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.
Official site ↗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.
Don’t miss
- Bridge of Sighs (Hertford Bridge)
- octagonal chapel
- Jackson's spiral staircase
- Old and New Quads
Notable names
Jonathan Swift · John Donne · William Tyndale · Evelyn Waugh · Thomas Hobbes (via Magdalen Hall)
Visiting
Open to visitors at limited times; the Bridge of Sighs is freely viewable from the public lane even when the college interior is closed.
Opening hours, admission and current access change often — check the official site before you go.