St. Alban Hall, Oxford
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St Alban Hall, sometimes known as St Alban's Hall or Stubbins, was one of the medieval halls of the
University of Oxford , mottoeng = The Lord is my light , established = , endowment = £6.1 billion (including colleges) (2019) , budget = £2.145 billion (2019–20) , chancellor ...
, and one of the longest-surviving. It was established in the 13th century, acquired by neighbouring Merton College in the 16th century but operated separately until the institutions merged in the late 19th century. The site in
Merton Street Merton Street is a historic and picturesque cobbled street in central Oxford, England. ...
,
Oxford Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...
, is now occupied by Merton's Edwardian St Alban's Quad.


History

St Alban Hall took its name from Robert of Saint Alban, a citizen of Oxford, who conveyed the property to the priory of nuns at
Littlemore Littlemore is a district and civil parish in Oxford, England. The civil parish includes part of Rose Hill. It is about southeast of the city centre of Oxford, between Rose Hill, Blackbird Leys, Cowley, and Sandford-on-Thames. The 2011 Censu ...
, near Oxford, about the year 1230. In February 1525, on the recommendation of Thomas Wolsey,
Lord Chancellor The lord chancellor, formally the lord high chancellor of Great Britain, is the highest-ranking traditional minister among the Great Officers of State in Scotland and England in the United Kingdom, nominally outranking the prime minister. The ...
, as a result of the
Littlemore Priory scandals The Littlemore Priory scandals took place between 1517 and 1518. They involved accusations of sexual immorality and sometimes brutal violence among the Benedictine nuns and their prioress at St Nicholas' Priory in Littlemore (thus "Littlemore ...
, the priory was dissolved. Its lands and houses in Oxford passed to Wolsey for the use of his new
Cardinal College Cardinal or The Cardinal may refer to: Animals * Cardinal (bird) or Cardinalidae, a family of North and South American birds **''Cardinalis'', genus of cardinal in the family Cardinalidae **''Cardinalis cardinalis'', or northern cardinal, the ...
. When Wolsey fell from power in 1529, Littlemore Priory, along with the rest of his wealth and estates, escheated to
the Crown The Crown is the state in all its aspects within the jurisprudence of the Commonwealth realms and their subdivisions (such as the Crown Dependencies, overseas territories, provinces, or states). Legally ill-defined, the term has different ...
.
Henry VIII Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is best known for his six marriages, and for his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. His disa ...
then granted St Alban Hall to George Owen, D.M., who was both the king's physician and a
Fellow A fellow is a concept whose exact meaning depends on context. In learned or professional societies, it refers to a privileged member who is specially elected in recognition of their work and achievements. Within the context of higher education ...
of
Merton College Merton College (in full: The House or College of Scholars of Merton in the University of Oxford) is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Its foundation can be traced back to the 1260s when Walter de Merton, ch ...
. Owen conveyed it to Sir John Williams, later Lord Williams of Thame, and Sir John Gresham. By permission of Edward VI, in 1547 they transferred the Hall to John Pollard and Robert Perrot, Esquires, who sold it to the Warden and Fellows of Merton College."The historical register of the University of Oxford: being a supplement to the Oxford University calendar, with an alphabetical record of University honours and distinctions completed to the end of Trinity term 1888", pp. 214–215 St Alban Hall continued for another three centuries as a separate hall with its own students and principal.St Alban Hall, Library & Archives
from Merton College web site, archived 29 October 2010 at
Archive.org The Internet Archive is an American digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It provides free public access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, software applications/games, music, ...
It was governed by the university's statutes for Academical Halls, and its principal was chosen by the chancellor of the university. Chancellor Grenville appointed
Richard Whately Richard Whately (1 February 1787 – 8 October 1863) was an English academic, rhetorician, logician, philosopher, economist, and theologian who also served as a reforming Church of Ireland Archbishop of Dublin. He was a leading Broad Churchman ...
as principal in 1825, in an attempt to raise standards there.
John Henry Newman John Henry Newman (21 February 1801 – 11 August 1890) was an English theologian, academic, intellectual, philosopher, polymath, historian, writer, scholar and poet, first as an Anglican ministry, Anglican priest and later as a Catholi ...
was Whately's vice-principal from 1825 to 1826, and Samuel Hinds from 1827 to 1831. As later recalled by Dr Henry Robinson, in 1832 there was only one undergraduate, a man named Tenant, who was known as "the solitary tenant of Alban Hall".Henry Robinson, DD
"St Alban Hall, Oxford"
in ''
London Society ''London Society'' was a Victorian era illustrated monthly periodical, subtitled "an illustrated magazine of light and amusing literature for the hours of relaxation". It was published between 1862 and 1898 by W. Clowes and Sons, London. The m ...
'', January 1887, reprinted in Volume 51, London: F. V. White & Co., 1887, pp. 191–198
There were seven members when Robinson arrived in 1838, rising to twelve by the time he came down. The only tutor was the vice-principal, while the principal, Edward Cardwell, was a university lecturer on divinity. Those aiming for an honours degree took a private tutor, of whom Bob Lowe of Magdalen was the most popular. The Hall then had four servants, a cook, a manciple, a porter, and a boy. Robinson had found St Alban Hall "rather an expensive place, the number being so few, and there was no endowment." The last principal, William Salter, was appointed in 1861 and resigned in 1882. In 1877 Prime Minister Disraeli appointed commissioners under
Lord Selborne Earl of Selborne, in the County of Southampton, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1882 for the lawyer and Liberal politician Roundell Palmer, 1st Baron Selborne, along with the subsidiary title of Viscount Wol ...
and later Mountague Bernard to consider and implement reform of the university and its colleges.L. W. B. Brockliss, ''The University of Oxford: A History'' (Oxford University Press, 2016)
p. 364–365
/ref> The commissioners came to the view that the four remaining medieval halls were not viable and should merge with colleges.Brockliss (2016)
pp. 370–371
/ref> In 1881, the commissioners made a University Statute which provided for St Alban Hall to be united with Merton College in the event of Principal Salter's resignation or death. The Hall then had eighteen members in residence, who were admitted to Merton. In 1887, a similar Statute extinguished
New Inn Hall New Inn Hall was one of the earliest medieval halls of the University of Oxford. It was located in New Inn Hall Street, Oxford. History Trilleck's Inn The original building on the site was Trilleck's Inn, a medieval hall or hostel for stu ...
and combined it with Balliol College, on the death of Henry Hubert Cornish. In the event, of the halls only
St Edmund Hall St Edmund Hall (sometimes known as The Hall or informally as Teddy Hall) is a constituent college of the University of Oxford. The college claims to be "the oldest surviving academic society to house and educate undergraduates in any university ...
would avoid merger. Henry Robinson cast some of the blame for the end of the Hall on
Lord Salisbury Robert Arthur Talbot Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury (; 3 February 183022 August 1903) was a British statesman and Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom three times for a total of over thirteen y ...
, the university's chancellor: Robinson died a few days after his article was published.


Buildings

St Alban Hall's buildings included a main quadrangle and a smaller court. The Merton Street front of the quad was rebuilt in 1600, funded by
Benedict Barnham Benedict Barnham (baptised 1559 – 1598) was a London merchant, alderman and sheriff of London and MP. Life Barnham was born the fourth son of the merchant Francis Barnham (died 1575), a draper, alderman and sheriff of London in 1570, and Ali ...
. The buildings were reconstructed again and a chapel added by John Gibbs from 1863, funded by Principal Salter. After 1882 the chapel was no longer needed and was secularized. Between 1904 and 1910 the buildings of the former hall were demolished, apart from part of their front elevation on Merton Street, and the St Alban's Quadrangle of Merton College built on the site.


Principals

A list of the principals of St Alban Hall. *1437: Roger Martin *1439: Robert Ashe *1444: John Gygur *1450: William Shyrefe *1452: William Romsey *1468–1477:
Thomas Danett Thomas Danett (also spelt Danette; died 19 September 1483) was a Dean of Windsor from 1481 to 1483. Career He was appointed: *Principal of St Alban Hall, Oxford 1468–1477 *Prebendary of Henfield in Chichester 1472 *Rector of Brixton Deverill, ...
*1477:
Richard FitzJames Richard FitzJames (died 1522) was an English academic and administrator who became successively Bishop of Rochester, Bishop of Chichester, and Bishop of London. Origins Born about 1442, he was the son of John FitzJames (died 1476), who lived at ...
, later Bishop of London *Thomas Lynley *Robert Gosbourne *
Ralph Hamsterley Ralph Hamsterley (died August 1518) was a Master of University College, Oxford, England.Carr, William, University College', Routledge, 1998. . Chapter V, The Sixteenth Century' (pages 74–94).Darwall-Smith, Robin, ''A History of University College ...
*1501: Hugh Saunders, alias Shakspeere *1503: John Forster *1507: John Beverstone *1507: William Bysse *1509: Richard Walker *1510: John Pokyswell *1514: John Hoper *Simon Balle *1527: Walter Buckler *1530: Robert Tailer *1532: William Pedyll *1535: Robert Huyck *1536: Richard Smyth, also first Regius Professor of Divinity at Oxford *1539: Humphrey Burneford *1543: John Estwyck *1547: William Marshall *1567:
Arthur Atye Sir Arthur Atye or Atey (died 1604) was an English academic and politician. Life Atye graduated B.A. at Christ Church, Oxford in 1560, and M.A. in 1564. A fellow of Merton College, Oxford, he became Principal of St Alban Hall in 1572. Between 15 ...
*Richard Radclyffe *1599: Robert Masters *1603: Henry Masters *1614: Anthony Morgan *1621: Richard Parker *1624: Edward Chaloner *1625–1661:
Richard Zouch Richard Zouch (1 March 1661) was an English judge and a member of parliament from 1621 to 1624. He was elected Member of Parliament for Hythe in 1621 and later became principal of St. Alban Hall, Oxford. During the Civil War he was a Royalist an ...
*1641: Sir Giles Sweit *1664–1673:
Thomas Lamplugh Thomas Lamplugh (1615 – 5 May 1691) was an English churchman who became Archbishop of York. Life He was the son of Christopher Lamplugh of Thwing, East Riding of Yorkshire, Yorkshire and his wife Anne, daughter and coheir of Thomas Roper of ...
*1673–1679: Narcissus Marsh *1679: Thomas Bouchier *1692: Richard Duckworth *1723: James Bouchier *1736: Robert Leyborne *1759: Francis Randolph *1797–1823:
Thomas Winstanley Thomas Winstanley (1749 – 2 September 1823) was an academic at the University of Oxford, who held the positions of Camden Professor of Ancient History, Laudian Professor of Arabic, and principal of St Alban Hall. Life Winstanley was born in th ...
*1823–1825:
Peter Elmsley Peter Elmsley (born Hampstead, London, 5 February 1774 – died Oxford, 8 March 1825) was an English classical scholar. Early life and education Peter Elmsley was the younger son of Alexander Elmsley of St Clement Danes, Westminster, who ...
*1825–1831:
Richard Whately Richard Whately (1 February 1787 – 8 October 1863) was an English academic, rhetorician, logician, philosopher, economist, and theologian who also served as a reforming Church of Ireland Archbishop of Dublin. He was a leading Broad Churchman ...
, later Archbishop of Dublin *1831–1861: Edward Cardwell *1861–1882:
William Charles Salter William Charles Salter (1824 – 1 August 1889) was a Church of England clergyman, Fellow of Balliol College, Oxford, and the last Principal of St Alban Hall. Early life Salter was the only son of James Salter, gentleman, of Tiverton, Devon, an ...


Notable alumni

* Cuthbert Mayne (c. 1543–1577), Roman Catholic priest executed in the time of Elizabeth I *
Sir Thomas Gresham Sir Thomas Gresham the Elder (; c. 151921 November 1579), was an English merchant and financier who acted on behalf of King Edward VI (1547–1553) and Edward's half-sisters, queens Mary I (1553–1558) and Elizabeth I (1558–1603). In 1565 G ...
(died 1630), landowner and member of parliament *
Robert Harcourt Sir Robert John Rolston Harcourt, JP (1902 – 25 August 1969) was a Northern Irish politician. Robert Harcourt, known as John, became the director of F. E. Harcourt and Company coal merchants. He was High Sheriff of Belfast in 1949, and later ...
(died 1631), explorer * Thomas Crompton (died 1608), a barrister and judge *
Thomas Lawton Thomas Lawton (c. 1558 – 1606) was an English barrister and judge who briefly sat in the House of Commons in the year 1584 and from 1604 to 1606. Lawton was the third son of John Lawton of Church Lawton, and his wife Margaret Dutton, daughter ...
(c. 1558–1606), a barrister and judge * John Penry (1563–1593), Welsh Protestant martyr *
Matthew Slade Matthew Slade ( Mattheus Sladus) (1569–1628) was an English nonconformist minister and royal agent, in the Netherlands by 1600 and active there in the Contra-Remonstrant cause. Early life Born at South Perrot in Dorset, he was second son of John ...
(1569–1628), nonconformist minister *
Gervase Clifton, 1st Baron Clifton Gervase Clifton, 1st Baron Clifton (c. 1570 – 14 October 1618) was an English nobleman. Origins Clifton was a son of Sir John Clifton (d.1593) of Barrington Court, Somerset, by his wife Anne Stanley, daughter of Thomas Stanley, 2nd Baron Mo ...
(c. 1570–1618), landowner and peer *
Edward Lapworth Edward Lapworth (1574–1636) was an English physician and Latin poet, and the first Sedleian reader at the University of Oxford. Life Lapworth was a native of Warwickshire; his father was physician to Henry Berkeley. He was admitted B.A. at S ...
(1574–1636), physician and Latin poet * Philip Massinger (1583–1640), dramatist *
William Lenthall William Lenthall (1591–1662) was an English politician of the English Civil War, Civil War period. He served as Speaker of the House of Commons (United Kingdom), Speaker of the House of Commons for a period of almost twenty years, both before ...
(1591–1662), Speaker of the House of Commons * Samuel Turner (c. 1582–1647), Cavalier soldier *
Sir Richard Browne, 1st Baronet, of Deptford Sir Richard Browne, 1st Baronet of Deptford (c. 1605 – 12 February 1682/83) was English ambassador to the court of France at Paris from 1641 to 1660. Life Browne was the son of Christopher Browne and Thomazine Gonson. His grandfather was Sir ...
(died 1683), English ambassador to France *
Richard Alleine Richard Alleine (1610/11 – 22 December 1681) was an English Puritan divine. Life Alleine was born at Ditcheat, Somerset, in 1610 and baptised on the 18 October 1610, (where his father another Richard Alleine, born circa 1585 and died 1656, ...
(1610/11–1681), Puritan divine *
William Alleine William Alleine (1614 – October 1677) was an English minister. Life He was the younger brother of Richard Alleine, born at Ditcheat, Somerset, in 1613–1614. As with all this family, his first education was under his own father. He proceeded t ...
(1614–1677), clergyman *
Bartholomew Ashwood Bartholomew Ashwood (1622–1680) was an English puritan divine. Life Ashwood was 'a Warwickshire man,' son of a clergyman of the same name (who matriculated at Magdalen College, Oxford, in 1591, also as a Warwickshire man, aged 13, and proceede ...
(1622–1680), puritan divine *
John Durel John Durel (1625–1683), John Durell, or Jean Durel, was a cleric from Jersey, known for his apologetical writing on behalf of the Church of England. He became Dean of Windsor in 1677. His French translation of the 1662 ''Book of Common Prayer'' ...
(1625–1683), clergyman * Francis Willis (1718–1807), physician * John Evans (1756–1846), Welsh surgeon and cartographer * Stephen Reay (1782–1861),
Laudian Professor of Arabic The position of Laudian Professor of Arabic, now known as the Abdulaziz Saud AlBabtain Laudian Professor, at the University of Oxford was established in 1636 by William Laud, who at the time was Chancellor of the University of Oxford and Archbish ...
*
Nathaniel Dawes Nathaniel Dawes (24 July 1843 – 12 September 1910) was an Anglican bishop in Australia. He was the first Bishop of Rockhampton in Queensland, from 1892 to 1909. He was the first bishop to be consecrated in Australia. Early life Dawes was b ...
(1843–1910), Anglican bishop in AustraliaJohn Bayton, "Dawes, Nathaniel (1843–1910)" in
Australian Dictionary of Biography The ''Australian Dictionary of Biography'' (ADB or AuDB) is a national co-operative enterprise founded and maintained by the Australian National University (ANU) to produce authoritative biographical articles on eminent people in Australia's ...
(Melbourne University Press, 1966, ISSN 1833-7538)
*
Edward Smith Ed, Eddie, Edgar, Edward, Edwin, and similar, surnamed Smith, may refer to: Military * Edward H. Smith (sailor) (1889–1961), United States Coast Guard admiral, oceanographer and Arctic explorer *Edward Smith (VC) (1898–1940), English recipient ...
(1854–1908), clergyman and first class cricketer


Notes


External links

*Henry Robinson, DD
"St Alban Hall, Oxford"
in ''
London Society ''London Society'' was a Victorian era illustrated monthly periodical, subtitled "an illustrated magazine of light and amusing literature for the hours of relaxation". It was published between 1862 and 1898 by W. Clowes and Sons, London. The m ...
'', January 1887, reprinted in Volume 51, London: F. V. White & Co., 1887, pp. 191–198 {{DEFAULTSORT:Saint Alban Hall St Alban Hall, Oxford Former colleges and halls of the University of Oxford 1882 disestablishments in England Buildings and structures demolished in 1905 Demolished buildings and structures in England