Lincoln College

Richard Flemyng, Bishop of Lincoln, himself an Oxford man and Proctor in 1407, turned to his alma mater in his determin­ation to provide an antidote to the teachings of Wycliffe. To use the former's own words, he decided to establish "a little college of theologians to defend the mysteries of the sacred page against these ignorant laymen, who profane with swinish snouts its most holy pearls". In 1427 he obtained a charter to apply the revenues of three churches, All Saints, St. Michael and St. Mildred, to this end.

The college began in a very small way indeed with a Rector, seven Scholars and two Chaplains to serve the churches and took the name of "The Lincoln College of Blessed Mary and All Saints, in the University of Oxford". But the Bishop died suddenly in 1431 having built little more than the college's gate and super­imposed tower.

Founded on such slender means it had to struggle to survive.

What is known as the second foundation, began in 1472. The story is that the then Rector, preaching the sermon on the occ­asion of a visit to the college by the Bishop of Rotherham, took as his text "Behold and visit this vine, and make perfect what thy right hand hath planted" and appealed to the Bishop to complete the unfinished buildings, whereupon the Bishop under­took the task. To complete the story, it is said that the vine still flourishing on the north side of the chapel is the successor to the one which originally inspired the text.

In 1555, it was the Rector of Lincoln who presided at the trials of Ridley, Latimer, and Cranmer, condemned and burnt on the spot now marked by a cross embedded in the surface of the Broad opposite Balliol.

In its long list of theologians, Lincoln can boast of John Wesley who, taking his degree at Christ Church in 1724, was elected to a Fellowship at Lincoln two years later.

Further dates : Gatehouse 1431, Hall and First Quad 1437, Second Quad 1608-31, Chapel 1629.