Central · Founded 1326
Oriel College
A compact, atmospheric medieval-into-Jacobean college tucked into its own square, and a focal point both of the 19th-century Oxford Movement and the modern 'Rhodes Must Fall' debate.
Official site ↗Founded 1326. Founded in 1326 by Adam de Brome, almoner to King Edward II, who took it under royal patronage, making Oriel the oldest royal foundation in Oxford.
Its Front Quad is a fine example of early-17th-century Jacobean Gothic, crowned by the 'Regnante Carolo' porch and a statue of the Virgin Mary; the Edwardian Rhodes Building (1911) fronts the High Street.
Don’t miss
- Jacobean Front Quad and 'Regnante Carolo' porch
- 17th-century hall and chapel
- Rhodes Building and the contested statue of Cecil Rhodes on the High Street
- Senior Library and historic collections
Notable names
John Henry Newman and the Oxford (Tractarian) Movement, centred on Oriel's fellowship · Cecil Rhodes · Sir Walter Raleigh · Matthew Arnold and Thomas Arnold · A.J.P. Taylor
Visiting
Access for visitors is limited and at the college's discretion, with opening arrangements that vary through the year; confirm before a visit.
Opening hours, admission and current access change often — check the official site before you go.