Mansfield College, Oxford
Encyclopedia
Mansfield College is one of the constituent colleges
of the University of Oxford
in England
. Of the colleges that accept both undergraduate and graduate students Mansfield College is one of the smallest, comprising approximately 210 undergraduates, 130 graduates, 35 visiting students and 50 academic staff.
students. In the late nineteenth century, although students from all religious denominations were legally entitled to attend universities, they were forbidden by statute from taking degrees unless they conformed to the Church of England
.
In 1871, the Universities Tests Act abolished all religious tests for non-theological degrees at Oxford, Cambridge
and Durham
Universities. For the first time the educational and social opportunities offered by Britain's premier institutions were open to all Nonconformists. The Prime Minister who enacted these reforms, William Ewart Gladstone
, encouraged the creation of a Nonconformist college at Oxford.
Spring Hill College moved to Oxford in 1886 and was renamed Mansfield College after its greatest donors, George and Elizabeth Mansfield. It was the first Nonconformist college to open in Oxford. Initially the college accepted male students only, the first woman being admitted in 1913. The magnificent Victorian buildings, designed by Basil Champneys
, were completed in 1889. In 1955, the college was granted the status of Permanent Private Hall
within the University of Oxford and in 1995 a Royal Charter
was awarded giving the institution full college status.
Since the college was first formally integrated into the University structure in 1955, its Nonconformist aspects have gradually diminished. Until 2007, the United Reformed Church
(URC) sponsored a course at Mansfield for training ordinands. These students became fully matriculated members of the University and received degrees. Mansfield no longer trains URC ordinands.
The Nonconformist history of the college is however still apparent in a few of its features. A portrait of Oliver Cromwell
hangs in the Senior Common Room and portraits of the 1662 dissenters
hang in the library and the corridors of the main college building, together with portraits of Viscount Saye and Sele
, John Hampden
, Thomas Jollie
and Hugh Peters
.
One place where the Nonconformist history of the institution is still very much apparent is in the college chapel. It is a non-consecrated space and contains a unique selection of stained glass windows and statues depicting leading figures from Nonconformist movements, including Cromwell, Sir Henry Vane and William Penn
among many others. In 1940, whilst he was a lecturer at University College
, future British Prime Minister Harold Wilson
married Mary Baldwin in this chapel, although he was not a member of the college. Chapel services are still conducted in a Nonconformist tradition and the college chaplain is always from a Nonconformist denomination. Nevertheless, over the years attendance at chapel services has declined and the make-up of the general student body no longer reflects the Nonconformist religious origins of the college.
Because of its Nonconformist roots, the college still has many strong links with American schools. It has a long established tradition of accepting roughly 30 "Junior Year Abroad" students from the USA every year. These students come to study in Oxford for one academic year and have full access to its libraries and their designated tutors.
As of 2006, the college had an estimated financial endowment
of £12 million.
. The grounds are near the University parks and the River Cherwell
. The college shares a boundary wall with Wadham College
.
, and built between 1887-1890. It houses the main college library, the law library and the theology library. It is also home to the college's Junior Common Room, Middle Common Room, and Senior Common Room. The main college building encloses 3 sides of the large quadrangle, which has a circular lawn. The college also has several other buildings, primarily used for student accommodation, which are opposite the main building.
, after being 23rd in 2008 28th in 2009 and 29th in 2010. "[S]ince the number of degrees awarded per college are small, these rankings should be treated with caution." Mansfield's academic performance, as reflected in the Norrington Table, is currently within the same 10% range as most of the other colleges.
, theologian and famous Bach
expert was a special lecturer at Mansfield and often performed on the chapel organ. Among the notable academic staff are the Reverend Dr John Muddiman
, G. B. Caird
Fellow in New Testament
Theology
, and Michael Freeden
, director of the Centre for Political Ideologies and founding editor of the Journal of Political Ideologies. Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell
DBE FRS, the British astrophysicist known for first discovering radio pulsars, is currently a visiting professor. Honorary fellows of the College include Jimmy Carter
, 39th President of the USA, Shami Chakrabarti
CBE, Director of the civil rights group Liberty and Chancellor of Oxford Brookes University
, Will Hutton
, prominent journalist, economist and head of the Work Foundation, and The Rt. Hon. The Lord Ashdown of Norton-sub-Hamdon GCMG KBE (Paddy Ashdown
), diplomat and politician.
and a number of other college organisations are popular amongst the students, achieving results at the level of, or competitive with, the larger colleges. Many of the sports teams are "combined" in partnership with Merton College.
As of the start of 2011, the 1st XI football team play in the JCR Premier League, the 1st XV rugby team in the JCR 3rd division and the 1st XI cricket team in the Premier Division. The netball team is currently in the 2nd division. Recently, the college has enjoyed significant sporting success: winning the 2010/11 JCR football Premier League, 2011 rugby Cuppers Bowl and achieving 4 consecutive promotions in college netball. The cricket team is also a dominant force in the JCR leagues, with numerous Cuppers and League titles in the past five years.
Like many of the constituent colleges of Oxford University, Mansfield holds a ball
once every three years. The last ball took place on 7 November 2009 and was themed 'Circus of the Macabre'.
Omnipotens Deus, clementissime Pater, omnis boni fons, in donis tuis gaudentes nomen tuum magnificamus, per Jesum Christum Dominum nostrum.
"Almighty God, Father of mercies and fount of every good, in the enjoyment of thy gifts we bless thy name, through Jesus Christ our Lord."
The college's pre-supper grace was translated into Latin from the Welsh
originally prepared for the University College of North Wales. It was adopted at Mansfield in 1953 and set to music in 1986.
was the drummer for John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers
and appeared on their first two albums, the second of which featured Eric Clapton
. He later formed the band McGuinness Flint
.
Colleges of the University of Oxford
The University of Oxford comprises 38 Colleges and 6 Permanent Private Halls of religious foundation. Colleges and PPHs are autonomous self-governing corporations within the university, and all teaching staff and students studying for a degree of the university must belong to one of the colleges...
of the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Of the colleges that accept both undergraduate and graduate students Mansfield College is one of the smallest, comprising approximately 210 undergraduates, 130 graduates, 35 visiting students and 50 academic staff.
History
The college was originally founded in 1838 as Spring Hill College, Birmingham, a college for NonconformistNonconformism
Nonconformity is the refusal to "conform" to, or follow, the governance and usages of the Church of England by the Protestant Christians of England and Wales.- Origins and use:...
students. In the late nineteenth century, although students from all religious denominations were legally entitled to attend universities, they were forbidden by statute from taking degrees unless they conformed to the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
.
In 1871, the Universities Tests Act abolished all religious tests for non-theological degrees at Oxford, Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
and Durham
Durham University
The University of Durham, commonly known as Durham University, is a university in Durham, England. It was founded by Act of Parliament in 1832 and granted a Royal Charter in 1837...
Universities. For the first time the educational and social opportunities offered by Britain's premier institutions were open to all Nonconformists. The Prime Minister who enacted these reforms, William Ewart Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone FRS FSS was a British Liberal statesman. In a career lasting over sixty years, he served as Prime Minister four separate times , more than any other person. Gladstone was also Britain's oldest Prime Minister, 84 years old when he resigned for the last time...
, encouraged the creation of a Nonconformist college at Oxford.
Spring Hill College moved to Oxford in 1886 and was renamed Mansfield College after its greatest donors, George and Elizabeth Mansfield. It was the first Nonconformist college to open in Oxford. Initially the college accepted male students only, the first woman being admitted in 1913. The magnificent Victorian buildings, designed by Basil Champneys
Basil Champneys
Basil Champneys was an architect and author whose more notable buildings include Newnham College, Cambridge, Manchester's John Rylands Library, Mansfield College, Oxford and Oriel College, Oxford's Rhodes Building.- Life :...
, were completed in 1889. In 1955, the college was granted the status of Permanent Private Hall
Permanent Private Hall
A Permanent Private Hall at the University of Oxford is an educational institution within the university. There are six Permanent Private Halls at Oxford, five of which admit undergraduates. They were founded by different Christian denominations....
within the University of Oxford and in 1995 a Royal Charter
Royal Charter
A royal charter is a formal document issued by a monarch as letters patent, granting a right or power to an individual or a body corporate. They were, and are still, used to establish significant organizations such as cities or universities. Charters should be distinguished from warrants and...
was awarded giving the institution full college status.
Since the college was first formally integrated into the University structure in 1955, its Nonconformist aspects have gradually diminished. Until 2007, the United Reformed Church
United Reformed Church
The United Reformed Church is a Christian church in the United Kingdom. It has approximately 68,000 members in 1,500 congregations with some 700 ministers.-Origins and history:...
(URC) sponsored a course at Mansfield for training ordinands. These students became fully matriculated members of the University and received degrees. Mansfield no longer trains URC ordinands.
The Nonconformist history of the college is however still apparent in a few of its features. A portrait of Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader who overthrew the English monarchy and temporarily turned England into a republican Commonwealth, and served as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland....
hangs in the Senior Common Room and portraits of the 1662 dissenters
English Dissenters
English Dissenters were Christians who separated from the Church of England in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries.They originally agitated for a wide reaching Protestant Reformation of the Established Church, and triumphed briefly under Oliver Cromwell....
hang in the library and the corridors of the main college building, together with portraits of Viscount Saye and Sele
William Fiennes, 1st Viscount Saye and Sele
William Fiennes, 1st Viscount Saye and Sele was born at the family home of Broughton Castle near Banbury, in Oxfordshire. He was the only son of Richard Fiennes, seventh Baron Saye and Sele...
, John Hampden
John Hampden
John Hampden was an English politician, the eldest son of William Hampden, of Hampden House, Great Hampden in Buckinghamshire, John Hampden (ca. 15951643) was an English politician, the eldest son of William Hampden, of Hampden House, Great Hampden in Buckinghamshire, John Hampden (ca. 15951643)...
, Thomas Jollie
Thomas Jollie
Thomas Jollie was an English Dissenter, a minister ejected for his beliefs from the Church of England.-Biography:Thomas Jollie was born at Droylsden, near Manchester, on 14 September 1629, and baptised on 29 September at Gorton Chapel, then in the parish of Manchester...
and Hugh Peters
Hugh Peters
Hugh Peters [or Peter] was an English preacher.-Early life:He was baptized on 29 June 1598 in Fowey, and was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge....
.
One place where the Nonconformist history of the institution is still very much apparent is in the college chapel. It is a non-consecrated space and contains a unique selection of stained glass windows and statues depicting leading figures from Nonconformist movements, including Cromwell, Sir Henry Vane and William Penn
William Penn
William Penn was an English real estate entrepreneur, philosopher, and founder of the Province of Pennsylvania, the English North American colony and the future Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. He was an early champion of democracy and religious freedom, notable for his good relations and successful...
among many others. In 1940, whilst he was a lecturer at University College
University College, Oxford
.University College , is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2009 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £110m...
, future British Prime Minister Harold Wilson
Harold Wilson
James Harold Wilson, Baron Wilson of Rievaulx, KG, OBE, FRS, FSS, PC was a British Labour Member of Parliament, Leader of the Labour Party. He was twice Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during the 1960s and 1970s, winning four general elections, including a minority government after the...
married Mary Baldwin in this chapel, although he was not a member of the college. Chapel services are still conducted in a Nonconformist tradition and the college chaplain is always from a Nonconformist denomination. Nevertheless, over the years attendance at chapel services has declined and the make-up of the general student body no longer reflects the Nonconformist religious origins of the college.
Because of its Nonconformist roots, the college still has many strong links with American schools. It has a long established tradition of accepting roughly 30 "Junior Year Abroad" students from the USA every year. These students come to study in Oxford for one academic year and have full access to its libraries and their designated tutors.
As of 2006, the college had an estimated financial endowment
Financial endowment
A financial endowment is a transfer of money or property donated to an institution. The total value of an institution's investments is often referred to as the institution's endowment and is typically organized as a public charity, private foundation, or trust....
of £12 million.
Grounds
Location
The grounds of Mansfield College are located on Mansfield Road, near the centre of OxfordOxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
. The grounds are near the University parks and the River Cherwell
River Cherwell
The River Cherwell is a river which flows through the Midlands of England. It is a major tributary of the River Thames.The general course of the River Cherwell is north to south and the 'straight-line' distance from its source to the Thames is about...
. The college shares a boundary wall with Wadham College
Wadham College, Oxford
Wadham College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom, located at the southern end of Parks Road in central Oxford. It was founded by Nicholas and Dorothy Wadham, wealthy Somerset landowners, during the reign of King James I...
.
Buildings
The main building was designed by architect Basil ChampneysBasil Champneys
Basil Champneys was an architect and author whose more notable buildings include Newnham College, Cambridge, Manchester's John Rylands Library, Mansfield College, Oxford and Oriel College, Oxford's Rhodes Building.- Life :...
, and built between 1887-1890. It houses the main college library, the law library and the theology library. It is also home to the college's Junior Common Room, Middle Common Room, and Senior Common Room. The main college building encloses 3 sides of the large quadrangle, which has a circular lawn. The college also has several other buildings, primarily used for student accommodation, which are opposite the main building.
Academic performance
Mansfield ranked 12th out of 30 in the 2011 Norrington TableNorrington Table
The Norrington Table is an annual ranking that lists the colleges of the University of Oxford that have undergraduate students in order of the performance of their undergraduate students on that year's final examinations.- Overview :...
, after being 23rd in 2008 28th in 2009 and 29th in 2010. "[S]ince the number of degrees awarded per college are small, these rankings should be treated with caution." Mansfield's academic performance, as reflected in the Norrington Table, is currently within the same 10% range as most of the other colleges.
Academic staff
Dr Albert SchweitzerAlbert Schweitzer
Albert Schweitzer OM was a German theologian, organist, philosopher, physician, and medical missionary. He was born in Kaysersberg in the province of Alsace-Lorraine, at that time part of the German Empire...
, theologian and famous Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity...
expert was a special lecturer at Mansfield and often performed on the chapel organ. Among the notable academic staff are the Reverend Dr John Muddiman
John Muddiman
The Reverend Dr John Muddiman is the G. B. Caird Fellow in New Testament Theology at Mansfield College, Oxford. Amongst his academic works he has produced a critically acclaimed examination of authorship in the Epistle to the Ephesians. Moreover, along with John Barton, he has co-edited the Oxford...
, G. B. Caird
G. B. Caird
George Bradford Caird , D.Phil., D.D., FBA, was a British churchman, theologian, humanitarian, and biblical scholar...
Fellow in New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
Theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
, and Michael Freeden
Michael Freeden
Michael Freeden is a professor of politics currently serving as the director of the Centre for Political Ideologies at the University of Oxford where he is also professorial tutor at Mansfield College. He is also the founding editor of the Journal of Political Ideologies.-Study of...
, director of the Centre for Political Ideologies and founding editor of the Journal of Political Ideologies. Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell
Jocelyn Bell Burnell
Susan Jocelyn Bell Burnell, DBE, FRS, FRAS , is a British astrophysicist. As a postgraduate student she discovered the first radio pulsars with her thesis supervisor Antony Hewish. She was president of the Institute of Physics from October 2008 until October 2010, and was interim president...
DBE FRS, the British astrophysicist known for first discovering radio pulsars, is currently a visiting professor. Honorary fellows of the College include Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
, 39th President of the USA, Shami Chakrabarti
Shami Chakrabarti
Shami Chakrabarti CBE , has been the director of Liberty, a British pressure group, since September 2003. Chakrabarti is the Chancellor of Oxford Brookes University.-Early life:...
CBE, Director of the civil rights group Liberty and Chancellor of Oxford Brookes University
Oxford Brookes University
Oxford Brookes University is a new university in Oxford, England. It was named to honour the school's founding principal, John Brookes. It has been ranked as the best new university by the Sunday Times University Guide 10 years in a row...
, Will Hutton
Will Hutton
William Nicolas Hutton is an English writer, weekly columnist and former editor-in-chief for The Observer. He is currently Principal of Hertford College, Oxford and Chair of the Big Innovation Centre , an initiative from The Work Foundation , having been Chief Executive of The Work Foundation from...
, prominent journalist, economist and head of the Work Foundation, and The Rt. Hon. The Lord Ashdown of Norton-sub-Hamdon GCMG KBE (Paddy Ashdown
Paddy Ashdown
Jeremy John Durham Ashdown, Baron Ashdown of Norton-sub-Hamdon, GCMG, KBE, PC , usually known as Paddy Ashdown, is a British politician and diplomat....
), diplomat and politician.
Sporting and social events
Mansfield College Boat ClubMansfield College Boat Club
Mansfield College Boat Club is a rowing club for members of Mansfield College, Oxford. It was founded in 1965 by a group of students led by Michael Mahoney, later College Dean. It is run by the Boat Club committee, which is elected annually by members of the Mansfield College student body...
and a number of other college organisations are popular amongst the students, achieving results at the level of, or competitive with, the larger colleges. Many of the sports teams are "combined" in partnership with Merton College.
As of the start of 2011, the 1st XI football team play in the JCR Premier League, the 1st XV rugby team in the JCR 3rd division and the 1st XI cricket team in the Premier Division. The netball team is currently in the 2nd division. Recently, the college has enjoyed significant sporting success: winning the 2010/11 JCR football Premier League, 2011 rugby Cuppers Bowl and achieving 4 consecutive promotions in college netball. The cricket team is also a dominant force in the JCR leagues, with numerous Cuppers and League titles in the past five years.
Like many of the constituent colleges of Oxford University, Mansfield holds a ball
Ballroom
A ballroom is a large room inside a building, the designated purpose of which is holding formal dances called balls. Traditionally, most balls were held in private residences; many mansions contain one or more ballrooms...
once every three years. The last ball took place on 7 November 2009 and was themed 'Circus of the Macabre'.
Notable alumni
- Pamela Sue AndersonPamela Sue AndersonPamela Sue Anderson is a philosopher who specialises in philosophy of religion, feminist philosophy and continental philosophy. In 2007 she was Official Fellow, Tutor in Philosophy and Christian Ethics, Dean, and Women's Advisor of Regent's Park College in the University of Oxford...
, philosopher - Chris BryantChris BryantChristopher John Bryant is a British Labour Party politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Rhondda since 2001...
- G. B. CairdG. B. CairdGeorge Bradford Caird , D.Phil., D.D., FBA, was a British churchman, theologian, humanitarian, and biblical scholar...
, biblical scholar, Senior Tutor, and Principal; later Dean Ireland's Professor of Exegesis of Holy Scripture at the University of OxfordUniversity of OxfordThe University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
. - Constance ColtmanConstance ColtmanConstance Coltman was one of the first women ordained to Christian ministry in Britain, when she was ordained by the Congregational Union of England and Wales at the King's Weigh House , London, on 17 September 1917. Her husband, Claud Coltman, was ordained alongside her, the day before their...
, one of the first women ordained to Christian ministry in Britain - Paul CrossleyPaul CrossleyPaul Crossley is a British pianist.Born in Dewsbury, Yorkshire, his piano teacher was Fanny Waterman in Leeds. While a student at Mansfield College, Oxford, he was discovered by Olivier Messiaen and his wife Yvonne Loriod, who heard him play and immediately invited him to come to Paris to study...
(pianist) - Reverend Professor Kwesi DicksonKwesi DicksonKwesi Abotsia Dickson was a priest, theologian, author and academic. He was the 7th President of the Methodist Church Ghana and a professor at the University of Ghana, Legon.-Early life and education:...
, academic, theologian, authorAuthorAn author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
and former President of Methodist Church GhanaMethodist Church GhanaThe Methodist Church Ghana is one of the largest and oldest Protestant denominations in Ghana. It traces its roots back to the landing of Rev. Joseph Dunwell on 1 January 1835 in Cape Coast, Ghana. Rev... - James Dingemans QC, constitutional lawyer and prosecutor during the Hutton InquiryHutton InquiryThe Hutton Inquiry was a 2003 judicial inquiry in the UK chaired by Lord Hutton, who was appointed by the Labour government to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death of David Kelly, a biological warfare expert and former UN weapons inspector in Iraq.On 18 July 2003, Kelly, an employee...
- C. H. DoddC. H. DoddCharles Harold Dodd was a Welsh New Testament scholar and influential Protestant theologian.He is known for promoting "realized eschatology", the belief that Jesus' references to the kingdom of God meant a present reality rather than a future apocalypse.-Life:Dodd was born in Wrexham,...
(theologian, chairman of New English BibleNew English BibleThe New English Bible is a translation of the Bible into modern English directly from the original Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic texts . The New Testament was published in 1961...
translators) - Susan Durber, Principal of Westminster College, CambridgeWestminster College, CambridgeWestminster College in Cambridge is a theological college of the United Reformed Church, formerly the Presbyterian Church of England. Its principal purpose is the training of clergy for ordination, but is also used more widely for training within the denomination...
- Colin GuntonColin GuntonColin Ewart Gunton was a British systematic theologian. As a theologian he made contributions to the doctrine of Creation and the doctrine of the trinity. He was Professor of Christian Doctrine at King's College London from 1984 and co-founder with Christoph Schwoebel of the Research Institute for...
, theologian - Guy HandsGuy HandsGuy Hands , is an English financier and investor. He is most notable as the founder and chairman of Terra Firma Capital Partners, one of the largest private equity firms in Europe. Hands also previously served as Chairman of the U.K...
, private equity investor, founder of Terra Firma Capital PartnersTerra Firma Capital PartnersTerra Firma Capital Partners Ltd is a leading U.K.-based private equity firm, best known for its failed investment in British music company EMI. Financier Guy Hands founded the firm in 2002 through the spin-off of Nomura Principal Finance Group... - Charles Silvester HorneCharles Silvester HorneCharles Silvester Horne was a famous late 19th century and early 20th century Congregationalist who additionally served as Liberal M.P. for Ipswich....
MP, Nonconformist author, hymn writer and preacher - Lincoln HurstLincoln HurstLincoln Douglas Hurst , B.A., M.Div., Th.M., D.Phil., was an American scholar of the Bible, religious history, and film...
, biblical scholar and film historian - R. Tudur JonesR. Tudur JonesR. Tudur Jones was a Welsh Nationalist and a Protestant Christian. He was the most important Christian scholar in Wales during the 20th century and is hailed as the giant of Protestantism in Wales during a century that saw Wales, as a whole, turn against its traditional Reformed Protestant...
, former Principal of Bala-Bangor Theological SeminaryBala-Bangor Theological SeminaryBala-Bangor was a theological seminary belonging to the Welsh Independents , an association of Welsh congregationalists. It was founded in Bala, Gwynedd in 1842 under the principalship of Michael Jones , who was followed by his son Michael D. Jones .During Michael D...
, former President of the Welsh Union of Independents, former President of the Association of England and Wales Free Churches and former President of the International Congregationalist Federation - Donald MacDonald, President of Oxford University Boat Club in the mutiny year of 1987, the events of which were recorded in the book True Blue: The Oxford Boat Race Mutiny and the film True BlueTrue Blue (film)True Blue is a 1996 British sports film based on the book True Blue: The Oxford Boat Race Mutiny by Daniel Topolski and Patrick Robinson. It follows the 1987 Oxford-Cambridge Boat Race and the disagreement amongst the Oxford team known as the "Oxford mutiny". For the US DVD release, the film was...
- David P. Moessner, prominent biblical scholar, Iowa, USA
- Michael PollanMichael PollanMichael Pollan is an American author, journalist, activist, and professor of journalism at the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism. A 2006 New York Times book review describes him as a "liberal foodie intellectual."...
- Stephen PollardStephen PollardStephen Pollard is a British author and journalist, currently editor of The Jewish Chronicle. He is a former Chairman of the European Institute for the Study of Contemporary Antisemitism and a former president of the Centre for the New Europe, a free-market think tank based in Brussels...
, British author and journalist - Stephen M. Sayers, prominent attorney, Hunton & Williams, Virginia, USA
- The Reverend Dr H. Wheeler RobinsonH. Wheeler RobinsonThe Reverend Henry Wheeler Robinson, known universally as H. Wheeler Robinson, was born on 7 February 1872 at Northampton, United Kingdom and died on 12 May 1945 in Oxford, United Kingdom.-Career:H...
, Principal of Regent's Park College, OxfordRegent's Park College, OxfordRegent's Park College is a Permanent Private Hall in the University of Oxford, situated in central Oxford, just off St Giles.The College admits both undergraduate and graduate students to take Oxford degrees in a variety of Arts, Humanities and Social Science subjects...
and pre-eminent Old Testament scholar of his time - Erik RoutleyErik RoutleyErik Routley was an English Congregational minister, composer and musicologist. He was educated at Lancing College and Magdalen and Mansfield Colleges in Oxford...
- Justin RowlattJustin RowlattJustin Rowlatt is a BBC news reporter and presenter.-Television career:During his time on Channel 4 News, he was a passenger on the train part of the Hatfield rail crash in 2000, reporting that he "watched the carriages skid and whip around on the gravel besides the track".He moved to the BBC in...
TV journalist - Adam von TrottAdam von Trott zu SolzAdam von Trott zu Solz was a German lawyer and diplomat who was involved in the conservative opposition to the Nazi regime, and who played a central part in the 20 July Plot...
, member of the German resistance in World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis... - Amos WilderAmos WilderAmos Niven Wilder was an American poet, minister, and theology professor.-Life:He studied two years at Oberlin College , but volunteered in the Ambulance Field Service; he was awarded the Croix de Guerre. In November 1917, he enlisted in the U.S...
, American poet and theologian
College grace
Ante cibum (before a meal)Omnipotens Deus, clementissime Pater, omnis boni fons, in donis tuis gaudentes nomen tuum magnificamus, per Jesum Christum Dominum nostrum.
"Almighty God, Father of mercies and fount of every good, in the enjoyment of thy gifts we bless thy name, through Jesus Christ our Lord."
The college's pre-supper grace was translated into Latin from the Welsh
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
originally prepared for the University College of North Wales. It was adopted at Mansfield in 1953 and set to music in 1986.
Domestic staff
The retired porter Hugh FlintHughie Flint
Hughie Flint , is an English drummer, best known for his stint in John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, playing drums on the Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton album, released in 1966, for his group McGuinness Flint in the early 70s and for his subsequent association with The Blues Band.Flint played in...
was the drummer for John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers
John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers
John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers are a pioneering English blues band, led by singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist John Mayall, OBE. Mayall used the band name between 1963 and 1967, but then dropped it for some fifteen years. However, in 1982 a 'Return of the Bluesbreakers' was announced and...
and appeared on their first two albums, the second of which featured Eric Clapton
Eric Clapton
Eric Patrick Clapton, CBE, is an English guitarist and singer-songwriter. Clapton is the only three-time inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: once as a solo artist, and separately as a member of The Yardbirds and Cream. Clapton has been referred to as one of the most important and...
. He later formed the band McGuinness Flint
McGuinness Flint
McGuinness Flint was a rock band formed in 1970 by Tom McGuinness, former bassist and guitarist with Manfred Mann, and Hughie Flint, former drummer with John Mayall; plus vocalist and keyboard player Dennis Coulson, and multi-instrumentalists and songwriters Benny Gallagher and Graham Lyle...
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