 1637–42, has a symmetrically designed front towards the Quadrangle and includes the
Hall, Buttery and part of the Ante-chapel. The front
has a central porch (Plate 166) with a pierced parapet; it
follows the old design but was entirely re-built in 1897;
above it are two niches with pseudo-Gothic canopies
and containing statues of two kings, presumably
Edward II and James I; above these is a third niche
with a figure of the Virgin and Child; this is recorded
to have been removed by John Jackson in 1650 and put
back in 1673–4; the head of this niche forms part of a
restored central feature carried above the main cornice;
it has side-pilasters, entablature, pediment and blank cartouche. The rest of the front has a series of Gothic
windows similar to the side-windows of the chapel;
at each end is an oriel-window, one at the N. end opening into the hall and the other into the ante-chapel as
already described; below the N. oriel is a porch and
doorway (formerly a hatchway) to the basement, with
a cartouche-of-arms of Lewis; the basement is lit by
windows of two four-centred lights with the plinthmoulding carried over them; the front is finished with
a cornice with pendant brackets at intervals and surmounted by a series of curvilinear gables all restored.
The E. side of the range has a series of windows similar
to those on the W. face and a series of restored curvilinear gables above; the central window is similar but
of two lights. The Hall (56½ ft. by 25 ft.) has an open-timber roof of hammer-beam type and of five bays; the
trusses have moulded main-timbers, hammer-beams
with pendants and curved braces with traceried spandrels; between the side-posts and the walls are open
panels with traceried heads; the collar-beams have
curved braces forming four-centred arches with cusped
spandrels and there are trefoil-headed open panels above
the collar-beams; the wall-plates are moulded and there
are curved wind-braces to the purlins. On the roof is a
hexagonal lantern similar to the bell-turret of the
chapel. In the third window of the W. wall is a painted
glass achievement of the quartered arms of Robert
Pierrepoint, 1st Earl of Kingston. In the W. wall is a
doorway with a four-centred arch in a square head and
shields in the spandrels. The Buttery has early 18th-century panelling and a room above has late 17th-century panelling. The Basement, formerly Kitchens,
has plain groined vaulting and in the N. wall are two
openings with four-centred heads, probably former fireplaces. Below the S. end of the range is the Beer-cellar;
it has a timber ceiling supported on two stone cylindrical
columns with moulded capitals, and wooden posts
against the walls.
The N. Range of c. 1637–42, is of three storeys and
the S. front to the quadrangle is generally similar to the
side portions of the W. range and has been almost
entirely refaced; above the doorways are cartouches-of-arms of Tolson and Smith. The N. front has three
projecting wings but those on the E. and W. have been
masked or partly masked by later buildings; the
windows are similar to those on the S. front and several
of those in the E. projecting wing are still visible in
the adjoining building; the old doorways have
moulded jambs and four-centred arches in square
heads. The front is finished with restored curvilinear
gables similar to those on the S. side. The E. end of
the range has similar gables and a range of additional
windows lighting a basement. Inside the range at the
E. end is the former Bakehouse; it has a wide fireplace
in the W. wall, with a four-centred arch and to the S.
of it is a brick oven. In the same block is an original
well-staircase (Plate 168) with turned balusters, moulded
rails and strings and square panelled newels, one having
a pendant. The room above the former Bakehouse has
early 18th-century panelling. The next staircase to
the W. has exposed framing and the doorway to the
adjoining corridor, through the range, has a four-centred arch in a square head with shields in the
spandrels. The room on the E. has a doorway with
dragon-heads in the spandrels. On the second floor is
the former Library, now divided into sets of rooms; it
was formerly lit by seven windows on each side. The
rest of the range is occupied by the Provost's Lodging;
on the ground floor the Dining Room, at the W. end,
has a re-set overmantel of c. 1640 and the surround incorporates some enriched panels of the same age; the overmantel is of three bays divided by Doric columns, partly
rusticated, and supporting an entablature; the middle
bay has a round-headed panel with a pediment and cartouche and the side bays have perspective panels. The
Kitchen is lined with 17th-century panelling and has a
plaster ceiling with a geometrical design of moulded
panels. The staircase (Plate 46), N. of the kitchen, is
original and of well-type with turned balusters, moulded
strings and rails and square newels with moulded
terminals and pendants; standing on the newels
between the lower floors are columns supporting the
upper newels and also arches across to the side walls;
the top landing has a screen of three bays with columns
and four-centred arches; the ceiling has radiating panels
of Gothic type with a cartouche of the arms of the
college in the middle. The room to the N.E. and the
passage to the W. of the kitchen have mid and late 17th-century panelling. In the windows of the modern hall
are some 17th-century painted glass panels with portraits of Sir Thomas Bodley, John Tolson, Provost,
Queen Henrietta Maria, Anthony Blencowe, Provost,
and Thomas Allen, also shields-of-arms of Allen with
the date 1638 and Blencowe.
The Middle Quadrangle has the Robinson Building of
1720 on the E. side, the Carter Building of 1729 on the
W. side and the Library of 1788 on the N. side. The
Robinson and Carter Buildings are similar in their
general lines to the ranges of the Front Quadrangle.
The Library is mainly a two-storeyed building with
rusticated arches to the ground-floor and a range of
Ionic columns above, on the S. front. A room at the
W. end on the second floor is lined with panelling,
divided into bays by Corinthian pilasters and with an
enriched entablature; it is said to have come from New
College Chapel.
St. Mary's Hall Quadrangle is entered by a gateway
in the W. range. This W. Range was almost entirely
re-built in 1825 but the lower part of the W. wall is
perhaps of 15th-century date and is of coursed rubble;
above the entrance archway is a blocked window. The
N. Range was built in 1908–11. The E. Range was
built after 1719, on the site of an earlier building; the
staircase has turned balusters and close strings. The
doorway has a flat hood on carved consoles. The E.
wall is of rubble and may possibly be part of a mediæval
building.
The S. Range includes in the E. part the former Hall,
now the Junior Common Room, and the Junior
Library formerly the Chapel. This part was built in
1639–40 and is of two storeys with a basement; the
walls are ashlar-faced. The former Hall has a five-light window (the middle light blocked) in the E. wall
and three-light windows in the side walls, all with
cinque-foiled lights in square heads. The doorway in
the N. wall has moulded jambs and four-centred arch
in a square head with shields in the spandrels. The
screen in the former hall is of five bays divided by
panelled Ionic pilasters supporting a bracketed entablature; the two doorways have square heads and the
other bays have panels with perspective arches; above
the entablature is a panelled attic with pilasters and a
central feature with a shell-headed niche, pilasters and
a pediment. In the screens-passage is a scrolled shield-of-arms of St. Mary's Hall with mantling and enriched
frame. The Junior Library, formerly the chapel, on the
first floor has a completely restored five-light window
in the E. wall; the side walls have two windows on
the N. side and three on the S., all of three trefoiled
ogee lights with tracery in a round head with moulded
reveals; the whole of the S. side has been refaced. In
the W. wall is a 17th-century panelled door with a
carved head. To the W. of the Hall and library are a
staircase and a series of rooms lighted by windows with
cinque-foiled heads. The former Buttery, on the
ground-floor, has an original doorway with carved
spandrels and a hatch with a three-centred head. The
W. part of the range was formerly of two storeys but
now has a modern top storey. The lower walls are of
rubble and may be part of the building erected c. 1455
on the site of Bedel Hall. The easternmost of the
lower windows on the N. side has a cinque-foiled head
and is of early 17th-century date, and the two doorways
with four-centred heads are perhaps of the same date.
There are no old features on the S. side.
The E. and W. boundary-walls of the Middle Quadrangle are old and fixed on them is the series of 17th-century cartouches from the Front Quadrangle.
Condition—Good.