Central · Founded 1282
Hertford College
The Bridge of Sighs is one of Oxford's most photographed landmarks, and the college sits in the historic heart beside the Bodleian.
The college
A closer
look.
Central — Catte Street, opposite the Bodleian
Founded 1282. Traces its origins to Hart Hall, established in the 1280s by Elias de Hertford; it was incorporated as Hertford College in 1740, later lapsed, and was refounded by Act of Parliament in 1874 with support from banker Thomas Charles Baring.
A mix of medieval to Edwardian work, best known for the early-20th-century 'Bridge of Sighs' (Hertford Bridge) by Sir Thomas Graham Jackson spanning New College Lane, plus his distinctive spiral staircase.
On the same walk
Closest to
this one.
On a visit
Don’t miss.
- 01Bridge of Sighs (Hertford Bridge)
- 02Octagonal chapel
- 03Jackson's spiral staircase
- 04Old and New Quads
Connected to
Notable
names.
- Jonathan Swift
- John Donne
- William Tyndale
- Evelyn Waugh
- Thomas Hobbes (via Magdalen Hall)
Before you go
Visiting Hertford College
Restricted Access. Published visitor access: Prospective students and alumni may visit the main quad; other visitors by appointment only during building works to summer 2027. Admission: No public admission charge published. Confirm arrangements before travelling.
Opening hours, admission and access change often — check the official site before you travel.
- Founded
- 1282
- Area
- Central — Catte Street, opposite the Bodleian
- Type
- College
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