The Queen's College

The College came into being in 1340. Its founder Robert de Eglesfield, chaplain to Philippa, Queen of Edward III, having purchased a site for his proposed college, drew up its statutes and commended his work to the Queen, hence the happy title, dedicated to Queen Philippa and all future Queens Consort of England.

Robert de Eglesfield was born in Cumberland and his object in founding a college was to provide ecclesiastical education for poor boys from his own north-country district.

The college's original statutes were highly ecclesiastical and symbolic. There was to be a provost to represent Our Lord, twelve fellows to represent the Apostles and seventy-two boys in commemoration of the chosen disciples. The college continues to preserve a number of its early customs. Because it was too far for these boys to go home for the Christmas vacation, the college became famous for its Boar's Head procession and dinner on Christmas Day and its Needle and Thread feast on New Year's Day. The wassail, or loving cup of the founder — an ox-horn elaborately decorated — is still in the college's possession.

The college was entirely rebuilt from the time of Charles II, changing its entrance from Queen's Lane to The High. The chapel was designed by Wren, the front quad by one of his pupils. The library is one of Oxford's architectural gems and ranks with that of All Souls and that of Christ Church as one of the best of Oxford's college libraries.

Dates of some of the college's buildings: Second Quad 1672­1707, Library 1691-95, Hall 1714, Chapel 1714-19, First Quad 1714-60, Gatehouse 1734.