Magdalen Botanical Gardens

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Generally accepted as the most beautiful of Oxford's Colleges, Magdalen was founded in 1458 by another famous Bishop of Winchester, William de Waynflete.

Whether or not Waynflete had been educated at New Coll­ege he was a Wykehamist at heart and modelled his foundation chiefly on that of New College. He first founded a Hall in 1448 which he called Magdalen Hall. This was in the area of Merton Street near Logic Lane, and it is interesting that in this first charter the name by which it is known to this day was given in the vernacular as Maudlayne.

When he became Lord High Chancellor of England, the founder took over a hospital which had been set up as far back as 1233 "for the relief of poor scholars and other miserable folk," and for some years the college maintained an almshouse that had belonged to the hospital.

In the contract for the chapel it was specified that the windows were "to be as good or better than" those of All Souls.

Of the magnificent buildings the lovely chapel tower dominates the college and indeed the city. It was built as a bell tower originally to stand alone, but with the chapel and other picturesque buildings it forms the Chaplains' Quadrangle. At five o'clock on the 1st. of May, a hymn is sung in Latin, with towns­folk gathered below in The High and on Magdalen Bridge. The origin of this ceremony is not known; it may be the survival of the inaugural ceremonies.

Almost facing the lodge, the very picturesque Grammar Hall, built by the founder, formed part of the original Magdalen College School.

In the angle formed by the chapel and the line of buildings of which the porter's lodge is a part, is a curious open-air pulpit from which in ancient times a sermon was preached on the Feast of St. John the Baptist in commemoration of this open-air prea­cher.

Of its many famous alumni, might be mentioned Edward, Prince of Wales, later to become King Edward VIII.

Further dates : Chapel, Hall, Library 1474-80, First Quad 1475, Bell Tower 1492-1509, Second Quad, New Buildings 1733.

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