Heythrop College, University of London, was a constituent college of the University of London between 1971 and 2018, last located in

Kensington Square Kensington Square is a garden square in Kensington, London, W8. It was built from 1692 on land acquired for the purpose in 1685 and is the oldest such square in Kensington. The houses facing, Nos. 1–45, are listed Grade II for their architectur ...

, London. It comprised the university's specialist faculties of

philosophy Philosophy (from , ) is the systematized study of general and fundamental questions, such as those about existence, reason, knowledge, values, mind, and language. Such questions are often posed as problems to be studied or resolved. Some ...

and theology with social sciences, offering undergraduate and postgraduate degree courses and five specialist institutes and centres to promote research. It had a close affiliation with the Roman Catholic Church, through the British Province of the Society of Jesus whose scholarly tradition went back to a 1614 exiled foundation in Belgium and whose extensive library collections it housed. While maintaining its denominational links and ethos the college welcomed all faiths and perspectives, women as well as men. Through Heythrop's close links with the Jesuits, it also served as the London centre for

Fordham University Fordham University () is a Private university, private Jesuit universities, Jesuit research university in New York City. Established in 1841 and named after the Fordham, Bronx, Fordham neighborhood of the The Bronx, Bronx in which its origina ...

, a Jesuit university in the United States. Other external groups, including A Call To Action (ACTA, British Catholic Association), also used meeting facilities on the site. Following unsuccessful negotiations with St Mary's University, Twickenham, another British university, and amid some controversy, in June 2015 the college's governing body decided that the college would cease to be an independent constituent of the University of London, in 2018. It formally terminated operations and left the University of London on 31 January 2019. It was the first significant UK higher education institution to completely close permanently (not including mergers and name changes) since the dissolution of the original University of Northampton in 1265.

Twentieth-century name

The college acquired its name, ''Heythrop'', from its 46 year sojourn at Heythrop Hall, a Grade II* listed early 18th-century

country house An English country house is a large house or mansion in the English countryside. Such houses were often owned by individuals who also owned a town house. This allowed them to spend time in the country and in the city—hence, for these peopl ...

in Italian Baroque style, southeast of Heythrop village in

Oxfordshire Oxfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the north west of South East England. It is a mainly rural county, with its largest settlement being the city of Oxford. The county is a centre of research and development, primarily ...

. The English province of the Society of Jesus bought the dilapidated house and grounds in 1926 as a training centre for their scholastics. During its stay, the house was altered and enlarged, not always in a style sympathetic to the original architectural concept. In 1926 two wings were added to the north front built of

Hornton Hornton is a village and civil parish about northwest of Banbury in Oxfordshire. Churches The oldest parts of the Church of England parish church of Saint John the Baptist are the nave and the arcade of the north aisle, both of which were bu ...

ironstone from north Oxfordshire, much darker and browner than the stone used to build the original house in the 18th century. In 1952, the indoor real tennis court was converted into a chapel and in 1965, a library was added. In 1960, two halls of residence were added in the grounds in contemporary style. In 1970 the Jesuit province moved its facilities to London after it had negotiated for the centre's faculties of theology and philosophy to become part of London University. It sold its Oxfordshire estate to the National Westminster Bank Group which turned the house and its precincts into a training and conference centre.

History

Beginnings in exile

Due to continuing anti-Catholic repercussions during the reign of James I, a network of English religious schools was established in Western Europe. Likewise the Society of Jesus preferred to establish its school for boys and its faculties of theology and philosophy for training English Jesuit candidates abroad. Under John Gerard it founded them in

Leuven Leuven (, ) or Louvain (, , ; german: link=no, Löwen ) is the capital and largest city of the province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is located about east of Brussels. The municipality itself comprises the historic ...

in 1614, before moving them to a newly constructed college in

Liège Liège ( , , ; wa, Lîdje ; nl, Luik ; german: Lüttich ) is a major city and municipality of Wallonia and the capital of the Belgian province of Liège. The city is situated in the valley of the Meuse, in the east of Belgium, not far from b ...

in 1616, which became the . William Baldwin (1563–1632) was a professor of moral theology at the college in

Louvain Leuven (, ) or Louvain (, , ; german: link=no, Löwen ) is the capital and largest city of the province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is located about east of Brussels. The municipality itself comprises the historic c ...

. He, like Gerard, was implicated in the Gunpowder Plot. In 1624 the English Jesuit college obtained patronage from Maximilian I, Elector of Bavaria, and his wife, hence the colours of the elector's coat of arms were incorporated into its own coat of arms. The Liège college was protected in the Austrian Netherlands and continued relatively undisturbed for 178 years, through the suppression of the Society of Jesus in 1773 under the personal authority of Bishop François-Charles de Velbrück, until French troops surrounded the city in 1794.. Notable teachers and alumni included: * John Carroll (1735–1815), first Roman Catholic bishop (and Archbishop of Baltimore) in the United States and founder of Georgetown University * Charles Carroll (1737–1832), Maryland delegate and one of the signatories of the Declaration of Independence * Charles Plowden (1743–1821), Jesuit priest, writer and administrator; first rector at Stonyhurst * Francis Plowden, Jesuit priest, barrister and writer. Taught at the college during the suppression of the Society of Jesus * John Howard SJ was head of Liège College (1773–1783) * William Strickland SJ was head of Liège College (1783–1790) *

Marmaduke Stone Marmaduke Stone (28 November 1748 – 22 August 1834) was an English Jesuit, who brought to an end the two hundred year exile of English Jesuits in Europe. He achieved this not only while war had broken out between France and England, but ...

SJ (1748–1834), final director of the college (1790–1794), led the evacuation to England

Repatriation to England and Wales

During the French Revolutionary Wars, the continuity of the college is owed principally to two men:

SJ, who led the Liège college move to England in 1794 and an Old Boy of Watten and Bruges English College, Thomas Weld (of Lulworth), who generously donated his family seat, of

Stonyhurst Stonyhurst is the name of a rural estate owned by the Society of Jesus near Clitheroe in Lancashire, England. It is centred on Stonyhurst College, occupying the great house, its preparatory school Stonyhurst Saint Mary's Hall and the parish ...

, a property in Lancashire, where the evacuees settled for the foreseeable future. While the environment in England was benign for Catholics, the Catholic Church now considered them "ex-Jesuits". They resolved therefore to accept the authority of the only remaining valid Jesuit province which was in the Russian Empire under superiors, Gabriel Gruber and

Tadeusz Brzozowski Tadeusz Brzozowski (October 21, 1749February 5, 1820) was a Polish scholar, teacher, administrator and a Jesuit priest. Having secured its continuity during the suppression of the Society until its restoration, he was elected twentieth Superior ...

. The latter became

Superior General of the Society of Jesus The superior general of the Society of Jesus is the leader of the Society of Jesus, the Catholic religious order also known as the Jesuits. He is generally addressed as Father General. The position sometimes carries the nickname of the Black Po ...

in 1814, although still confined to Russia, when Pope Pius VII lifted the ban on the order. The former Liège college staff located its faculties on two sites, philosophy at

Stonyhurst College Stonyhurst College is a co-educational Catholic Church, Roman Catholic independent school, adhering to the Society of Jesus, Jesuit tradition, on the Stonyhurst, Stonyhurst Estate, Lancashire, England. It occupies a Grade I listed building. Th ...

in Lancashire and theology at St Beuno's College in Denbighshire. In 1840,

was recognised as an

affiliated Affiliation or affiliate may refer to: * Affiliate (commerce), a legal form of entity relationship used in Business Law * Affiliation (family law), a legal form of family relationship * Affiliate marketing * Affiliate network or affiliation pla ...

college of the University of London, which had been created in 1836. This allowed students to sit examinations for University of London degrees. Among the notable teaching staff were: *

Henry James Coleridge Henry James Coleridge (born 20 September 1822, in Devon, England; d. Roehampton, 13 April 1893) was a writer on religious affairs and preacher. He served as editor of ''The Month'' for over fifteen years. Life He was the son of Sir John Taylor C ...

(1822–1893), professor of Scripture, religious preacher and writer * Alfred Weld (1823–1890), professor of Science and Astronomy, Director of the Stonyhurst Observatory, grandson of the College founder *

Sylvester Joseph Hunter Sylvester Joseph Hunter (b. at Bath, 13 September 1829; d. at Stonyhurst, 20 June 1896) was an English Jesuit and educator. Life His father, Joseph Hunter, was a Unitarian minister who was better known as an antiquarian writer and Shakespeare c ...

(1829–1896), Jesuit priest and educator * John Morris (1826–1893) taught canon law in 1867 * George Tyrrell (1861–1909), an Irish Jesuit, taught philosophy at Stonyhurst (until his expulsion from the Jesuits) and was condemned for Modernism *

Franz Xavier Wernz Franz Xavier Wernz SJ (December 4, 1842 – August 19, 1914) was the twenty-fifth Superior General of the Society of Jesus (the Jesuit order). He was born in Rottweil, Württemberg (afterwards part of Germany). Life Wernz was the first of ...

(1842–1914), professor of canon law in 1882 at St Beuno's. He served as the 25th Superior General of the Society of Jesus and was rector of the Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome Among its alumni were: * James Brodrick (1891–1973), Jesuit priest and historian * Richard Clarke (1839–1900), Jesuit priest and theologian. First Master of Campion Hall, Oxford *

Aloysius Cortie Aloysius Laurence Cortie (1859 – 1925) was an English Jesuit astronomer. He served as director of the Stonyhurst College Observatory and contributed to the study of the Sun, including through observing solar eclipses. Life Aloysius Corti ...

(1859–1925), Jesuit priest and astronomer *

Gerard Manley Hopkins Gerard Manley Hopkins (28 July 1844 – 8 June 1889) was an English poet and Jesuit priest, whose posthumous fame placed him among leading Victorian poets. His prosody – notably his concept of sprung rhythm – established him as an innovato ...

(1844–1899), Jesuit priest, poet and professor * Joseph Rickaby (1845–1932), Jesuit priest and philosopher * Martin D'Arcy SJ (1888–1976) was a philosopher of love, and a correspondent, friend, and adviser of a range of literary and artistic figures including Evelyn Waugh, Dorothy L. Sayers, W. H. Auden, Eric Gill and Sir

Edwin Lutyens Sir Edwin Landseer Lutyens ( ; 29 March 1869 – 1 January 1944) was an English architect known for imaginatively adapting traditional architectural styles to the requirements of his era. He designed many English country houses, war memori ...

. He has been described as "perhaps England's foremost Catholic public intellectual from the 1930s until his death".

Heythrop years

In 1926, the faculties came together at Heythrop Hall, Oxfordshire. As a ''Collegium Maximum'', the college's right to admit its students to degrees was confirmed by the Holy See in 1932.Agenzia della Santa Sede per la Valutazione e la Promozione della Qualità delle Università e Facoltà Ecclesiastiche (AVEPRO), http://www.avepro.va/ Accessed 1 November 2012. (in Italian and English) In 1964, the college was raised to the status of a ''Pontifical Athenaeum'', named as the ''Heythrop Faculties of Theology and Philosophy'', open to lay men and women and clerics from outside the Society of Jesus. However, the college now also sought integration with the British educational system.

Rectors and principals, 1926–1970

*1926–1937: Edward Helsham SJ *1937–1944: Ignatius Scoles SJ *1944–1950: Edward Enright SJ *1950–1952: Desmond Boyle SJ *1952–1959: John Diamond SJ *1959–1964: David Hoy SJ *1964–1970: William Maher SJ

Alumni, 1926–1970

John A. Saliba John A. Saliba is a Maltese-born Jesuit priest, a professor of religious studies at the University of Detroit Mercy and a noted writer and researcher in the field of new religious movements. Saliba has advocated a conciliatory approach towards n ...

, Jesuit priest and professor of religious studies * Salvino Azzopardi (1931–2006), Jesuit priest and philosopher * Frederick Copleston (1907–1994), Jesuit priest, philosopher and historian *

Ralph Coverdale Ralph Coverdale (1918–1975) was a British soldier, psychologist and business consultant. He established The Coverdale Organization and the Coverdale Training method. He has been credited as a founder of coaching as a business practice in Briti ...

(1918–1975), soldier, behavioural psychologist, management consultant and trainer * Mark Elvins (1939–2014), Warden of Greyfriars, Oxford *

Clarence Gallagher Clarence may refer to: Places Australia * Clarence County, New South Wales, a Cadastral division * Clarence, New South Wales, a place near Lithgow * Clarence River (New South Wales) * Clarence Strait (Northern Territory) * City of Clarence, a loca ...

, Jesuit priest and theologian. Former Dean of the Faculty of Canon Law and Rector of the Pontifical Oriental Institute (1990–1995). *

Gerard W. Hughes Gerard "Gerry" William Hughes, S.J. (22 March 1924 – 4 November 2014) was a Scottish Jesuit priest and spiritual writer who served as the Chaplain of University of Glasgow from 1967 to 1975. Life Hughes was born on 22 March 1924, in Skelmo ...

(1924–2014), Jesuit priest, spiritual guide and author of ''God of Surprises'' * Paul Lakeland (1946– ), Professor and Chair of the centre for Catholic studies of

Fairfield University Fairfield University is a private Jesuit university in Fairfield, Connecticut. It was founded by the Jesuits in 1942. In 2017, the university had about 4,100 full-time undergraduate students and 1,100 graduate students, including full-time ...

* Peter Levi (1931–2000), former Jesuit priest, poet, archaeologist, travel writer, biographer, critic and Professor of Poetry at the University of Oxford * Bernard Lonergan (1904–1984), Jesuit priest, philosopher and theologian *

Peter Milward Father Peter Milward, SJ (12 October 1925 – 16 August 2017) was a Jesuit priest and literary scholar. He was emeritus professor of English Literature at Sophia University in Tokyo and a leading figure in scholarship on English Renaissance lite ...

(1925–2017), Jesuit priest and literary scholar *

Joseph A. Munitiz Joseph A. Munitiz (1931-2022) was a Roman Catholic Jesuit priest and academic. Munitiz was born in Cardiff, Wales, of Basque parentage and educated by the Christian Brothers at Liverpool, and subsequently at the Junior Seminary at Comillas, Can ...

(1931-2022), Jesuit priest, theologian and librarian. Former editor of the Heythrop Journal and master of Campion Hall, Oxford * Gerald O'Collins (born 1931), Jesuit priest, author, academic, and educator * Stephen Perry (1833–1889), Jesuit priest and astronomer * James J. Quinn (1919–2010), Jesuit priest, theologian and hymnwriter * Frederick Turner (1911–2001), Jesuit priest, archivist, librarian and former headmaster at

Edward Yarnold Edward Yarnold SJ (14 January 1926 – 23 July 2002) was an English Jesuit priest and theologian who was Master of Campion Hall from 1965 to 1972 at the University of Oxford. Life Yarnold was born in Kingston-upon-Thames and brought up in Leeds ...

(1926–2002), former Master of Campion Hall, Oxford from 1965–72

Constituent of the University of London

For this purpose it moved to London in 1970, and obtained a royal charter of incorporation as a "school" of the University of London in the faculties of theology and arts on 11 March 1971. It began to award University of London degrees. After its move to London, to a

Grade II listed In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Irel ...

Georgian townhouse, a former convent, at nos. 11–13 Cavendish Square in the Marylebone area, the college retained the name "Heythrop College". In 1993 the college moved to its final location, in the Maria Assumpta Centre at 23 Kensington Square, initially sharing the site with several other organisations, most notably the ''Westminster Pastoral Foundation'' (WPF), a reputable and long-established counselling training institute. In 2000 Heythrop College announced it needed more space for its library and delicate negotiations began with WPF. The college had assembled one of the largest philosophy and theology-related libraries in Britain. Eight years later, WPF were finally persuaded to uproot and vacate their extensive purpose-built premises, about a quarter of the Maria Assumpta site. In January 2014, the college received decrees from the Congregation for Catholic Education of the Holy See officially reactivating its ecclesiastical faculties under the patronage of saint Robert Bellarmine. These ecclesiastical faculties were grouped together as the Bellarmine Institute. In June 2014, Heythrop College celebrated the 400th anniversary of its two original faculties. While the college still retained the English Jesuits' original function of training future priests of the Catholic Church, its contemporary teaching staff and student body had become much wider, more international and diverse. The college ran into financial difficulties in the 2010s due to the changes in higher education in the United Kingdom. Undergraduate student recruitment declined after the cap on tuition fees was raised to £9,000 per annum in 2012, resulting in the Society of Jesus subsidising the college with millions of pounds: Claire Ozanne, the college's final principal, also highlighted the impact of the administrative burden of quality assurance assessments such as the Teaching and Research Excellence Frameworks on small institutions like Heythrop. Despite explorations with other academies, strategic partnership talks with St Mary's University, Twickenham, and an offer from the University of Roehampton for Heythrop to affiliate as one of its constituent colleges, no solution was found and in 2015 the decision was made to wind down and close by 2019.

Maria Assumpta campus

Convent of the Assumption, Kensington Square, London W8 - geograph

The site was previously entirely owned by the Religious of the Assumption, a religious order of sisters founded in France by Saint Marie-Eugénie de Jésus. The Sisters originally ran a convent school and later a teacher training college on the mainly residential

Victorian Victorian or Victorians may refer to: 19th century * Victorian era, British history during Queen Victoria's 19th-century reign ** Victorian architecture ** Victorian house ** Victorian decorative arts ** Victorian fashion ** Victorian literature ...

site, known for decades as ''The Maria Assumpta Centre''. A number of the sisters continue to live on the site, and their Marie Eugénie Chapel was available for student use. A chaplaincy was provided for all College students, in addition to the University of London chaplaincy, along with an Islamic Prayer room. Unlike many University of London colleges, Heythrop College managed in 2008, on the termination of their lease and the vacation of its premises by WPF, to take over the majority of facilities on the Maria Assumpta Kensington site. All lecture rooms, the students' union, the dining hall, previously shared with WPF and other tenant organisations, in the Victorian buildings in Kensington Square, came under its exclusive management. The College also took over the Alban Hall of residence, previously operated by the Sisters for women students only, which became briefly the College's sole residential accommodation for a proportion of its selected student body.

Library

The college library comprising some 180,000 volumes, made it one of the largest theology and philosophy libraries in the United Kingdom. Some of its collections date back to the founding of the faculties in 1614. Between 2008 and 2018, the collections were housed in two buildings: the theology, social sciences and literature collections were held in the "Copleston Wing" of the college, formerly the main part of the WPF Training Centre, while philosophy collections were held in the Maria Assumpta Library in the main building. Heythrop also held many of its more precious volumes outside London, in the college repository in Egham, Surrey. It had a large and important collection of pre-1801 books, such as Edward Baddeley's collections and a first edition of Isaac Newton's '' Opticks''. Heythrop students were also able to access the Senate House Library, and the libraries of other colleges of the university due to the college's special status. Since the College's closure the library's collections have been available through the Senate House Library. As the former college library is still owned by the Jesuits in Britain, they have also made most of the collection available through the

Heythrop Library The Heythrop Library is a philosophy and theological library in London, England. The library was part of University of London when it functioned as the closed Heythrop College, University of London, Heythrop College library. The library still ope ...

reading room at the

London Jesuit Centre The Church of the Immaculate Conception, Farm Street, also known as Farm Street Church, is a Roman Catholic parish church run by the Society of Jesus in Mayfair, central London. Its main entrance is in Farm Street, though it can also be accesse ...

. The earliest printed books have been deposited at Campion Hall, Oxford.

Academic profile

Heythrop prepared students for a range of specialist taught and research degrees. The college had five specialist institutes and centres which promoted research, conferences and a variety of educational outreach activities. These were the: * Centre for Christianity and Inter-religious Dialogue * Centre for Eastern Christianity * Centre for Philosophy of Religion * Religious Life Institute * Heythrop Institute for Religion and Society All of the institutes conducted research in their own field. The college offered full-time, and part-time courses through a combination of lectures, seminars and tutorials, including one-to-one tutorials. The college had a growing research profile in its final years. It participated in the most recent Research Excellence Framework (2014) and gained considerable recognition for its research. The combined results for all elements of the REF placed Heythrop at 16th in the overall ranking for the Theology & Religious Studies unit of assessment. Overall, 22% of its research outputs was deemed world-leading and a further 40% was deemed internationally excellent. The research works recognised in its submission reflected efforts in both its Theology and Philosophy departments.

Department of Philosophy

The department offered a variety of specialist philosophy degrees with students attached to one of the Centres at the College, embracing both the continental and analytic traditions, and the

history of philosophy Philosophy (from , ) is the systematized study of general and fundamental questions, such as those about existence, reason, knowledge, values, mind, and language. Such questions are often posed as problems to be studied or resolved. Some ...

Department of Theology

In addition to theology, religious studies and ethics, Heythrop was the first college in the world to offer undergraduate and postgraduate degree courses focused on the Abrahamic Religions led by members of each of the three Abrahamic faiths. The Theology department also offered a Divinity programme to candidates for the Catholic priesthood, making it a centre of Roman Catholic training and learning in the United Kingdom.

Pastoral and social studies

The college had a distinctive history and range of teaching in pastoral theology and allied disciplines, with a profile in the United Kingdom and internationally. The Pastoral and Social Studies Department offered degree programmes in the following fields: pastoral theology and practical theology, including: * Sociology of religion * Christian spirituality * Ethics *

Liturgy Liturgy is the customary public ritual of worship performed by a religious group. ''Liturgy'' can also be used to refer specifically to public worship by Christians. As a religious phenomenon, liturgy represents a communal response to and partic ...

* Canon law and psychology, including a specialism in the psychology of religion.

Bellarmine Institute

The Bellarmine Institute, named after St. Robert Bellarmine, was the new name given to the Heythrop ecclesiastical Faculties of Theology and Philosophy in 2013. After moving to London and becoming established as a constituent college of the University of London, the Faculties had become dormant. They were reactivated on 17 September 2013 by a decree of the Congregation for Catholic Education of the Holy See, expanding the opportunities and teaching the college could offer to seminarians, priestly candidates and others. Before the closure of the college, it had been announced that the Society of Jesus, the college governors and the Archbishop of Westminster would look for ways for the ecclesiastical faculties to continue. The institute offered degree programmes in theology and philosophy, intended for Catholic ordinands, those already engaged in church ministry and other scholars. The ecclesiastical degree programmes offered covered all three cycles for priestly formation in the Catholic Church. *

Baccalaureate in Sacred Theology The Baccalaureate in Sacred Theology ( la, Sacrae Theologiae Baccalaureus; abbreviated STB), not to be confused with a Bachelor of Arts in Theology, is the first of three ecclesiastical degrees in theology (the second being the Licentiate in Sacre ...

(STB) * Licentiate in Sacred Theology (STL) * Doctor of Sacred Theology (STD) * Baccalaureate in Philosophy (BacPhil) * Licentiate in Philosophy (PhL) * Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) In July 2019 both faculties were transferred to St Mary's University Twickenham and renamed Mater Ecclesiae College.

Public lectures

The college hosted a number of free public lectures, research seminars and study days throughout the year on a variety of philosophical and theological topics. Concurrently, Heythrop ran a number of paid events that were open to the general public. Heythrop College ran the Loschert Lecture, a lecture series delivered by eminent philosophers, theologians and people of faith. The series was intended to reflect from a consciously Christian perspective, on significant social, political and ethical issues in society. The series was named after William Loschert, chairman of the trustees of the London Centre of Fordham University, who donated the funding for the lectures. Lecturers included Charles Margrave Taylor,

Baroness Scotland Patricia Janet Scotland, Baroness Scotland of Asthal, (born 19 August 1955), is a British diplomat, barrister and politician, serving as the sixth secretary-general of the Commonwealth of Nations. She was elected at the 2015 Commonwealth Heads ...

, Peter Sutherland and David Brennan.

''The Heythrop Journal''

Heythrop College sponsored '' The Heythrop Journal'', an international philosophy and theology academic journal. Published on a bimonthly basis, ''The Heythrop Journal'' was founded in 1960 by Bruno Brinkman as a format for research on the relational dialogue between philosophy and theology. Still retaining this original function, the current editor is Patrick Madigan, who was a faculty member of Heythrop College. , the journal continues to be published.

Student activities

Apart from its students' union, Heythrop's students established their in-house newspaper, ''The Lion'', in 2010. It won the NUS "Best Student Media" award in 2011. In 2015, ''The Lion'' ceased publication.

Closure

In September 2013, Heythrop College announced that it would stop recruiting undergraduates for University of London degrees, noting its then discussions about a "strategic partnership" with St Mary's University, Twickenham. The initiative was attributed to financial difficulties the College faced as an autonomous college of the University of London. In June 2017 it was confirmed that the college would close in October 2018, with no plans to transfer any departments or continue elsewhere. Heythrop ultimately closed at the end of the 2017/18 academic year, with the final graduations taking place at

Senate House Senate House may refer to: * The building housing a legislative senate ** List of legislative buildings **Senate House State Historic Site, in Kingston, New York, where the state's first Constitution was ratified in 1777. * The building (formerly) h ...

on 12 December 2018. From 1 August 2017, the University of London took over the academic sanction previously granted by Heythrop College for the

Bachelor of Divinity In Western universities, a Bachelor of Divinity or Baccalaureate in Divinity (BD or BDiv; la, Baccalaureus Divinitatis) is a postgraduate academic degree awarded for a course taken in the study of divinity or related disciplines, such as theology ...

and related

Diploma A diploma is a document awarded by an educational institution (such as a college or university) testifying the recipient has graduated by successfully completing their courses of studies. Historically, it has also referred to a charter or offici ...

and Certificate of Higher Education programmes offered through the

University of London (Worldwide) The University of London Worldwide (previously called the University of London International Academy) is the central academic body that manages external study programmes within the collegiate university, federal University of London. All courses ...

. The site (on prime Kensington real estate) was sold, with some of the proceeds reverting to the Religious of the Assumption. While Westbourne Capital Partners applied to redevelop the site as a luxury retirement complex, this was later refused by the Mayor of London.

Notable people

College faculty, 1971–2019

* Elizabeth Burns, lecturer in philosophy of religion *

Brendan Callaghan Brendan Callaghan SJ (born 29 July 1948) is a psychologist of religion who was Master of Campion Hall, Oxford 2008–2013. He holds an MA (oxon) from Oxford, an MPhil from Glasgow University and an MTh from the University of London. Fr Callagha ...

SJ principal 1985–1997, 1998–1999 * Alan Carter, head of the philosophy department * Dan Cohn-Sherbok, visiting research fellow * Frederick Copleston SJ principal 1970–1974 * John Cottingham, professorial research fellow *

Johannes Hoff Johannes Hoff is a German Christian philosopher, theologian and university professor. Born in Trier, Hoff completed his doctorate and habilitation at the University of Tübingen in 2006 and is currently senior research associate at the van Hüg ...

, professor of systematic theology * Michael Holman SJ principal 2010–2017 *

Kevin T. Kelly The Rev. Dr. Kevin T. Kelly (27 June 1933-25 September 2018) was a Great Britain, British Roman Catholic priest and moral theologian. Kelly was born in Crosby, just north of Liverpool, England on 27 June 1933, to Patrick and Winifred Kelly from Nor ...

, lecturer in moral theology * Stephen Law, reader in philosophy * William Maher SJ principal 1975–1976 * John Mahoney SJ principal 1976–1981 Keith Ward (theologian), 2016 (cropped)

* John McDade SJ principal 1999–2010 * Christopher Moss SJ principal 1997–1998*

Claire Ozanne Claire Ozanne is an insect Ecology, ecologist in the UK, she is Professor of Ecology and Deputy Director and Provost at SOAS. Education and career Ozanne was educated at the University of Oxford where she did a BA and then a DPhil in Agricultur ...

principal 2017–2019 * Martyn Percy, professorial research fellow *

Philip Sheldrake Philip Sheldrake is a religious historian and theologian with additional background in philosophy and political theory. His main work has been as a leading scholar in the overall multi-disciplinary field of spirituality. In particular, Philip Sheld ...

, religious historian and theologian. Moulsdale Professorial fellow, University of Durham * Janet Soskice, philosophy of religion and ethics * George Stack, governor of the college * Peter Vardy, vice-principal and senior lecturer in philosophy * Francis Walker SJ, principal 1981–1985 * Keith Ward, professorial research fellow. Former Regius Professor of Divinity at Oxford

Notable alumni

have included: *

Polycarpus Augin Aydin Polycarpus Augin Aydın ( syr, ܡܪܝ ܦܘܠܝܩܪܦܘܣ ܐܘܓܝܢ ܐܝܕܝܢ; born Edip Aydın ( syr, ܐܕܝܒ ܐܝܕܝܢ); on June 10, 1971 near Nusaybin (Nisibis), Turkey), is the Metropolitan and Patriarchal Vicar for the Archdiocese of the ...

(born 1971),

Metropolitan Metropolitan may refer to: * Metropolitan area, a region consisting of a densely populated urban core and its less-populated surrounding territories * Metropolitan borough, a form of local government district in England * Metropolitan county, a typ ...

and Patriarchal Vicar for the Archdiocese of the Netherlands of the

Syriac Orthodox Church , native_name_lang = syc , image = St_George_Syriac_orthodox_church_in_Damascus.jpg , imagewidth = 250 , alt = Cathedral of Saint George , caption = Cathedral of Saint George, Damascus ...

Official portrait of The Lord Bishop of London crop 3

William Bentinck, Viscount Woodstock William Jack Henry Bentinck, Viscount Woodstock, Graf Bentinck (born 19 May 1984), commonly known as Will Bentinck, is a English Chicago-based social entrepreneur and speaker. Background and education Bentinck is the elder son of English actor T ...

(born 1984), writer, social entrepreneur and heir to the Earldom of Portland *

Joseph Buttigieg Joseph Anthony Buttigieg II (May 20, 1947 – January 27, 2019) was a Maltese-American literary scholar and translator. He served as William R. Kenan Jr. Professor of English at the University of Notre Dame until his retirement in 2017, when he w ...

(1947–2019), scholar, teacher *

(born 1948), Jesuit priest and

psychologist A psychologist is a professional who practices psychology and studies mental states, perceptual, cognitive, emotional, and social processes and behavior. Their work often involves the experimentation, observation, and interpretation of how indi ...

Bernt Ivar Eidsvig Bernt Ivar Eidsvig, known after 1991 as Markus Bernt Eidsvig (born 12 September 1953), is a Norwegian prelate of the Catholic Church. He has been the Bishop of Oslo since 2005 and the Apostolic Administrator of the Roman Catholic Territorial P ...

(born 1953), Roman Catholic Bishop of Oslo *

Michael Charles Evans Michael Charles Evans (10 August 1951 – 11 July 2011) was the third Roman Catholic Bishop of East Anglia, in the Ecclesiastical Province of Westminster. Biography Ordained as a priest at Southwark on 22 June 1975, Michael Evans spent some t ...

(1951–2011), Roman Catholic

Bishop of East Anglia The Bishop of East Anglia is the Ordinary (Catholic Church), Ordinary of the modern Roman Catholic Diocese of East Anglia in the Province of Westminster, England. The incumbent is Bishop Peter Collins (bishop), Peter Collins, who was installed o ...

* Charles Jason Gordon, Roman Catholic priest, appointed Archbishop of Port of Spain in 2017 * Sebastian Gorka (born 1970), former adviser to Viktor Orbán and Deputy Assistant to President Donald Trump * Robert Hannigan (born 1965), Director of GCHQ (2014–2017) * Matt Malone, S.J,. Jesuit priest and current editor-in-chief of ''

America Magazine ''America'' is a monthly Christian magazine published by the Jesuits of the United States and headquartered in midtown Manhattan. It contains news and opinion about Catholicism and how it relates to American politics and cultural life. It has been ...

'' * John Anthony McGuckin (born 1952),

Orthodox Christian Orthodoxy (from Greek: ) is adherence to correct or accepted creeds, especially in religion. Orthodoxy within Christianity refers to acceptance of the doctrines defined by various creeds and ecumenical councils in Antiquity, but different Churche ...

priest, academic and poet *

David William Parry David William Parry is a British author. He has written two collections of poetry, ''Caliban's Redemption'' (2004) and ''The Grammar of Witchcraft'' (2009)'','' as well as a collection of essays, ''Mount Athos Inside Me: Essays on Religion, Swed ...

(born 1958), pastor, poet and dramaturge * Malcolm Patrick McMahon (born 1949), Roman Catholic

Archbishop of Liverpool The Archbishop of Liverpool is the ordinary of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Liverpool and metropolitan of the Province of Liverpool (also known as the Northern Province) in England. The archdiocese covers an area of of the west of the C ...

formerly Bishop of Nottingham *

Michael Anthony Moxon Michael Anthony Moxon (23 January 194228 July 2019) was Dean of Truro from 1998 until his resignation in 2004. He was educated at Merchant Taylors, Durham University and Heythrop College, London. Ordained in 1971 he was a curate at Lowes ...

(1942–2019), Anglican Dean of

Truro Cathedral The Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a Church of England cathedral in the city of Truro, Cornwall. It was built between 1880 and 1910 to a Gothic Revival design by John Loughborough Pearson on the site of the parish church of St Mary. It i ...

Dame Sarah Mullally Dame Sarah Elisabeth Mullally, (''née'' Bowser; born 26 March 1962) is a British Anglican bishop, Lord Spiritual and former nurse. She has been Bishop of London since 8 March 2018.

, Anglican Bishop of London (since 2018) *

Martin Newland Martin Newland (born 26 October 1961) is a British journalist, a former Editor of ''The Daily Telegraph'' who now consults on media and communications, most recently in the Middle East. He was an advisor to Abu Dhabi Media and before that was Ex ...

(born 1961), journalist and editor of '' The National'' *

Catherine Pepinster Catherine Pepinster (born 7 June 1959) is an English editor, historian, commentator and writer with a focus on theology, Catholic and Anglican ecumenism, church history, and religion and politics. She was the first female editor of ''The Tablet ...

(1959– ), editor and writer on religion *

Keith Riglin Keith Graham Riglin is an Anglican bishop in the Scottish Episcopal Church. Having ministered from 1983 within Baptist and Reformed churches, he took holy orders in the Church of England in 2008. In January 2021 he was elected Bishop of Argy ...

(born 1957), Anglican Bishop of Argyll and The Isles * Lindsay Urwin (born 1956), Anglican Bishop of Horsham * Dominic Walker (born 1948), former Anglican

Bishop of Reading The Bishop of Reading is an Episcopal polity, episcopal title used by a suffragan bishop of the Church of England Diocese of Oxford, which is within the Province of Canterbury, England. The current bishop of Reading is Olivia Graham (formerly Arc ...

and Bishop of Monmouth * Alan Williams, Roman Catholic Bishop of Brentwood

References

External links

*
Heythrop: A Detailed HistoryHeythrop Students Union
{{Authority control Defunct universities and colleges in London Heythrop Former colleges of the University of London Educational institutions established in the 1610s Education in Leuven Education in Liège Stonyhurst College Educational institutions established in the 17th century Educational institutions established in 1971 1971 establishments in England Religion in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Catholic seminaries in England Education in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea History of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Grade II listed buildings in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Pontifical universities Charities based in London Jesuit universities and colleges in England Catholic Church in London Catholic seminaries Catholic universities and colleges Educational institutions disestablished in 2019