Hertford College, Oxford

Hertford College is one of the founding colleges of the University of Oxford. It is located in Catte Street, opposite the main entrance to the Bodleian Library. Currently, 376 undergraduates and 224 graduates studying at Hertford College.

History

The college was founded in 1282 as Hart Hall by Elias de Hertford in Catte Street. In the Middle Ages, the Halls have been used primarily as a residence for students and faculty and had thus not have the same status as today's colleges. Hertford College was among others of famous people such as the poet John Donne, the satirist Jonathan Swift, the political theorist Thomas Hobbes and the first translator of the Bible into English, William Tyndale visited. What originally began as a residential complex that grew over the following centuries on an official College. Even today, parts of the original building part of the college. For example, the decorated with flowers carved entrance gate from the 17th century and the old library with its collection of books from the same time.

In 1740 Hart Hall was given the official title of Oxford College. Due to financial problems Hertford College was founded in the year ( not to be confused with today's Magdalen College) in 1822 part of Magdalen Hall. In 1874, the combined complex Hertford College and Magdalen Hall, thanks to the financial support of Sir Thomas Baring was re-established as a college. In just seven years, the rowing team of the newly founded College managed the prestigious title of Head of the River in the famous annual rowing race to win.

Hertford was one of the fifteen colleges which allowed women as students. Today, the ratio of male to female students is approximately balanced. Hertford College has the reputation of being a progressive college, and was one of the first colleges, the applications from state schools promoted in the sixties and today has more students from government than from private schools.

The library of the college is now one of the best-equipped college libraries in Oxford with more than 40,000 books. Some of these are extremely rare specimens from the 17th century. For example, an original manuscript of Hobbes ' Leviathan, which he handed over to the College, where he completed most of his studies as a personal gift.

In recent years, several new residential complexes and sporting facilities were inaugurated. Among students Hertford College is particularly well known for his legendary college bar, which is only available for students, however. Despite the image as rollicking college it usually ranks in the top third of all colleges in the Norrington Table the ranking of the exam results. In 2007, Hertford was on the 9th place of 30 colleges ..

The main building

The main building consists of three blocks: Old Quadrangle, New Quadrangle, and Holywell Quadrangle. The Old Quadrangle is the oldest part of the building. There you will find the gatehouse, the library, the chapel, the refectory and administrative offices. It is the only of the three complexes in which there is a lawn area. This must during the winter trimester ( Michaelmas ) and the Easter trimester ( Hilary ) are not entered. In the summer trimester ( Trinity ) on the other hand, students are allowed to stay on the lawn, Fridays and Sundays should also Croquet are played.

The residential complex New Quadrangle is connected with the older block by the Hertford Bridge. This tourist attraction is primarily known as the Bridge of Sighs and was designed by Thomas Graham Jackson.

Famous former students

All Souls College, Oxford Balliol College, Oxford Brasenose College, Oxford Corpus Christi College (Oxford) Exeter College, Oxford Green Templeton College, Oxford Jesus College (Oxford) Keble College, Oxford Kellogg College, Oxford Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford Lincoln College (Oxford) Merton College, Oxford Nuffield College, Oxford Oriel College, Oxford Pembroke College (Oxford) St Cross College, Oxford St Edmund Hall, Oxford Somerville College, Oxford University College (Oxford) Wadham College, Oxford Wolfson College (Oxford)
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