New College London
Encyclopedia
New College London (sometimes known as New College, St. John's Wood, or New College, Hampstead) was founded as a Congregationalist college in 1850.
.
Coward College was named after William Coward (died 1738), a London merchant who used his money to train ministers for the "protestant dissenters
". The trustees of his will supported, among others, the academy started by Philip Doddridge
, taking it over after Doddridge's death in 1751. This establishment, founded at Market Harborough
, moved to Northampton
, Daventry
, back to Northampton, then to Wymondley
, and finally in 1833 to London
. Its final home was built by Thomas Cubitt
the year before, and was located in Byng Place, south of the Catholic Apostolic Church
. "Here it took the name of Coward College and remained as a residential College for Theological Students until May, 1850." Two of its principals were the Rev. Thomas Morell and Dr. Thomas William Jenkyn. It is probably best known as the Daventry Academy
, which educated Joseph Priestley
.
Highbury College (Dissenting Academy)
started out in Mile End
in 1783, moved to Hoxton
in 1791, and then to Highbury
in 1826. Its most famous student was Christopher Newman Hall
.
Homerton College
was split into two. Its theological function became part of New College, whereas the rest of it, refounded as a teacher training college
, became part of the University of Cambridge
).
The initial programme of New College London is laid out in the final chapter of The introductory lectures delivered at the opening of the college: October, 1851
Meanwhile the Village Itinerancy Society (1796–1839) was transformed into Hackney Theological Seminary (1839–1871), which was renamed as Hackney College in 1871. Later this was relocated from its origins in Hackney
to a fine new building in Hampstead
, and became associated with Peter Taylor Forsyth
.
's Faculty of Theology when the faculty was created in 1900. They were united by Act of Parliament in 1924 as Hackney and New College, which was renamed New College, London in 1936.
"New buildings were erected behind the Hackney College premises at Hampstead, and were opened in 1938."
When, in 1972, most English Congregational churches joined the newly formed United Reformed Church
(URC), and only a small number remained independent, the New College's work was reorganised. In 1976, its library was donated to Dr Williams's Library
. Since 1981, the work of the college has been continued by the New College London Foundation, which trains ministers for the URC and Congregational churches.
After closure in 1977 the New College buildings were leased to the Open University
, which assigned its rights to the Paris Chamber of Commerce
in 2001, as the campus of ESCP-EAP. The freehold of the buildings were sold to the Paris Chamber of Commerce
in 2005 and the funds distributed to the four beneficiaries, the United Reformed Church, the Congregational Federation, The Evangelical Fellowship of Congregational Churches and the Unaffiliated Congregational Churches Charity.
Despite the name the college was never associated with Royal Holloway and Bedford New College
, also a constituent college of the University of London.
Predecessor institutions
New College London came into being in 1850 by the amalgamation of three dissenting academiesDissenting academies
The dissenting academies were schools, colleges and nonconformist seminaries run by dissenters. They formed a significant part of England’s educational systems from the mid-seventeenth to nineteenth centuries....
.
Coward College was named after William Coward (died 1738), a London merchant who used his money to train ministers for the "protestant 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....
". The trustees of his will supported, among others, the academy started by Philip Doddridge
Philip Doddridge
Philip Doddridge DD was an English Nonconformist leader, educator, and hymnwriter.-Early life:...
, taking it over after Doddridge's death in 1751. This establishment, founded at Market Harborough
Market Harborough
Market Harborough is a market town within the Harborough district of Leicestershire, England.It has a population of 20,785 and is the administrative headquarters of Harborough District Council. It sits on the Northamptonshire-Leicestershire border...
, moved to Northampton
Northampton
Northampton is a large market town and local government district in the East Midlands region of England. Situated about north-west of London and around south-east of Birmingham, Northampton lies on the River Nene and is the county town of Northamptonshire. The demonym of Northampton is...
, Daventry
Daventry
Daventry is a market town in Northamptonshire, England, with a population of 22,367 .-Geography:The town is also the administrative centre of the larger Daventry district, which has a population of 71,838. The town is 77 miles north-northwest of London, 13.9 miles west of Northampton and 10.2...
, back to Northampton, then to Wymondley
Wymondley
Wymondley is a civil parish in Hertfordshire, England.Wymondley forms part of the district of North Hertfordshire, formerly it was in the now-defunct Hitchin Rural District. Its principal settlements are Little Wymondley and the smaller Great Wymondley, it also includes Todd's Green and Titmore...
, and finally in 1833 to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. Its final home was built by Thomas Cubitt
Thomas Cubitt
Thomas Cubitt , born Buxton, Norfolk, was the leading master builder in London in the second quarter of the 19th century, and also carried out several projects in other parts of England.-Background:...
the year before, and was located in Byng Place, south of the Catholic Apostolic Church
Catholic Apostolic Church
The Catholic Apostolic Church was a religious movement which originated in England around 1831 and later spread to Germany and the United States. While often referred to as Irvingism, it was neither actually founded nor anticipated by Edward Irving. The Catholic Apostolic Church was organised in...
. "Here it took the name of Coward College and remained as a residential College for Theological Students until May, 1850." Two of its principals were the Rev. Thomas Morell and Dr. Thomas William Jenkyn. It is probably best known as the Daventry Academy
Daventry Academy
Daventry Academy was a dissenting academy, that is, a school or college set up by English Dissenters. It moved to many locations, but was most associated with Daventry, where its most famous pupil was Joseph Priestley...
, which educated Joseph Priestley
Joseph Priestley
Joseph Priestley, FRS was an 18th-century English theologian, Dissenting clergyman, natural philosopher, chemist, educator, and political theorist who published over 150 works...
.
Highbury College (Dissenting Academy)
Highbury College (Dissenting Academy)
Highbury College was a dissenting academy, that is, a school or college set up by English Dissenters. Its most famous student was Christopher Newman Hall. It had a high reputation, and in time it was amalgamated into New College London.-History:...
started out in Mile End
Mile End
Mile End is an area within the East End of London, England, and part of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It is located east-northeast of Charing Cross...
in 1783, moved to Hoxton
Hoxton
Hoxton is an area in the London Borough of Hackney, immediately north of the financial district of the City of London. The area of Hoxton is bordered by Regent's Canal on the north side, Wharf Road and City Road on the west, Old Street on the south, and Kingsland Road on the east.Hoxton is also a...
in 1791, and then to Highbury
Highbury
- Early Highbury :The area now known as Islington was part of the larger manor of Tolentone, which is mentioned in the Domesday Book. Tolentone was owned by Ranulf brother of Ilger and included all the areas north and east of Canonbury and Holloway Road. The manor house was situated by what is now...
in 1826. Its most famous student was Christopher Newman Hall
Christopher Newman Hall
Rev. Dr. Christopher Newman Hall LLB , born at Maidstone and known in later life as a 'Dissenter's Bishop', was one of the most celebrated nineteenth century English Nonconformist divines...
.
Homerton College
Independent College, Homerton
Independent College, Homerton, later Homerton Academy, was a dissenting academy just outside London, England, in the 18th and early 19th centuries.-Background:...
was split into two. Its theological function became part of New College, whereas the rest of it, refounded as a teacher training college
Teacher training college
A teacher training college is a college of higher education that specialises in training students to be teachers.Many universities offer similar facilities, a number of which acquired their provision by taking over a teacher training college or by a teacher training college evolving into a...
, became part of the University of 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...
).
The initial programme of New College London is laid out in the final chapter of The introductory lectures delivered at the opening of the college: October, 1851
Meanwhile the Village Itinerancy Society (1796–1839) was transformed into Hackney Theological Seminary (1839–1871), which was renamed as Hackney College in 1871. Later this was relocated from its origins in Hackney
London Borough of Hackney
The London Borough of Hackney is a London borough of North/North East London, and forms part of inner London. The local authority is Hackney London Borough Council....
to a fine new building in Hampstead
Hampstead
Hampstead is an area of London, England, north-west of Charing Cross. Part of the London Borough of Camden in Inner London, it is known for its intellectual, liberal, artistic, musical and literary associations and for Hampstead Heath, a large, hilly expanse of parkland...
, and became associated with Peter Taylor Forsyth
Peter Taylor Forsyth
Peter Taylor Forsyth, also known as P. T. Forsyth, was a Scottish theologian.The son of a postman, Forsyth studied at the University of Aberdeen and then in Göttingen...
.
Merger into the University
New College and Hackney College became constituents of the University of LondonUniversity of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
's Faculty of Theology when the faculty was created in 1900. They were united by Act of Parliament in 1924 as Hackney and New College, which was renamed New College, London in 1936.
"New buildings were erected behind the Hackney College premises at Hampstead, and were opened in 1938."
When, in 1972, most English Congregational churches joined the newly formed 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), and only a small number remained independent, the New College's work was reorganised. In 1976, its library was donated to Dr Williams's Library
Dr Williams's Library
Dr Williams's Library is a small research library located in Gordon Square in Bloomsbury, London.-History:It was founded using the estate of Dr Daniel Williams as a theological library, intended for the use of ministers of religion, students and others studying theology, religion and...
. Since 1981, the work of the college has been continued by the New College London Foundation, which trains ministers for the URC and Congregational churches.
After closure in 1977 the New College buildings were leased to the Open University
Open University
The Open University is a distance learning and research university founded by Royal Charter in the United Kingdom...
, which assigned its rights to the Paris Chamber of Commerce
Paris Chamber of Commerce
The Paris Chamber of Commerce is a Chamber of Commerce of the Paris region. It defends the interests of 310,000 corporations of the Paris, Hauts-de-Seine, Seine-Saint-Denis, and Val-de-Marne départements that create 20% of France's GDP.The CCIP was created on February 25, 1803 by Napoléon...
in 2001, as the campus of ESCP-EAP. The freehold of the buildings were sold to the Paris Chamber of Commerce
Chamber of commerce
A chamber of commerce is a form of business network, e.g., a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to advocate on behalf of the business community...
in 2005 and the funds distributed to the four beneficiaries, the United Reformed Church, the Congregational Federation, The Evangelical Fellowship of Congregational Churches and the Unaffiliated Congregational Churches Charity.
Despite the name the college was never associated with Royal Holloway and Bedford New College
Royal Holloway, University of London
Royal Holloway, University of London is a constituent college of the University of London. The college has three faculties, 18 academic departments, and about 8,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students from over 130 different countries...
, also a constituent college of the University of London.
People associated with it
New College has gathered many leading thinkers from the Congregationalist, Calvinist and United Reformed traditions.- Rev John Harris DDJohn Harris (college head)John Harris , English Congregational minister, Christian essayist and author, became the first Principal of New College, St John’s Wood, London.-Early life:...
was its first Principal, succeeded by Rev Robert Halley DDRobert HalleyRobert Halley was an English Congregationalist minister and abolitionist. He was noted for his association with the politics of Repeal of the Corn Laws, and became Classical Tutor at Highbury College and Principal of New College, St John's Wood, London.-Early life :Robert Halley was born in... - Walter Frederic Adeney was educated at the college and was lecturer in Biblical and systematic theology at New College in the 1880s.
- Bertram Lee-Woolf, a leading authority on the work of Martin LutherMartin LutherMartin Luther was a German priest, professor of theology and iconic figure of the Protestant Reformation. He strongly disputed the claim that freedom from God's punishment for sin could be purchased with money. He confronted indulgence salesman Johann Tetzel with his Ninety-Five Theses in 1517...
held a professorship at the college. - Howard Scullard was a governor of the college from 1930 until 1980.
- The Revd. John Huxtable, Principal of the college 1953-64, helped to found the URC and became its first Moderator.
- The Revd. Dr Geoffrey NuttallGeoffrey NuttallGeoffrey Fillingham Nuttall FBA was a British Congregational minister and church historian.Nuttall was born in Colwyn Bay, North Wales, the son of the general practitioner. He was educated at Bootham School, the Quaker school in York, and read Mods and Greats at Balliol College, Oxford, and then...
, Lecturer in Church History at the college, was elected to membership of the British AcademyBritish AcademyThe British Academy is the United Kingdom's national body for the humanities and the social sciences. Its purpose is to inspire, recognise and support excellence in the humanities and social sciences, throughout the UK and internationally, and to champion their role and value.It receives an annual...
in 1991. - Ron Price, a New Testament scholar, studied at the college in the 1960s.
- The Revd. Elizabeth Welch, Moderator of the URC in the West Midlands, studied at the college in the 1970s.
- David Peel, the URC’s Moderator of General Assembly for 2005–2006, came under the influence of the college while residing there as a student lodger ("hostelman").