North · Founded 1966
Wolfson College
It offers a rare dose of confident 20th-century architecture and riverside grounds, an airy contrast to the medieval colleges and popular for walks along the Cherwell.
Official site ↗Founded 1966. Founded in 1966 as a graduate college (initially Iffley College) with major funding from the Wolfson and Ford Foundations, and shaped by its first President, the philosopher Sir Isaiah Berlin.
A landmark of modernist Oxford, designed by Powell and Moya in pale concrete and glass around courts opening to the River Cherwell, with a private harbour and an elegant arched footbridge over the river.
Don’t miss
- Powell and Moya modernist courts
- Riverside harbour on the Cherwell
- Arched Wolfson footbridge over the river
- Graduate-only college with tree-lined quad
Notable names
Sir Isaiah Berlin (philosopher, first President) · Sir Ronald Syme (historian) · Strong association with graduate scholars and the sciences · Wolfson and Ford Foundation founding endowment
Visiting
In North Oxford beside the Cherwell and away from the tourist core; the grounds and riverside can sometimes be visited, but access depends on the college's current policy and should be checked.
Opening hours, admission and current access change often — check the official site before you go.