Oriel

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Oriel is the fifth oldest of Oxford Colleges founded in 1324 by King Edward II and is situated on a beautiful site in the centre of the city. Oriel and University College have both claimed to be the oldest royal Oxford foundation, although King Alfred’s involvement in University is based on centuries of hearsay and unconvincing evidence. Oriel purposefully has a smaller student body than most, who are selected from a wide variety of backgrounds. It has 182 postgraduates and 306 undergraduates in a roughly even gender divide. Oriel cherishes individuality and diversity and strives to produce a supportive environment for all its students. It believes no one with talent and potential should not be prevented from attending because of cost and to this end has a generous bursary scheme in place for high achievers from low income households.All undergraduates can be housed by the college, with all first years and many of the rest living on the main site. Formal Hall is served six days a week. An active and resourceful student body provides all the usual clubs and societies, which include a Shakespeare play performed outdoors on the Front Quad each year. Oriel has its own sports ground and boathouse. The ever expanding library has over 100,000 volumes and is open 24 hours a day. A practice room is available for musicians. Hall of the Blessed Mary Adam de Brome, Rector of University Church under the patronage of the king, was the main driving force behind the original medieval foundation, which was called the Hall of the Blessed Mary at Oxford. Brome had the King’s blessing to divert funds from University Church into the project. The college retained royal favour after Edward II’s disposition by upstart son Edward III and was gifted... ... middle of paper ... ... Church of England and enable a return to Catholicism. Oriel Provost Edward Hawkins was a passionate opponent to the movement and so in-house squabbling erupted, which in the long history of the college, is something that happens on a regular basis. Various spats have resulted in requests for adjudication from high office churchmen and even law suits. The ladies of Somerville Although it was the last all-male college in Oxford to admit women (1984) Oriel has previously accommodated the refined young ladies of Somerville while their college was requisitioned as a military hospital during World War I. This relocation involved erecting a dividing wall between the second and third quads to reduce interaction between the sexes. The few remaining male undergraduates not called into service soon punched a hole in the divide that had to be guarded night and day until repair.

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