Third oldest university in England debate
Encyclopedia
The title of third-oldest university in England is a topic of much debate, with prime contenders for the title usually being considered to include University College London
, King's College London
, Durham University
and the University of London
, however deciding which is truly the 'oldest' depends on largely on the definition of university status. The third university to be founded in England was unquestionably the medieval University of Northampton
(est. 1261), however this institution only survived until 1265 and is not connected to the present day University of Northampton
, a 1975-established university college
awarded university status in 2005.
Several English
higher education institutions either explicitly claim the distinction or assert a foundation that predates the conventional date for another claimant, however conflicting definitions of university status mean it is a debate unlikely ever to be satisfactorily resolved. Judging a university's foundation as occurring at the earliest point to which teaching can be traced, the establishment of predecessor institutions or the institution's foundation by Act of Parliament, Royal Charter
or otherwise each produces different results, although it should be noted that neither Oxford
nor Cambridge
, the two oldest universities in England (founded 1116 and 1209 respectively) was founded by Act of Parliament or Royal Charter (although Charters were bestowed on Oxford and Cambridge in 1248 and 1231, respectively).
which, although established as a teaching institution in 1826, did not have degree-awarding powers and did not obtain a Royal Charter
until 1836, and then only as a college within the federal University of London
. In 1829, King's College London
was established, similarly unable to award degrees but with a Royal Charter
, although that charter did not contain the word, 'university'. Durham University
was established in 1832 by an Act of Parliament
which specifically named it as a university, and received a Royal Charter in 1837, while the federal University of London
was created with degree-awarding powers by Royal Charter in 1836.
(UCL) was established in 1826 as "London University", but was unsuccessful in obtaining a Royal Charter. Part of the opposition was due to its avowedly secular nature but also because it was claiming the title "university". Until 1836 the institution had no legal recognition as an educational institution and was unable to confer degrees. In 1836 it was awarded a Royal Charter, but as a college of a collegiate university, the new University of London, with degrees being conferred by the university.
As well as being a college of the University of London and not a university in its own right, UCL's lack of formal legally recognised status before 1836 is often cited as a reason why it does not qualify as the oldest institution.
was established in 1829 (although its medical school
has a much longer history, which would later lead to opposition to using "Est 1829" in the college logo), as a reaction to UCL, with the aim to provide Anglican education. It received its Royal Charter that year; however this was in part because it was not seeking to become a university, unlike its rival. The term "university" does not appear in the charter. The college opened its doors to students in 1831. Students at King's either sat exams for degrees of Oxford and Cambridge, for professional qualifications or (from 1834) for the Associate of King's College
; the college did not award degrees of its own. Following the establishment of the University of London in 1836, King's became a college of the university.
Like UCL, King's lacks de jure
status as a university. Although its claim is based on the Royal Charter of 1829 it does not appear to have been created as a university.
Officially, King's College has claimed to be only "the fourth oldest [university] in England" in 2009 press releases and elsewhere on the King's College website, accepting the prior claim of University College London
, which is described as "the third oldest university institution [in England]" in an official King's College podcast by Arthur Burns, Professor of Modern History, on the King's College website.
took place, notably under the reigns of Henry VIII and Oliver Cromwell
. However, The University of Durham (now sometimes called Durham University
) was established by Act of Parliament
in 1832 specifically with the title 'University'. Students were admitted onto degree programmes on that basis. However its Royal Charter was not conferred until June 1, 1837 and the first students graduated a few days later. Before the granting of the Charter there was some internal debate over whether or not the Act of Parliament gave the University the power to award degrees, though at that stage no students had completed their studies. As a precaution, explicit degree conferring powers were sought when the Charter was conferred.
For Durham
the point of the debate is about whether it achieved University status in 1832 by Act of Parliament, or did not until 1837, when it received its Royal Charter. Not all universities in the United Kingdom possess charters, with the "post-92" institutions
deriving their university status from the Further and Higher Education Act 1992
.
Of all the main claimants, the University of London's birth is the least ambiguous, being clearly datable to 1836. However this postdates dates claimed by the other three institutions.
, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, incorporates St. Bartholomew's Hospital, which began unofficial medical teaching in 1123, the earliest date of known organised medical teaching in the United Kingdom. The school also comprises the first official medical school in England (the London Hospital Medical College, founded 1785); however that school was not a university in its own right and only taught for the examinations of the Royal College of Physicians, Royal College of Surgeons and the Worshipful Society of Apothecaries of London.
Wye College
was founded in 1447 by John Kemp
, the Archbishop of York
, as a college for the training of priests. It merged with Imperial College London
in 2000 and was closed in 2009. Similarly, Ushaw College
of Durham University
is a Roman Catholic seminary established in 1568 in Douai
in northern France
, which relocated to Ushaw Moor
, four miles west of Durham
in 1808 but did not become part of the University (as a Licensed Hall) until 1968. Durham University already has a much stronger claim to be the third-oldest university through its creation by Act of Parliament in 1832. Heythrop College
, the specialist philosophy and theology constituent college of the University of London, was founded in 1614 in Belgium, though did not move to London (after several other locations) until 1970 and became part of the University in 1971.
began as an adult education school opened in 1798, became a university college
in 1881, but only received its Royal Charter, with the title of "university" and the ability to confer degrees, in 1948. The same can be said for other Red Brick institutions such as the University of Birmingham
(where teaching has been traced to 1767 through the Birmingham Workhouse Infirmary, a precursor to Birmingham Medical School) and the University of Manchester
(established by a merger of the Victoria University
of 1851 and UMIST of 1824, and whose earliest formal teaching can be traced to its roots in an 1814 anatomy school founded by Joseph Jordan
.). Many former polytechnics have now followed similar paths to full University status.
A number of universities also claim heritage from earlier Mechanics' Institutes
, including Liverpool John Moores University
, descended from a Mechanics' Institute founded in 1823; Birkbeck, University of London
, founded in 1823 as the London Mechanics Institute; Leeds Metropolitan University
, from the 1824-founded Leeds Mechanics Institute; and the University of Bolton
, from a mechanical society founded in 1824.
University College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
, King's College London
King's College London
King's College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. King's has a claim to being the third oldest university in England, having been founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829, and...
, Durham University
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...
and the University of London
University 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...
, however deciding which is truly the 'oldest' depends on largely on the definition of university status. The third university to be founded in England was unquestionably the medieval University of Northampton
University of Northampton (thirteenth century)
The University of Northampton was based in Northampton from 1261 to 1265.The university was established by Royal Charter after approval from King Henry III in 1261. It was the third university established in England and the United Kingdom after the University of Oxford and the University of...
(est. 1261), however this institution only survived until 1265 and is not connected to the present day University of Northampton
University of Northampton
The University of Northampton is a university in Northampton, Northamptonshire, England.-History:In 1924, Northampton Technical College was opened at St George's Avenue, site of the current Avenue Campus. A new building for the college was formally opened by the then Duke and Duchess of York in 1932...
, a 1975-established university college
University college
The term "university college" is used in a number of countries to denote college institutions that provide tertiary education but do not have full or independent university status. A university college is often part of a larger university...
awarded university status in 2005.
Several English
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...
higher education institutions either explicitly claim the distinction or assert a foundation that predates the conventional date for another claimant, however conflicting definitions of university status mean it is a debate unlikely ever to be satisfactorily resolved. Judging a university's foundation as occurring at the earliest point to which teaching can be traced, the establishment of predecessor institutions or the institution's foundation by Act of Parliament, 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...
or otherwise each produces different results, although it should be noted that neither 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...
nor 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 two oldest universities in England (founded 1116 and 1209 respectively) was founded by Act of Parliament or Royal Charter (although Charters were bestowed on Oxford and Cambridge in 1248 and 1231, respectively).
Prime contenders
A number of institutions each have significant claims to being the third-oldest university in England. Amongst the contenders for the title is University College LondonUniversity College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
which, although established as a teaching institution in 1826, did not have degree-awarding powers and did not obtain 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...
until 1836, and then only as a college within the federal University of London
University 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...
. In 1829, King's College London
King's College London
King's College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. King's has a claim to being the third oldest university in England, having been founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829, and...
was established, similarly unable to award degrees but with 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...
, although that charter did not contain the word, 'university'. Durham University
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...
was established in 1832 by an Act of Parliament
Act of Parliament
An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...
which specifically named it as a university, and received a Royal Charter in 1837, while the federal University of London
University 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...
was created with degree-awarding powers by Royal Charter in 1836.
| Institution | Foundation | Earliest teaching | Royal Charter | Degree-awarding powers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University College London University College London University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London... |
1826 | 1826 | 1836 | 2005 |
| King's College London King's College London King's College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. King's has a claim to being the third oldest university in England, having been founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829, and... |
1829 | 1831 | 1829 | 2003 |
| Durham University 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... |
1832 | 1837 | 1837 | |
| University of London University 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... |
1836 | None | 1836 | 1836 |
University College London
University College LondonUniversity College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
(UCL) was established in 1826 as "London University", but was unsuccessful in obtaining a Royal Charter. Part of the opposition was due to its avowedly secular nature but also because it was claiming the title "university". Until 1836 the institution had no legal recognition as an educational institution and was unable to confer degrees. In 1836 it was awarded a Royal Charter, but as a college of a collegiate university, the new University of London, with degrees being conferred by the university.
As well as being a college of the University of London and not a university in its own right, UCL's lack of formal legally recognised status before 1836 is often cited as a reason why it does not qualify as the oldest institution.
King's College London
King's College LondonKing's College London
King's College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. King's has a claim to being the third oldest university in England, having been founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829, and...
was established in 1829 (although its medical school
King's College School of Medicine and Dentistry
King's College London School of Medicine is the medical school of King's College London, and one of the United Hospitals...
has a much longer history, which would later lead to opposition to using "Est 1829" in the college logo), as a reaction to UCL, with the aim to provide Anglican education. It received its Royal Charter that year; however this was in part because it was not seeking to become a university, unlike its rival. The term "university" does not appear in the charter. The college opened its doors to students in 1831. Students at King's either sat exams for degrees of Oxford and Cambridge, for professional qualifications or (from 1834) for the Associate of King's College
Associate of King's College
The Associateship or Associate of King's College award has been the degree-equivalent qualification of King's College London since 1833. It is the original qualification that the College awarded to its students since, not being a university, it could not award a degree.Since 1909, only students...
; the college did not award degrees of its own. Following the establishment of the University of London in 1836, King's became a college of the university.
Like UCL, King's lacks de jure
De jure
De jure is an expression that means "concerning law", as contrasted with de facto, which means "concerning fact".De jure = 'Legally', De facto = 'In fact'....
status as a university. Although its claim is based on the Royal Charter of 1829 it does not appear to have been created as a university.
Officially, King's College has claimed to be only "the fourth oldest [university] in England" in 2009 press releases and elsewhere on the King's College website, accepting the prior claim of University College London
University College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
, which is described as "the third oldest university institution [in England]" in an official King's College podcast by Arthur Burns, Professor of Modern History, on the King's College website.
Durham University
Several attempts to found a university at DurhamDurham
Durham is a city in north east England. It is within the County Durham local government district, and is the county town of the larger ceremonial county...
took place, notably under the reigns of Henry VIII and 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....
. However, The University of Durham (now sometimes called Durham University
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...
) was established by Act of Parliament
Act of Parliament
An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...
in 1832 specifically with the title 'University'. Students were admitted onto degree programmes on that basis. However its Royal Charter was not conferred until June 1, 1837 and the first students graduated a few days later. Before the granting of the Charter there was some internal debate over whether or not the Act of Parliament gave the University the power to award degrees, though at that stage no students had completed their studies. As a precaution, explicit degree conferring powers were sought when the Charter was conferred.
For 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...
the point of the debate is about whether it achieved University status in 1832 by Act of Parliament, or did not until 1837, when it received its Royal Charter. Not all universities in the United Kingdom possess charters, with the "post-92" institutions
New Universities
The term new universities has been used informally to refer to several different waves of new universities created or renamed as such in the United Kingdom. As early as 1928, the term was used to describe the then-new civic universities, such as Bristol University and the other "red brick...
deriving their university status from the Further and Higher Education Act 1992
Further and Higher Education Act 1992
The Further and Higher Education Acts 1992 made changes in the funding and administration of further education and higher education within the United Kingdom. The most visible result was to allow thirty-five polytechnics to become universities. In addition the Act created bodies to fund higher...
.
University of London
The University of London was established and chartered in 1836 as a degree awarding body.Of all the main claimants, the University of London's birth is the least ambiguous, being clearly datable to 1836. However this postdates dates claimed by the other three institutions.
Lesser claims
Many present day institutions incorporate earlier foundations, such as theological colleges or medical schools, or are able to trace their origins to earlier teaching operations, and thus may be considered to have a longer heritage than those listed above.Constituent institutions
The medical school of Queen Mary, University of LondonQueen Mary, University of London
Queen Mary, University of London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, incorporates St. Bartholomew's Hospital, which began unofficial medical teaching in 1123, the earliest date of known organised medical teaching in the United Kingdom. The school also comprises the first official medical school in England (the London Hospital Medical College, founded 1785); however that school was not a university in its own right and only taught for the examinations of the Royal College of Physicians, Royal College of Surgeons and the Worshipful Society of Apothecaries of London.
Wye College
Wye College
The College of St. Gregory and St. Martin at Wye, more commonly known as Wye College, was an educational institution in Kent, United Kingdom. It was founded in 1447 by John Kempe, the Archbishop of York, as a college for the training of priests. It is located in the small village of Wye, Kent, 60...
was founded in 1447 by John Kemp
John Kemp
John Kemp was a medieval English cardinal, archbishop of Canterbury, and Lord Chancellor of England.-Biography:Kemp was son of Thomas Kempe, a gentleman of Ollantigh, in the parish of Wye near Ashford, Kent...
, the Archbishop of York
Archbishop of York
The Archbishop of York is a high-ranking cleric in the Church of England, second only to the Archbishop of Canterbury. He is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of York and metropolitan of the Province of York, which covers the northern portion of England as well as the Isle of Man...
, as a college for the training of priests. It merged with Imperial College London
Imperial College London
Imperial College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom, specialising in science, engineering, business and medicine...
in 2000 and was closed in 2009. Similarly, Ushaw College
Ushaw College
Ushaw College was a Roman Catholic seminary near Durham, England that closed in 2011. Ushaw was the principal seminary in the north of England for the training of Catholic priests.-History:...
of Durham University
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...
is a Roman Catholic seminary established in 1568 in Douai
Douai
-Main sights:Douai's ornate Gothic style belfry was begun in 1380, on the site of an earlier tower. The 80 m high structure includes an impressive carillon, consisting of 62 bells spanning 5 octaves. The originals, some dating from 1391 were removed in 1917 during World War I by the occupying...
in northern France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, which relocated to Ushaw Moor
Ushaw Moor
Ushaw Moor is an old pit village in County Durham, in England. It is situated to the west of Durham, a short distance to the south of Bearpark.-Etymology:...
, four miles west of Durham
Durham
Durham is a city in north east England. It is within the County Durham local government district, and is the county town of the larger ceremonial county...
in 1808 but did not become part of the University (as a Licensed Hall) until 1968. Durham University already has a much stronger claim to be the third-oldest university through its creation by Act of Parliament in 1832. Heythrop College
Heythrop College
Heythrop College is the specialist philosophy and theology constituent college of the University of London situated in Kensington Square, Kensington, London. It offers undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in philosophy, theology and psychology, as well as research in related fields.It was founded...
, the specialist philosophy and theology constituent college of the University of London, was founded in 1614 in Belgium, though did not move to London (after several other locations) until 1970 and became part of the University in 1971.
Predecessor institutions
The University of NottinghamUniversity of Nottingham
The University of Nottingham is a public research university based in Nottingham, United Kingdom, with further campuses in Ningbo, China and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia...
began as an adult education school opened in 1798, became a university college
University college
The term "university college" is used in a number of countries to denote college institutions that provide tertiary education but do not have full or independent university status. A university college is often part of a larger university...
in 1881, but only received its Royal Charter, with the title of "university" and the ability to confer degrees, in 1948. The same can be said for other Red Brick institutions such as the University of Birmingham
University of Birmingham
The University of Birmingham is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Birmingham, England. It received its royal charter in 1900 as a successor to Birmingham Medical School and Mason Science College . Birmingham was the first Redbrick university to gain a charter and thus...
(where teaching has been traced to 1767 through the Birmingham Workhouse Infirmary, a precursor to Birmingham Medical School) and the University of Manchester
University of Manchester
The University of Manchester is a public research university located in Manchester, United Kingdom. It is a "red brick" university and a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive British universities and the N8 Group...
(established by a merger of the Victoria University
Victoria University of Manchester
The Victoria University of Manchester was a university in Manchester, England. On 1 October 2004 it merged with the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology to form a new entity, "The University of Manchester".-1851 - 1951:The University was founded in 1851 as Owens College,...
of 1851 and UMIST of 1824, and whose earliest formal teaching can be traced to its roots in an 1814 anatomy school founded by Joseph Jordan
Joseph Jordan
Sir Joseph Jordan was a naval officer and admiral. From a Thames shipowning family, he is initially recorded as importing tobacco from Nevis and Barbados aboard the Amity....
.). Many former polytechnics have now followed similar paths to full University status.
A number of universities also claim heritage from earlier Mechanics' Institutes
Mechanics' Institutes
Historically, Mechanics' Institutes were educational establishments formed to provide adult education, particularly in technical subjects, to working men...
, including Liverpool John Moores University
Liverpool John Moores University
Liverpool John Moores University is a British 'modern' university located in the city of Liverpool, England. The university is named after John Moores and was previously called Liverpool Mechanics' School of Arts and later Liverpool Polytechnic before gaining university status in 1992, thus...
, descended from a Mechanics' Institute founded in 1823; Birkbeck, University of London
Birkbeck, University of London
Birkbeck, University of London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. It offers many Master's and Bachelor's degree programmes that can be studied either part-time or full-time, though nearly all teaching is...
, founded in 1823 as the London Mechanics Institute; Leeds Metropolitan University
Leeds Metropolitan University
Leeds Metropolitan University is a British University with three campuses. Two are situated in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England while the third is situated in Bhopal, India...
, from the 1824-founded Leeds Mechanics Institute; and the University of Bolton
University of Bolton
The University of Bolton is a university in Bolton, Greater Manchester, England. It has around 14,000 students across all sites and courses, with 700 academic and professional staff. Around 70% of its students come from Bolton and the North West region...
, from a mechanical society founded in 1824.
See also
- List of UK universities by date of foundation
- List of oldest universities in continuous operation
- Ancient universityAncient universityAncient university is a term used to describe seven medieval and renaissance universities of the United Kingdom and Ireland that exist today. Six of those universities are currently located in the United Kingdom and one in the Republic of Ireland...
- Medieval universityMedieval universityMedieval university is an institution of higher learning which was established during High Middle Ages period and is a corporation.The first institutions generally considered to be universities were established in Italy, France, and England in the late 11th and the 12th centuries for the study of...