Oxford Professor of Poetry

The post of Professor of Poetry is one of the most prestigious positions at the University of Oxford. The tasks include three public lectures per year, he also determined the winner of the Sir Roger Newdigate 's Prize for English Verse and keeps the Creweian Oration, a speech commemorating the patron of the university. Was established, the Chair in 1708. Since then, numerous great English poet and literary scholar had held the office.

It is the only professor at the university, which is awarded by choice. Anyone can run, entitled to vote are all around 180,000 Oxford graduates. The choice comes regularly with significant media interest.

Previous professors

• Since 2010: Geoffrey Hill
• 2009: Ruth Padel
• 2004-2009: Christopher Ricks
• 1999-2004: Paul Muldoon
• 1994-1999: James Fenton
• 1989-1994: Seamus Heaney
• 1984-1989: Peter Levi
• 1978-1983: John Jones
• 1973-1978: John Wain
• 1966-1968: Edmund Blunden
• 1961-1966: Robert Graves
• 1956-1961: W. H. Auden
• 1951-1956: Cecil Day-Lewis
• 1946-1951: Cecil Maurice Bowra
• 1944-1946: not occupied
• 1938-1943: Adam Fox
• 1933-1938: George Stuart Gordon
• 1928-1933: Ernest de Sélincourt
• 1923-1928: Heathcote William Garrod
• 1920-1923: William Paton Ker
• 1916-1920: not occupied
• 1911-1916: Thomas Herbert Warren
• 1906-1911: John William Mackail
• 1901-1906: A. C. Bradley
• 1895-1901: William Courthope
• 1885-1895: Francis Turner Palgrave
• 1877-1885: John Campbell Shairp
• 1867-1877: Francis Hastings Doyle
• 1857-1867: Matthew Arnold
• 1852-1857: Thomas Legh Claughton
• 1842-1852: James Garbett
• 1831-1841: John Keble
• 1821-1831: Henry Hart Milman
• 1812-1821: John Josias Conybeare
• 1802-1812: Edward Copleston
• 1793-1801: James Hurdis
• 1783-1793: Robert Holmes
• 1776-1783: John Randolph
• 1766-1776: Benjamin Wheeler
• 1757-1766: Thomas Warton the Younger
• 1751-1756: William Hawkins
• 1741-1751: Robert Lowth
• 1738-1741: John Whitfield
• 1728-1738: Joseph Spence
• 1718-1726: Thomas Warton the Elder
• 1708-1718: Joseph Trapp