University College
University College Arms
(24) University College stands on the S. side of
High Street. The walls are of local Oxfordshire stone
with dressings and ashlar of the same material; the
roofs are slate-covered. The foundation of the college
is ascribed traditionally to King Alfred but the earliest
historical endowment dates from 1249 when William
of Durham gave a sum for the maintenance of ten or
more Masters of Arts. There are records of the building of a hall in 1448–9, of a gatehouse in 1470 and of a
chapel c. 1475–8. The rebuilding of the college was
due to the benefactions of Charles Greenwood and
Simon Bennet and the foundation-stone of the W.
Range of the Main Quadrangle was laid in 1634; in the
following year the N. Range with the Gatehouse was
begun and finished in 1638; in 1637 the S. Range
including the Chapel and Hall was begun, but was
interrupted by the civil war and not resumed till 1657;
the chapel was consecrated in 1666. The Kitchen Range
with the Library above was built between 1668 and
1670; the old E. Range was pulled down in 1669–74
and the new E. Range built in 1675, partly on the foundations of the old hall. The Radcliffe Quadrangle was
built from a bequest by Dr. John Radcliffe between
1716 and 1719. In 1766 the interior of the hall was
remodelled in the Gothic taste from the designs of
Henry Keene, and the open roof ceiled and a marble
fireplace inserted. In 1802 the exterior of the hall
and chapel was refaced from the design of James
Griffith, later Master of the college. In 1842 the
New Range on High Street to the W. of the main quadrangle was built from the design of Sir Charles Barry
and in 1861 the Library was built from the design of
Sir Gilbert Scott who also re-built the E. end of the
chapel and raised the roof. The new Master's Lodging
was built in 1879, the Shelley Memorial in 1894 and
Durham Building on the E. side of Logic Lane in 1903.
The hall was extended W. in 1904 and the plaster
ceiling removed. Some of the gables of the quadrangle were restored in 1907–8 and the High Street
front was restored in 1911.
The buildings are of interest as showing the late
survival of the Gothic tradition and the glass in the
chapel is noteworthy.
University College
Architectural Description—The Main Quadrangle
(105 ft. by 101 ft.) is entered by the gatehouse in the
middle of the N. Range. This range was built between
1635 and 1638 and is ashlar-faced and of three storeys.
The Gatehouse is also of three storeys but rises above
the range and is finished with a restored embattled
parapet. The outer archway has moulded and shafted
jambs and four-centred arch in a square head, with
cusped spandrels and a fleur-de-lis in each, and a
moulded label; it is hung with panelled oak doors in
two folds with a wicket in the W. half; the carved
panels in the head bear cartouches of the arms of the
college and William of Durham; the oval panels
below have ornamental cartouches and the lower panels
have cinque-foiled or elliptical heads and jewel-ornaments. The second stage has a much restored orielwindow with two four-centred and transomed lights
on the face and one on each return; the middle part
is occupied by a pseudo-Gothic niche containing a
figure of Queen Anne set up in 1709 and replacing a
figure of King Alfred; the oriel-window rests on
moulded corbelling and has an embattled cresting.
The third stage has two restored windows both of
two four-centred and transomed lights in square heads;
between them is a niche generally similar to that in
the stage below but with no figure. The inner archway to the quadrangle is similar to that on the N. front
but has trefoiled spandrels; the two upper stages have
restored windows and niches similar to those of the
top stage of the N. front; the lower niche contains
a figure of James II in classical costume; the upper
niche is empty. The gate-hall has a traceried fan-vault (Plate 5) with cinque-foiled heads to the panels and
crested bands; the central spandrel has a cartouche of
the arms assigned to King Alfred, being those of the
college, there are other cartouches-of-arms of Percy,
Dudley, Skirlaw and William of Durham; the two
former are surrounded by the garter; the vault rests
on corbels carved with angels bearing shields with
the arms of William of Durham. The room in the
second stage has some re-set late 17th-century bolection-moulded panelling probably from the E. end of the
chapel; parts of the frieze and upper rails have enrichment of palms and drapery-swags, etc. The ranges
flanking the gatehouse are finished on both faces with
a series of restored ogee gables and the string-courses
are carried along at the levels of the window-sills and
the returns of the window-labels; the windows are
of two elliptical-headed lights in square heads, except
at the junction with the later E. quadrangle where a
three-storeyed bay-window was inserted probably
when the new quadrangle was built in 1716–19; it
has four lights on the face and one on each return. The
S. face of the range is generally similar to the N. face
and has been extensively restored; the doorways have
moulded jambs and four-centred arches in square heads
with labels. Inside the range, some of the doorways
have original moulded oak frames with four-centred
arches in square heads; some of the doors are also
original. A certain amount of 17th-century panelling
remains. A room on the first floor at the W. end is
lined with original panelling finished with a cornice;
the fireplace is flanked by simply enriched pilasters
supporting the shelf; the overmantel is of two
bays divided and flanked by Ionic columns supporting an entablature; the bays have central applied
tablets, each with an arched panel and a broken
pediment.
The W. Range was begun in 1634; it is similar to
the side portions of the N. range in its windows, doorways and gabled cresting, but has been less refaced;
above the middle doorway is a panel with a modern
shield-of-arms. One doorway on the W. face has a
fanlight above the door-head. Inside the range, the
S. room on the ground floor has an early 18th-century
bolection-moulded dado from the Hall. The Senior
(Summer) Common Room is fitted with woodwork from
a demolished house at the E. angle of High Street and
Logic Lane. The walls are lined with late 16th-century
panelling with an enriched rail, having an inlaid band of
key-pattern; the upper panels are arched and the
enriched entablature has a panelled frieze with small
carvings from Apuleius, Aesop's fables, etc.; on the N.
wall are two Doric pilasters with Corinthian pilasters
superimposed. The fireplace (Plate 21) is flanked by
fluted Doric columns and the overmantel is of three
bays, divided and flanked by enriched terminal figures,
supporting the enriched entablature; the side-bays have
arched panels and both these, the centre-panel and the
panels of the frieze have small carved subjects from
Aesop's fables, etc.; the carved lower rail has a cartouche with the initials and date R.S. (for Richard
Slythurst) 1575 E. S. The Senior Common Room is lined
with panelling, executed by Thomas Barker in 1697.
It is bolection-moulded, with a dado-rail and cornice
continued along the ceiling-beams; the pelmets are
enriched with leaf-ornament and the overmantel has an
enriched panel; the fireplace has a veined marble surround. On the first floor the Junior Common Room
has an original fireplace with moulded jambs and four-centred arch in a square head. Another room on the
same floor has some early 17th-century panelling and
an original fireplace, flanked by wooden Ionic columns
supporting the modern shelf.
The E. Range was built in 1675 but follows the lines
and general design of the W. range. Above the central
doorway is a panel with a modern shield of the arms
of Bennet. Inside the range is a considerable amount
of 18th-century woodwork and some fireplaces of the
same period.
The S. Range (Plate 197) was begun in 1637 and
finished in 1666; it contains the chapel on the E. and
the hall on the W., with a gabled block between them,
and forming a symmetrical design towards the quadrangle; this was largely remodelled in 1802 when the
central block was entirely altered and the former cresting of gables on the main range was replaced by the
existing embattled parapet and pinnacles.
The Chapel (74½ ft. by 26 ft.) was restored under
Sir G. Scott in 1862 when the E. wall was re-built and
the roof renewed. The N. wall has three original
windows each of three cinque-foiled lights with uncusped tracery in a two-centred head with a label;
externally the lights have been carried down to form
blind panels but this is an alteration of 1802; further
E. is a blind window, covered by the organ-pipes;
the doorway in the W. bay is modern. The S. wall is
finished with a moulded cornice and parapet and shaped
brackets; of the six windows the easternmost is
modern and the rest are partly restored and uniform
with those in the N. wall. Fittings—Candelabra: two
of brass, given by William Bouverie in 1747. Candlesticks and Brackets: On both sides of chapel, 18th-century. Communion Table: of oak with turned and
carved bulbous legs finished with Ionic capitals, inlaid
and gadrooned upper rails, early 17th-century, altered
later. Glass: In N. and S. windows—by Abraham
van Linge, 1641, N. side, 1st window (Plate 190), Jonah
and the whale, shield-of-arms of Percy and figures in
tracery; 2nd window, the translation of Elijah with
Elisha catching the cloak below, arms of Bennet in
tracery; 3rd window, Jacob's vision, arms of Greenwood in tracery; S. side, 1st window (Plate 190), the
temptation and expulsion of Adam and Eve, arms of the
college in tracery; 2nd window, Adam and Eve lamenting the Fall, Abraham and the angels etc., arms of
William of Durham in tracery; 3rd window, the Sacrifice of Isaac, arms of Skirlaw in tracery; 4th window,
Christ in the house of Martha and Mary, arms of Dudley
in tracery; 5th window, Christ driving out the moneychangers, blank shield in tracery. In the Chef's office—
made up panel, formerly part of E. window, representing the Nativity and by Henry Gyles, 1687; other
portions stored in Bursary. Monuments and Floor-slabs.
Monuments: In ante-chapel—on N. wall, (1) to John
Radcliffe, 1626, alabaster and black marble tablet with
frame; (2) to William Rookes, 1667–8, white and black
marble tablet with frame. Floor-slabs: In ante-chapel
—(1) to R.G., 1710; (2) to F. F., 1695. Paintings: Said
to be in lights of blind window in N. wall, behind organpipes—scriptural subjects, including Lot's wife, signed
H. Cooke, probably 17th-century. Pavement: of black
and white marble squares, set diagonally. Reredos (Plate
193): of oak and of three bays, divided and flanked by
fluted Corinthian pilasters supporting an enriched entablature; bolection-moulded panels in bays, elaborate
carved decoration round middle panel including a
pelican, birds with snakes, fruit and flowers, in side
bays, swags of drapery and flowers; cornice continued
along side-walls to a pair of Corinthian pilasters; executed by Thomas Barker, 1694, re-set in 1924. Screen
(Plate 193): Between choir and ante-chapel—of oak
and of five bays divided and flanked by fluted Corinthian
columns and pilasters, supporting an entablature with
a curved pediment over the central bay, having cherub-heads in the tympanum and surmounted by two angels
with trumpets and four vases over the side-bays; band
of carved work carried along between capitals; square-headed doorway, with moulded architrave, in central
bay; small pedimented canopies with vases in bays
flanking doorway and elaborately carved and pierced
panels in outer bays, with cherub-heads, etc.; W. face
of screen generally similar but with alterations in detail;
c. 1694, by T. Barker. Stalls: On both sides of choir—
with shaped arms and moulded rests and pendants,
against wall, panelled backing with coupled fluted
Corinthian columns between the bays, carved swags
between the capitals and an enriched, bracketed and
coffered entablature; stall-fronts and lower seats with
bolection-moulded panels and moulded cornices,
standards with triangular tops, and ball-terminals,
front benches with continuous moulded fronts, stallfronts at W. end with panels of pierced carving; c. 1694,
by T. Barker.
The Hall (77½ ft. by 28 ft.) stands on a cellar which
was perhaps inserted in the 18th century, as the floor
of the hall seems to have been raised; the hall was
remodelled internally in the Gothic taste in 1766, when
the roof was ceiled, and the oriel perhaps re-built; the
ceiling was removed in 1904 when the hall was extended
to the W.; the entrance has also been altered, but the
modern outer doorway is uniform with that of the
chapel. The three eastern windows in the N. wall are
uniform with the corresponding windows of the chapel.
The kitchen-wing seems not to have formed part of
the original design as it blocks two windows, one in
the hall and one further E., remains of which can still
be seen; in the E. bay of the S. wall of the hall is a
blocked doorway, probably of the 18th century, and
behind the fireplace is a third blocked window; the
oriel or bay-window has three four-centred and transomed lights on the face and two on each return; it
is finished with an embattled parapet; the internal
arch has 18th-century panelled jambs and soffit and
the bay itself has a flat panelled ceiling of the same age.
The roof is original but has been partly reconstructed
and considerably restored; it is of hammer-beam type
with curved braces to the hammer-beams, side-posts
with pendants, braces forming four-centred arches
under the main collars with pendants in the middle and
pendants below the upper collars; the louvre in the
former middle bay of the hall has been renewed,
except for the framing of the opening; between the
timbers, against the side-walls, are plaster enrichments.
The cellar, under the hall, has square piers and pilasters
supporting groined vaulting.
The Kitchen Wing is ashlar-faced and was built
between 1668 and 1670, and is of two storeys with
cellars and attics. The windows of the ground floor
have square-headed lights, those of the upper floor
have four-centred lights; in the S. wall is a restored
oriel-window of three four-centred and transomed
lights on the face and one on each return. Inside the
building, in the S. wall of the staircase-hall are two
original doorways to the kitchen; they have moulded
jambs and four-centred arches in square heads; the
floor has apparently been raised and the doorways are
now blocked. The staircase has late 17th-century
turned balusters and close strings and has been re-set.
The kitchen has a segmental stone arch to the E.
fireplace. Refixed in the modern passage to the new
buttery is the doorway to the old buttery, E. of the
hall; it has a moulded oak frame with a four-centred
arch in a square head, with fleur-de-lis enrichments.
The Radcliffe Quadrangle adjoins the main quadrangle on the E. It was built between 1716 and 1719
and is remarkable as carrying on the semi-Gothic
lines of the earlier building. The N. front follows very
closely the design of the N. front of the earlier building;
the gatehouse has statues of Queen Mary II on the
front and of Dr. Radcliffe on the inner face; the gate
hall has a panelled fan-vault (Plate 5) of two bays with
shields-of-arms; the panelled doors resemble those in
the earlier gatehouse. The elevations towards the quadrangle follow the lines of the main quadrangle with the
same three storeys finished with a cresting of ogee
gables. Inside the building the staircases have twisted
balusters and close strings and some of the rooms have
bolection-moulded panelling. On the S. side of the
quadrangle is a screen-wall with an ornamental stone
centrepiece in the form of a doorway.
In the boundary-wall at the S.W. angle of the site
is a 17th-century archway with moulded jambs and
four-centred arch. In the S.W. corner of the Master's
garden are the defaced remains of a figure of King
Alfred formerly above the entrance to the hall.
For No. 90 High Street, now part of the College,
see p. 163.
Condition—Good.