A claim based on the existence of the oldest ‘statutes’ (formal legal documents) establishing a college (1264).
A claim based on the oldest surviving structure (1262) within their boundaries.
A claim based on the oldest evidence of a donation and a scholarship (1245).
These are the respective reasons for Merton College, Balliol College and University College to independently claim the status of being the oldest college in Oxford. Members of these colleges will vociferously deny the claims of the other two, and this dispute shall probably never be resolved. But that’s one of the many charms of living in Oxford.
It’s now well over three months since I moved here, and more than two since classes started at Saïd Business School. Michaelmas term has been a heady mix of academic work, networking and socialisation (in ascending order of time spent on each), but I’ve been trying hard to explore the magical world of Oxford colleges during the fleeting moments found outside of these ‘core’ MBA activities. As someone hopelessly obsessed with history, there can really be no other place in the world to do an MBA.
So here are a few college fun facts which were among the highlights of my Michaelmas!
The Merton time ceremony
The world was under great stress in the autumn of 1971, and the time-space continuum was in grave danger of collapse. It was then that some enterprising Mertonians invented the time ceremony, which involved members of the college walking backwards around the Fellows’ Quad for an hour – from 2am BST to 2am GMT. Thanks to these brave souls, the continuum was preserved and humankind was saved.
Every year when the clocks move backwards (last Sunday of October), Merton students continue to gather around the quad and perform this noble ceremony. There is great honour involved in this act (and a lot of port), and we Mertonians do our best to save the world each year.
Chapel service at All Souls
All Souls is a fellows-only college, the members of which are selected through a competitive examination described as ‘the hardest exam in the world’. So it’s not particularly easy to ‘tour’ this college, as no MBA is a member there and one can’t depend on a classmate to take one on a tour. But a workaround to visiting All Souls is to attend the evening prayers at the chapel. The prayers on Wednesdays are open to all, and it’s a truly tranquil experience.
Lincoln vs Brasenose
Oxford colleges are well-known for certain rivalries that have existed over centuries. Lincoln College and Brasenose College had a fearsome rivalry which resulted in a tragic incident centuries ago. This was when a Brasenose student chased by a mob was refused entry to Lincoln College and died at the gates. Since then, on Ascension Day, the connecting door between the two colleges is opened by Lincoln, and all Brasenose members are offered free beer.
Development of ‘Grace’ at Reuben
Not all Oxford colleges are old and ancient; in fact, there are colleges still being founded. Some of the MBAs in my cohort are lucky enough to be in the very first cohort of Reuben College, which has given them the opportunity to be involved in some rather unique traditions. For instance, it’s common to say ‘grace’ before each formal meal in a college dining hall. In older colleges, the wording of the grace has been set in stone for ages, and students continue to hear the same year after year. But in Reuben, they are currently designing the language and content of the grace, and students have been actively involved in the process! Not a bad legacy to leave behind at Oxford.
Walter, the Exeter cat
College pets rule the roost in Oxford. There are all kinds of friendly animals from the tortoise at Lincoln to Geoffrey Biscuit, the dog at Merton, to Walter, the Exeter cat. Walter is particularly active on social media and has an avidly followed Instagram account.
The nature reserve at Wolfson
While older colleges like Balliol or All Souls are in the middle of the city, surrounded by ancient architecture, many of the newer Oxford colleges are a bit removed from the centre, situated in the sprawling neighbourhoods to the north and the west. This is not always a disadvantage though, as the availability of space leads to interesting possibilities.
The nature reserve at Wolfson
While older colleges like Balliol or All Souls are in the middle of the city, surrounded by ancient architecture, many of the newer Oxford colleges are a bit removed from the centre, situated in the sprawling neighbourhoods to the north and the west. This is not always a disadvantage though, as the availability of space leads to interesting possibilities.
A great example is Wolfson College, which has its own nature reserve! One can walk along the reserve all the way from Wolfson and emerge close to the city centre. The college itself is very family-oriented (it’s graduate-only, and partners and children get access to facilities), and resembles a self-contained township of students and their families.
Rosamund Pike at Wadham
Wadham is one of my favourite colleges – not least for its famously liberal outlook, but also for its beautifully hidden gardens. But what I found particularly striking about Wadham was one of their dining hall portraits.
All colleges have portraits in their halls, and these tend to be old benefactors or wardens, with underrepresented groups getting included in a slow-ish manner. But Wadham actually has Rosamund Pike in its dining hall! She studied at Wadham, and when the college wanted to incorporate new faces and more relatable images in the hall, they included a portrait of the accomplished actor. I found that pretty cool!
There’s much more than tables and statistics to consider when selecting a college for your MBA. Every student is allocated a college, so one doesn’t need to excessively worry about the matter. However, it’s still useful to know the nature of each college and how that fits into the MBA experience that an individual seeks; and rest assured, all of them would have a ton of ‘fun facts’.
