Wadham College - The Back Quad

Wadham College was founded by Nicholas and Dorothy Wadham in the reign of King James I. In 2010 we celebrated our 400th anniversary. Nicholas Wadham, a member of an ancient Somerset family, died in 1609 leaving his fortune to endow a college at Oxford. The hard work of translating intentions into reality fell on his widow, Dorothy, a formidable lady of 75. She fought all the claims of Nicholas's relations, lobbied at court, negotiated the purchase of a site and drew up the college statutes. She appointed the first Warden, Fellows and Scholars, as well as the college cook, to such effect that the college was ready for opening within four years of Nicholas's death. She added considerably to the endowment from her own resources, and kept tight control of its affairs until her death in 1618, although she never actually visited Oxford from her home in Devon to see the results of her generosity and business acumen. Nicholas and Dorothy Wadham are honoured as the co-founders of the college.