Regent's Park College (known colloquially within the university as Regent's) is a

permanent private hall A permanent private hall (PPH) in the University of Oxford is an educational institution within the University. There are four permanent private halls at Oxford, three of which admit undergraduates. They were founded by different Christian denomina ...

of the

University of Oxford The University of Oxford is a collegiate university, collegiate research university in Oxford, England. There is evidence of teaching as early as 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the List of oldest un ...

, situated in central Oxford, just off St Giles',

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

. Founded in 1810, the college moved to its present site in 1927 and became a licensed hall of the university in 1957. The college now admits both undergraduate and graduate students to take Oxford degrees in a variety of arts, humanities and social science subjects. It is one of the few academic institutions within the University of Oxford to have accepted women as well as men since before the mid-twentieth century, with women attending college since the 1920s. It is affiliated with the

Baptist Union of Great Britain Baptists Together, formally the Baptist Union of Great Britain, is a Baptists, Baptist Christian denomination in England and Wales. It is affiliated with the Baptist World Alliance and Churches Together in England. The headquarters is in Didc ...

. As of 2022, Regent's Park College had a

financial endowment A financial endowment is a legal structure for managing, and in many cases indefinitely perpetuating, a pool of Financial instrument, financial, real estate, or other investments for a specific purpose according to Donor intent, the will of its fo ...

of £7.8 million.

History

Origins in London

Regent's Park College traces its roots to the formation of the London Baptist Education Society in 1752. This venture led to the development of the Baptist College, Stepney, a dissenting academy in the East End of London, in 1810. The impetus for the creation of the college arose from the fact that only members of the

Church of England The Church of England (C of E) is the State religion#State churches, established List of Christian denominations, Christian church in England and the Crown Dependencies. It is the mother church of the Anglicanism, Anglican Christian tradition, ...

were given places at the ancient universities. There were only three students in 1810, but by 1850 the number had risen to 26. In 1849, Joseph Angus (Principal 1849–1893) became principal at just 33 years old. At the beginning of his time as principal, Angus admitted a small number of lay students to the college. His belief was that it would benefit the ministerial students to have contact with them, as well as bring much-needed finances to the college. After sites in Gordon Square and Primrose Hill were considered, Angus decided on 12 December 1855 to relocate the college to Holford House in the rural environs of Regent's Park and to change its name to ''Regent's Park College''. Holford House was a private dwelling built in the classical Georgian style on Crown land. Students were able to read for university degrees in the arts and law, as well as training for Christian ministry. After many long ties with

University College London University College London (Trade name, branded as UCL) is a Public university, public research university in London, England. It is a Member institutions of the University of London, member institution of the Federal university, federal Uni ...

, which date back to 1856, the college became an official divinity school of the

University of London The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals) is a collegiate university, federal Public university, public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The ...

in 1901. In 1920, George Pearce Gould (1896–1920) passed the role of principal on to Henry Wheeler Robinson, who would hold the post until 1942. Wheeler Robinson was educated at Regent's Park College for one session; he then went to

Edinburgh University The University of Edinburgh (, ; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Founded by the town council under the authority of a royal charter from King James VI in 1582 and offi ...

and finally to

Mansfield College, Oxford Mansfield College, Oxford is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in Oxford, England. The college was founded in Birmingham in 1838 as a college for Nonconformist students. It moved to Oxford in 1886 and was renamed Mansfield Coll ...

. Wheeler Robinson believed that Oxford was a more congenial setting than London for a college. This belief, coupled with the lure of the advantages of the tutorial system and the fact that Baptists remained the only Free church without a college in one of the ancient universities, led Wheeler Robinson to decide to relocate the college to Oxford.

Relocation to Oxford

In 1927, the main portion of the site was purchased and the buildings, including various farm buildings and two wells in Pusey Street, were secured shortly afterwards from St John's College. The college appointed T Harold Hughes (1897–1949) as the architect for the site. Hughes was responsible for much extension and restoration work in Oxford, including Exeter College, Hertford College and Corpus Christi College. The first four students arrived in 1928. At this time, many of the classes were held at Mansfield College and other lectures were held at various other colleges. However, as early as 1924, Wheeler Robinson started to promote his plans for a new building scheme on the Oxford site to former students. Between 1935 and 1938, he and E. A. Payne spoke at various meetings and raised £20,000 of the £50,000 needed for the project. The foundation stones for Helwys Hall were laid on 21 July 1938, by representatives from the Baptist Union of Great Britain and Ireland, the Particular Baptist Fund, and the Baptist Missionary Society. Stones were also laid in memory of Angus and Gould, former principals of the college. The Main Block, consisting of 16 study bedrooms, Helwys Hall, the College Library, the Senior Common Room and part of the building on Pusey Street, were constructed from 1938 to 1940. However, the outbreak of the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

along with a lack of funds meant that the ambitious plans for the completion of the quadrangle had to be put on hold. In 1957, Regent's Park College became a permanent private hall of the University of Oxford. During this period, the college once again started to accept non-ministerial undergraduates and new buildings on Pusey Street were erected to accommodate the college's growing size, thus completing the quadrangle. The Balding student accommodation block was built in 1960, and a large window was fitted in a three-storey high wall overlooking Balding Quadrangle behind the main quadrangle – allegedly the largest single pane of glass in Europe. In 1977, the Angus student accommodation block was built thus providing Balding Quadrangle with an extra side. Extra accommodation was built in Wheeler Robinson House in 1988. When Greyfriars closed in 2008 (having been a permanent private hall since 1958), the remaining 30 students joined Regent's Park College. When another permanent private hall, St Benet's Hall, closed in September 2022, 29 of St Benet's students joined Regent's.

Buildings

Regent's Park College is located just off St Giles' in the heart of Oxford, near St Cross College and St John's College. The site is based around a large neoclassical quadrangle (as seen in the adjacent picture). The quadrangle is well known for the extensive Virginia creeper which covers most of the buildings. On the south side of the quad are the college entrance and lodge. On the west side is the Hall, with two Ionic columns flanking the main entrance to the room. The names "Thomas Helwys" and "William Carey" are carved on either side of the glass door leading into the Hall.

Thomas Helwys Thomas Helwys (c. 1575 – 1616) was an English barrister (lawyer), Puritan leader, and theologian. His theological beliefs is one of the forming basis of the Baptist tradition. In the early 17th century, Helwys was the principal formulator of ...

was a religious refugee in Holland and returned to England to start the first Baptist church. William Carey was a missionary to India and inspired the foundation of the Baptist Missionary Society in 1792. The college also owns seventeenth- and eighteenth-century houses which face out onto St. Giles' as well as more recent developments, such as Wheeler Robinson House, which is used for third-year accommodation, and Gould House and Angus House, both of which are used either for undergraduates or tutors. All undergraduate accommodation is on-site, or less than a three-minute walk away from the main college buildings. The college also makes use of some central University accommodation provisions for postgraduates, notably the

Castle Mill Castle Mill is a graduate housing complex of the University of Oxford in Oxford, England. Overview Castle Mill is located north of Oxford railway station along Roger Dudman Way, just to the west of the railway tracks and the Oxford Down ...

development in North Oxford and some houses in

Wellington Square Wellington Square may refer to: * Wellington Square, North Adelaide, South Australia * Wellington Square, Perth, in Western Australia * A neighbourhood in Burlington, Ontario, Canada * A square in Kolkata, India, renamed Subodh Chandra Mallik Squar ...

Helwys Hall

Helwys Hall is home to a series of portraits which, taken together, present a brief history of the college. Most of the former principals' portraits are displayed including a recent portrait of Professor Paul Fiddes and Dr. Robert Ellis. There are also portraits of

Joshua Marshman Joshua Marshman (20 April 1768 – 6 December 1837) was a Baptist missionary in Bengal, India from 1799 until his death. He was a member of the Serampore trio with William Carey (missionary), William Carey and William Ward (missionary), William ...

, Hannah Marshman, William Carey, and Willam Ward who were all missionaries to India and Andrew Fuller who was a missionary and first secretary of the Baptist Missionary Society. Helwys Hall was completely renovated in 2009 with a gift to the college's Annual Fund from an anonymous donor.

Common Rooms

The Junior Common Room The JCR is adorned with pictures of Regent's sports teams. The room also has a JCR presidents' board with the name of every JCR president until Rosie Marie Walsh (2021) and a board recording all Regent's students who have received a

Blue Blue is one of the three primary colours in the RYB color model, RYB colour model (traditional colour theory), as well as in the RGB color model, RGB (additive) colour model. It lies between Violet (color), violet and cyan on the optical spe ...

from the university. The Middle Common Room The MCR is the college's Postgraduate community. Hosting a variety of Ministerial, Mature Undergraduate, Master's, Doctoral and Part-time Students. The Senior Common Room The SCR, which is used by academic and administrative staff, was provided by a gift from the nieces and nephews of George Pearce Gould (principal 1896–1920). A portrait of Gould hangs over an Adams brothers' mantelpiece. Facing Gould is a portrait of William Kiffin which dates back to 1667.

Libraries

The College Library

The College Library is on the third floor of the college above Helwys Hall and houses many key works relating to theology, as well as many works on history, geography and politics. It contains graduate study rooms as well as a number of computers. In the library, there is a semi-circular window with sixteen panels, on which is etched a map of the world with many interesting symbols and emblems. The window came from the Glasgow Empire Exhibition of 1937 and is a fine example of modern glasswork. The library contains portraits of both William Carey and

John Bunyan John Bunyan (; 1628 – 31 August 1688) was an English writer and preacher. He is best remembered as the author of the Christian allegory ''The Pilgrim's Progress'', which also became an influential literary model. In addition to ''The Pilgrim' ...

, and outside it hangs a portrait of Henry Havelock.

Angus Library and Archive

The Angus Library and Archive is a scholarship library holding volumes and documents on Baptist history and culture. The core of the collection was left to the college by Joseph Angus who was principal from 1849 to 1893. The Angus now comprises over 70,000 printed books, pamphlets, journals, church and association records, church histories, manuscript letters and other artefacts from the late fifteenth century to the present day. The collection relates to the life and history of Baptists in Britain and the wider world. There is a considerable amount of material from non-Baptist sources relating to issues and controversies in which Baptists were involved. The Angus Library and Archive are used by scholars researching Baptist history, the history of dissent in the UK, and the social history of foreign missions and linguistics. It is also used by members of the public to research family and local history.

Academics

Students are admitted and matriculated according to the same admissions procedures as the other colleges and halls of the University of Oxford. The college specializes in the arts, humanities and theology. It is affiliated with the

Student life

There are sports teams in football, rowing, netball and basketball as well as opportunities to play other sports for other Oxford colleges. The Junior Common Room also provides arts activities, such as an annual play and pantomime, as well as several social societies. Each summer, the college hosts a themed ball named The Final Fling. During

Trinity Term Universities Trinity term is the third and final term of the academic year at the University of Oxford,tortoise Tortoises ( ) are reptiles of the family Testudinidae of the order Testudines (Latin for "tortoise"). Like other turtles, tortoises have a shell to protect from predation and other threats. The shell in tortoises is generally hard, and like o ...

. The college's first tortoise, Emmanuelle, won the Corpus Christi Tortoise Fair twice, as well as appeared on

Blue Peter ''Blue Peter'' is a British children's television entertainment programme created by John Hunter Blair. It is the longest-running children's TV show in the world, having been broadcast since October 1958. It was broadcast primarily from BBC ...

. On 3 October 2022, Emanuelle died, after most recently celebrating her supposed 119th birthday (although her age was more likely between 80 and 100 years old). She was immortalised in the college chapel's new stained glass window. On 27 May 2023, the college welcomed a new young tortoise, Truffle.

Traditions

Motto

The college motto is: . It is taken from : "Test all things; hold fast to that which is good" (A.V.)

Grace and Hall

The college grace is recited in the vernacular by the principal and runs as follows: ''For the gifts of your grace and the community of this college, we praise your name, O God. Amen.'' At the end of the Formal Hall, the Senior Common Room depart after the principal has said the words "The grace and peace of God be with us all. Amen". In the early days of the college at Oxford, there was a Latin grace which was thought to be composed by Aubrey Argyle: . This was allegedly swiftly dropped as Henry Wheeler Robinson, then principal, observed a strict 'no-Latin' policy in Hall – in the old days, offenders were thrown into a bath of cold water. It has also traditionally been the case that there is no Loyal Toast at college dinners. Around the turn of the millennium, the dean even remonstrated with guests from a different college to prevent the toast from being proposed. Unlike many other Oxford colleges, the same menu is served to all members of the college and there is no High Table apart from in formal halls. It also observes a tradition that grace is said at every meal, with students and dons alike standing behind their chairs until it has been said.

Valediction

The principal ceremonial occasion in the college year is the Service of Valediction, which takes place on the afternoon of the last day of Full Term in Trinity (always a Saturday). The most important part of the ceremony is the signing of the register by members of the Junior and Middle Common Rooms whose periods of study have come to an end.

Other traditions

A tradition from the nineteenth century, which is now somewhat forgotten (despite having been common even in the early years of the twenty-first century) was that first-year students of the college are called "monarchs" and their elder colleagues are known as "regents". This was to remind older students that they had a duty of care to the younger members, much as a regent has a duty of care to an infirm monarch (the metaphor appears to have been drawn from the regency of

George IV George IV (George Augustus Frederick; 12 August 1762 – 26 June 1830) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and King of Hanover from 29 January 1820 until his death in 1830. At the time of his accession to the throne, h ...

, after whom Regent's Park in London, the college's namesake, is named). Ernest A. Payne, a former alumnus of the college who attended Regent's during its move to Oxford in the 1920s, mentions in passing during a lecture delivered in the 1970s that there was at one time a college song, which was sung as the students vacated the premises in Regent's Park. The chorus of the song was cited by Payne to have been as follows: ''So we raise, as time goes by,'' ''Our Marseillaise, our battle-cry,'' ''Forward Regent's!"''

People associated with Regent's Park College

Principals

Alumni

* William Abraham, Irish theologian, Professor of Wesley Studies,

Southern Methodist University Southern Methodist University (SMU) is a Private university, private research university in Dallas, Texas, United States, with a satellite campus in Taos County, New Mexico. SMU was founded on April 17, 1911, by the Methodist Episcopal Church, ...

* Joseph Angus, Biblical scholar, Principal of ( Stepney Academy and) Regent's Park College (1849–93) * Robin Attfield, Professor of Philosophy at

Cardiff University Cardiff University () is a public research university in Cardiff, Wales. It was established in 1883 as the University College of South Wales and Monmouthshire and became a founding college of the University of Wales in 1893. It was renamed Unive ...

* Simon Bailey, Anglican priest and author * Malcolm Bishop, QC, judge and barrister * William Brock, abolitionist, biographer, and supporter of missionary societies * T Davis Bunn, a novelist in residence * Wayne Clarke, radio presenter, producer, and author * Robert Ellis Principal (2007–2021) and Senior Research Fellow of Regent's Park College * Sir Malcolm Evans, KCMG, OBE, FLSW, academic and Principal of Regent's Park College from 2023 * Paul Fiddes, FBA, Professor of Systematic Theology, Principal (1989–2007) and Senior Research Fellow of Regent's Park College, and honorary Fellow of St Peter's College * James Gandhi, child actor and writer from the BBC children's show Dani's House * Sir Henry Havelock, KCB, British general instrumental in the

Indian Rebellion of 1857 The Indian Rebellion of 1857 was a major uprising in India in 1857–58 against Company rule in India, the rule of the East India Company, British East India Company, which functioned as a sovereign power on behalf of the The Crown, British ...

* Donald Foster Hudson, Baptist missionary and author *

Jesse Jackson Jesse Louis Jackson (Birth name#Maiden and married names, né Burns; born October 8, 1941) is an American Civil rights movements, civil rights activist, Politics of the United States, politician, and ordained Baptist minister. Beginning as a ...

, an honorary Fellow of the college *

Delyth Jewell Delyth Non Jewell (born 1988) is a Welsh Plaid Cymru politician. She is a Member of the Senedd (MS) for South Wales East region. She is also the current Deputy Leader of Plaid Cymru. Early life Jewell was born in Caerphilly and grew up in Yst ...

, assembly member for South East Wales * R T Kendall, writer and minister (1977–2002) of Westminster Chapel * Alexandra Knatchbull, descendant of

Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in January 1901. Her reign of 63 year ...

and god-daughter of

Diana, Princess of Wales Diana, Princess of Wales (born Diana Frances Spencer; 1 July 1961 – 31 August 1997), was a member of the British royal family. She was the first wife of Charles III (then Prince of Wales) and mother of Princes William, ...

* Alan Kreider, former professor of Church History and Mission,

Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary (AMBS) is an Anabaptist Christian seminary in Elkhart, Indiana, affiliated with Mennonite Church USA and Mennonite Church Canada. It was formerly known as Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary until its n ...

, Indiana * Richard Land, President of Southern Evangelical Seminary, North Carolina * Alexander Larman, author and journalist * Sir Joseph Leese, 1st Baronet, KC, first-class cricketer, British lawyer, and Liberal politician * Walter John Mathams, hymn-writer and founder of the Ladies Guild of the Sailors' Society * Frederick Brotherton Meyer, Baptist minister and evangelist, writer, and moral reformer *

Gregory Norminton Gregory Norminton (born 1976) is an English novelist. Born in Berkshire and educated at Wellington College, he read English at Regent's Park College, Oxford and studied acting at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. He is a Senior Le ...

, novelist * Wesley Pue, former professor of Legal History at

University of British Columbia The University of British Columbia (UBC) is a Public university, public research university with campuses near University of British Columbia Vancouver, Vancouver and University of British Columbia Okanagan, Kelowna, in British Columbia, Canada ...

Ian Randall Ian M. Randall (born 9 January 1948) is a British historian who is best known for his works on the history of European evangelicalism and Protestant nonconformity. He is a research associate at the Cambridge Centre for Christianity Worldwide at ...

FRHistS The Royal Historical Society (RHS), founded in 1868, is a learned society of the United Kingdom which advances scholarly studies of history. Origins The society was founded and received its royal charter in 1868. Until 1872 it was known as the H ...

, British historian * Keith Riglin, former Vice Dean of

King's College London King's College London (informally King's or KCL) is a public university, public research university in London, England. King's was established by royal charter in 1829 under the patronage of George IV of the United Kingdom, King George IV ...

, Bishop of Argyll and The Isles * Henry Wheeler Robinson, Old Testament scholar, Principal of Regent's Park College (1920–42) * Olin Robison, diplomat, thirteenth President of

Middlebury College Middlebury College is a Private university, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Middlebury, Vermont, United States. Founded in 1800 by Congregationalism in the United States, Congregationalists, Middlebury w ...

, Vermont * William Rouse, Classical scholar and educational reformer, former headmaster of

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, Cambridge *

Roland Rudd Roland Dacre Rudd (born April 1961) is the founder and chairman of FGS Global (formerly Finsbury), a public relations firm, and holds a variety of other charitable and non-executive posts. Rudd was educated at Oxford University, becoming Pres ...

, PR and business consultant, founder and chairman of

Finsbury Finsbury is a district of Central London, forming the southeastern part of the London Borough of Islington. It borders the City of London. The Manorialism, Manor of Finsbury is first recorded as ''Vinisbir'' (1231) and means "manor of a man c ...

* David Russell,

CBE The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...

, former Principal of Rawdon College, former General Secretary,

* Philip Ryken, eighth President of Wheaton College, Illinois * Jane Shaw, former Dean of Divinity,

New College, Oxford New College is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1379 by Bishop William of Wykeham in conjunction with Winchester College as New College's feeder school, New College was one of the first col ...

, Principal, Harris Manchester College, Oxford * Cecil Staton, eleventh Chancellor of

East Carolina University East Carolina University (ECU) is a public university in Greenville, North Carolina, United States. It is the List of universities in North Carolina by enrollment, fourth largest university in North Carolina and the only one in the state with s ...

, North Carolina * James Sully, philosopher and psychologist * Michael Symmons Roberts, poet * Alfred Thomas, 1st Baron Pontypridd, DL, politician and Welsh nationalist * Andrew Thompson,

, Professor of Global and Imperial History,

* Barnaby Thompson, film director and producer * Michael Ward, author of ''Planet Narnia'', Professor of Apologetics, Houston Baptist University, Texas * Robert Warner, Vice Chancellor, Plymouth Marjon University

References

Bibliography

* Anthony Clarke and Paul Fiddes, ''Dissenting Spirit: A History of Regent's Park College, 1752-2017'' (Oxford: Centre for Baptist History and Heritage, 2017) (336 pages, illustrated) * Robert E. Cooper, ''From Stepney to St Giles': the Story of Regent's Park College, 1810–1960'' (London: Carey Kingsgate Press, 1960) (148 pages, illustrated) * Geo. P. Gould, ''The Baptist College at Regent's Park (Founded at Stepney 1810): A Centenary Record'' (London: The Kingsgate Press, 1910) (99 pages, illustrated)

External links

Regent's Park College websiteJunior Common Room

College ProspectusAlternative Prospectus
{{authority control Baptist universities and colleges in the United Kingdom Bible colleges, seminaries and theological colleges in England Buildings and structures of the University of Oxford Educational institutions established in 1810 Educational institutions established in 1752 Permanent private halls of the University of Oxford Former colleges of the University of London 1810 establishments in England 1752 establishments in England Universities and colleges established in the 18th century