St Hilda's College is one of the constituent colleges of the

University of Oxford The University of Oxford is a 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 world's second-oldest university in contin ...

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe ...

. The college is named after the

Anglo-Saxon The Anglo-Saxons were a Cultural identity, cultural group who inhabited England in the Early Middle Ages. They traced their origins to settlers who came to Britain from mainland Europe in the 5th century. However, the ethnogenesis of the Anglo- ...

Saint,

Hilda of Whitby Hilda (or Hild) of Whitby (c. 614 – 680) was a Christian saint and the founding abbess of the monastery at Whitby, which was chosen as the venue for the Synod of Whitby in 664. An important figure in the Christianisation of Anglo-Saxon ...

and was founded in 1893 as a hall for women; it remained a

women's college Women's colleges in higher education are undergraduate, bachelor's degree-granting institutions, often liberal arts colleges, whose student populations are composed exclusively or almost exclusively of women. Some women's colleges admit male st ...

until 2008. St Hilda's was the last single-sex college in the university as

Somerville College Somerville College, a constituent college of the University of Oxford in England, was founded in 1879 as Somerville Hall, one of its first two women's colleges. Among its alumnae have been Margaret Thatcher, Indira Gandhi, Dorothy Hodgkin, ...

had admitted men in 1994. The college now has almost equal numbers of men and women at both undergraduate and postgraduate level. The principal of the college is Professor Sarah Springman, who took office in 2022. As of 2018, the college had an

endowment Endowment most often refers to: *A term for human penis size It may also refer to: Finance *Financial endowment, pertaining to funds or property donated to institutions or individuals (e.g., college endowment) *Endowment mortgage, a mortgage to b ...

of £52.1 million and total assets of £113.4 million.

History

St Hilda's was founded by Dorothea Beale (who was also a headmistress at

Cheltenham Ladies' College Cheltenham Ladies' College is an independent boarding and day school for girls aged 11 to 18 in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England. Consistently ranked as one of the top all-girls' schools nationally, the school was established in 1853 to p ...

) in 1893, as St Hilda's Hall and recognised by the Association for the Education of Women as a women's hall in 1896. It was founded as a women's college, a status it retained until 2008. Whilst other Oxford colleges gradually became co-educational, no serious debate at St Hilda's occurred until 1997, according to a former vice-principal, and then the debate solely applied to the issue of staff appointments. After a vote on 7 June 2006 by the Governing Body, men and women can be admitted as

fellows Fellows may refer to Fellow, in plural form. Fellows or Fellowes may also refer to: Places * Fellows, California, USA * Fellows, Wisconsin, ghost town, USA Other uses * Fellows Auctioneers, established in 1876. *Fellowes, Inc., manufacturer of wo ...

and students. This vote was pushed through with a narrow margin and followed previous unsuccessful votes. This led to protests from students because of the "high-handed" manner in which they were held. In October 2007 a supplemental charter was granted and in 2008 male students were admitted to St Hilda's for the first time. The college now has almost equal numbers of men and women at both undergraduate and postgraduate level. In August 2018, the interim Norrington Table showed that 98 per cent of St Hilda's finalist undergraduates obtained at least a 2.i in their degree.

Women's rowing

St Hilda's was the first women's college in Oxford and Cambridge to create a women's VIII in 1911. It was St Hilda's student H.G. Wanklyn who formed

OUWBC Oxford University Women's Boat Club (OUWBC) is the rowing club for female rowers (and coxes of either sex) who are students at the University of Oxford. The club was founded in 1926 and is now based in Wallingford at the Fleming Boat Hous ...

and coxed in the inaugural Women's Boat Race of 1927, with five Hilda's rowers. In 1969, the St Hilda's Eight made Oxford history when they became the first ever female crew to row in the Summer Eights. They placed 12th.

Documentary

St Hilda's students were the subject of the

Channel 4 Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned enterprise, state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a four ...

documentary series ''

College Girls ''College Girls'' is a Channel 4 documentary series, first transmitted in the United Kingdom from 8 September 2002. The documentary followed the lives of six students who studied at St Hilda's College, Oxford, the last remaining single-sex col ...

'', broadcast in 2002.

Buildings and grounds

The college is located at the eastern end of the High Street, Oxford, over Magdalen Bridge, in

Cowley Place Cowley may refer to: Places Australia * Cowley County, New South Wales * Cowley, Queensland, a rural locality in the Cassowary Coast Region * Cowley Beach, Queensland *Cowley Creek, Queensland *Lower Cowley, Queensland Canada * Cowley, Albert ...

, making it the only University of Oxford college lying east of the

River Cherwell The River Cherwell ( or ) is a tributary of the River Thames in central England. It rises near Hellidon, Northamptonshire and flows southwards for to meet the Thames at Oxford in Oxfordshire. The river gives its name to the Cherwell local ...

. It is the most conveniently situated Oxford college for the Iffley Road Sports Complex, a focus for Oxford University Sport.

Buildings

Its grounds include six major buildings, which contain student accommodation, teaching areas, dining hall, the library and administration blocks. The first building occupied by the hall was Cowley House built by Humphrey Sibthorp. Together with later extensions it is now known as Hall. In 1921 the hall acquired the lease of Cherwell Hall, now known as South, which was originally Cowley Grange, a house built by

A. G. Vernon Harcourt Augustus George Vernon Harcourt FRS (24 December 1834 – 23 August 1919) was an English chemist who spent his career at Oxford University. He was one of the first scientists to do quantitative work in the field of chemical kinetics. His uncle, ...

. The lease of Milham Ford, a former school between Hall and South, was acquired in 1958. More recent additions are Wolfson (opened in 1964), Garden (by Alison and Peter Smithson, opened in 1971), and the Christina Barratt Building (opened in 2001). In Autumn 2020, a new Boundary Building replaced some of the older buildings, while Milham Ford, which was demolished in 2018, was replaced by a new riverside "Pavilion". The college also owns a number of properties on Iffley Road, and in the Cowley area.

The Jacqueline Du Pré Music Building

Jacqueline Du Pré Music Building, Oxford

The

Jacqueline Du Pré Jacqueline Mary du Pré (26 January 1945 – 19 October 1987) was a British cellist. At a young age, she achieved enduring mainstream popularity. Despite her short career, she is regarded as one of the greatest cellists of all time. Her car ...

Music Building (JdP) is a concert venue named after the famous cellist who was an honorary fellow of the college. The JdP was the first purpose-built concert hall to be built in Oxford since the Holywell Music Room in 1742. Built in 1995 by van Heyningen and Haward Architects, it houses the

Steinway Steinway & Sons, also known as Steinway (), is a German-American piano company, founded in 1853 in Manhattan by German piano builder Heinrich Engelhard Steinweg (later known as Henry E. Steinway). The company's growth led to the opening of a f ...

-equipped Edward Boyle Auditorium and a number of music practice rooms. In 2000 the

architects An architect is a person who plans, designs and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...

designed a new, enlarged foyer space; a lean-to glass structure along the front elevation to the existing music building. In addition to frequent recitals presented by the St Hilda's Music Society, the JdP also hosts concerts by a number of world-renowned performers. Musicians who have performed in the JdP in recent years include Steven Isserlis, the Jerusalem Quartet, the Chilingirian Quartet and the Belcea Quartet. The building has also been used for amateur dramatic performances, since 2008 St Hilda's College Drama Society have been producing several plays a year in the Edward Boyle Auditorium.

Grounds

The college grounds stretch along the banks of the

, with many college rooms overlooking the river and playing fields beyond. The college has its own fleet of punts, which students of the college may use free of charge in summer months. Unfortunately, this location at times led to problems with flooding in the former Milham Ford building.

People associated with the college

Principals

Former students

Susanna Clarke March 2006.jpg,

Susanna Clarke Susanna Mary Clarke (born 1 November 1959) is an English author known for her debut novel '' Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell'' (2004), a Hugo Award-winning alternative history. Clarke began ''Jonathan Strange'' in 1993 and worked on it during h ...

, author Baronesssusangre1.jpeg,

Susan Greenfield, Baroness Greenfield Susan Adele Greenfield, Baroness Greenfield, (born 1 October 1950) is an English scientist, writer, broadcaster and member of the House of Lords (since 2001). Her research has focused on the treatment of Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's dise ...

Susan Kramer 01.jpg,

Susan Kramer Susan Veronica Kramer, Baroness Kramer PC (''née'' Richards; born 21 July 1950) is a British politician and life peer who served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Richmond Park from 2005 to 2010. A member of the Liberal Democrats, she was thei ...

, Liberal Democrat politician Zanny Minton Beddoes World Economic Forum 2013 cropped.jpg, Zanny Minton Beddoes, editor of

The Economist ''The Economist'' is a British weekly newspaper printed in demitab format and published digitally. It focuses on current affairs, international business, politics, technology, and culture. Based in London, the newspaper is owned by The Econ ...

Zeinab Badawi 02.jpg, Zeinab Badawi, BBC journalist *

Gaynor Arnold Gaynor Arnold (born 1944) is a Welsh-born author. Born in Cardiff, she studied English Literature at St. Hilda's College, Oxford, and obtained a Diploma in Social and Administrative Studies from the Department of Social Policy and Intervention, ...

, novelist * Elizabeth Aston, author * Maudy Ayunda, Indonesian singer-songwriter and actress * Zeinab Badawi, BBC journalist * Kate Barker, economist *

Sarah Baxter Sarah April Louise Baxter (born 25 November 1959) is a British journalist. From 2013 to 2020, she was the deputy editor of ''The Sunday Times''. Early life Baxter was born on 25 November 1959 in London, England."Baxter, Sarah April Louise", ''W ...

, journalist * Zanny Minton Beddoes, editor of

Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein Princess Haya bint Hussein ( ar, الأميرة هيا بنت الحسين; born 3 May 1974) is the daughter of King Hussein of Jordan and his third wife Queen Alia, and the half-sister of King Abdullah II. She is a graduate of the Universi ...

, royalty * Susan Blackmore, parapsychologist, writer and broadcaster * D. K. Broster, historical novelist *

Mikita Brottman Mikita Brottman, née Mikita Hoy, (born 1966) is a British American non-fiction author, scholar, and psychologist known for her interest in true crime. Her writing blends a number of genres, often incorporating elements of autobiography, psychoa ...

, author, psychoanalyst * Marilyn Butler, Lady Butler, academic *

Fiona Caldicott Dame Fiona Caldicott, ( Soesan; 12 January 1941 – 15 February 2021) was a British psychiatrist and psychotherapist who also served as Principal of Somerville College, Oxford She was the National Data Guardian for Health and Social Care in En ...

, psychiatrist, academic, chair of the Caldicott Report Committee *

, author * Wendy Cope, poet * Serena Cowdy, journalist * Lettice Curtis, aviator *

Miriam Defensor Santiago Miriam Palma Defensor-Santiago (''née'' Defensor; June 15, 1945 – September 29, 2016) was a Filipino scholar, academic, lawyer, judge, author, and stateswoman who served in all three branches of the Philippine government: judicial, executiv ...

, Philippine senator,

Ramon Magsaysay Award The Ramon Magsaysay Award ( Filipino: ''Gawad Ramon Magsaysay'') is an annual award established to perpetuate former Philippine President Ramon Magsaysay's example of integrity in governance, courageous service to the people, and pragmatic idea ...

ee *

Violet Mary Doudney Violet Mary Doudney (5 March 1889 – 14 January 1952) was a teacher and militant suffragette who went on hunger strike in Holloway Prison where she was force-fed. She was awarded the Hunger Strike Medal by the Women's Social and Political ...

, militant suffragette * Barbara Everett, academic * Susan Garden, Baroness Garden of Frognal, politician * Helen Gardner, critic *

Margaret Gelling Margaret Joy Gelling, (''née'' Midgley; 29 November 1924 – 24 April 2009) was an English toponymist, known for her extensive studies of English place-names. She served as President of the English Place-Name Society from 1986 to 1998, and V ...

, toponymist *

Adele Geras Adele Laurie Blue Adkins (, ; born 5 May 1988), professionally known by the mononym Adele, is an English singer and songwriter. After graduating in arts from the BRIT School in 2006, Adele signed a rec ...

, writer *

Roma Gill Roma Gill OBE, M.A. Cantab., BLitt. Oxon. (29 September 1934 – 3 August 2001) was a British academic, writer and noted scholar on the works of Shakespeare and Marlowe. She edited more than 30 texts including three in the Oxford School Marl ...

, academic and literary scholar * Christina Gough, cricketer and statistician *

Karina Gould Karina Gould (born June 28, 1987) is a Canadian politician who has been the minister of families, children and social development since October 26, 2021. A member of the Liberal Party, she serves as a member of Parliament (MP) and has repres ...

, Canadian minister * Anna Grear, academic, Law and Theory professor, company founder and director *

, academic * Susan Gritton, soprano * Catherine Heath, novelist * Rosalind Hill, historian *

Meg Hillier Dame Margaret Olivia Hillier (born 14 February 1969), known as Meg Hillier, is a British Labour and Co-operative politician who was elected as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Hackney South and Shoreditch at the 2005 general election, was ...

, politician * Victoria Hislop, writer * Bettany Hughes, historian * Ruth Hunt, CEO of Stonewall * Helen Jackson, politician *

Jenny Joseph Jenny Joseph (7 May 1932 – 15 April 2018) was an English poet, best known for the poem "Warning". Early life and education Jennifer Ruth Joseph was born on 7 May 1932 in South Hill, Carpenter Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham to Florence (née ...

, poet *

Susan Kramer, Baroness Kramer Susan Veronica Kramer, Baroness Kramer PC (''née'' Richards; born 21 July 1950) is a British politician and life peer who served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Richmond Park from 2005 to 2010. A member of the Liberal Democrats, she was thei ...

, British Liberal Democrat politician * Angela Lambert, author and journalist * Hermione Lee, critic and biographer * Nicola LeFanu, composer * Elizabeth Levett, historian *

Sue Lloyd-Roberts Susan Ann Lloyd-Roberts CBE (27 October 1950 – 13 October 2015) was a British television journalist who contributed reports to BBC programmes and, earlier in her career, worked for ITN. Early life Born in London in 1950, she was the daughter ...

, Special Correspondent for the BBC (formerly at

ITN Independent Television News (ITN) is a UK-based television production company. It is made up of two divisions: Broadcast News and ITN Productions. ITN is based in London, with bureaux and offices in Beijing, Brussels, Jerusalem, Johannesburg, N ...

) * Margaret MacMillan, historian and Warden of St Antony's College * Anita Mason, novelist * Val McDermid, novelist * Rosalind Miles, writer *

Kate Millett Katherine Murray Millett (September 14, 1934 – September 6, 2017) was an American feminist writer, educator, artist, and activist. She attended Oxford University and was the first American woman to be awarded a degree with first-class honors ...

, feminist author *

Anne Mills Dame Anne Jane Mills, (born 26 January 1951) is a British authority on health economics. She is Deputy Director and Provost and Professor of Health Economics and Policy at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Early life and educ ...

FRS, health economist *

Brenda Moon Brenda Elizabeth Moon (11 April 19317 March 2011) was Librarian to the University of Edinburgh from 1980 to 1996. She was the first female chief of a university library in Scotland, and one of the first female librarian chiefs of a major UK resea ...

, librarian * Laura Mulvey, feminist film theorist * Elizabeth Neville, police officer *

Katherine Parkinson Katherine Jane Parkinson (born 9 March 1978) is an English actress. She appeared in Channel 4's ''The IT Crowd'' comedy series as Jen Barber, for which she received a British Comedy Best TV Actress Award in 2009 and 2014, and was nominated twic ...

, actress * Barbara Pym, novelist * Pooky Quesnel, actor and screenwriter * Betty Radice, translator and editor * Celine Rattray, film producer * Gillian Rose, philosopher * Jacqueline Rose, academic and writer * Sheila Rowbotham, feminist theorist and historian * Gillian Shephard, Baroness Shephard of Northwold, politician * Helen Simpson, short story writer *

Ann Thwaite Ann Thwaite (born 4 October 1932) is a British writer who is the author of five major biographies. ''AA Milne: His Life'' was the Whitbread Biography of the Year, 1990. ''Edmund Gosse: A Literary Landscape'' (Duff Cooper Prize, 1985) was describe ...

, biographer *

Tsuda Umeko was a Japanese educator and a pioneer in education for women in Meiji period Japan.Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Tsuda Umeko" in . Originally named Tsuda Ume, with ''ume'' referring to the Japanese plum, she went by the name Ume Tsuda w ...

, educator *

Cecil Woodham-Smith Cecil Blanche Woodham-Smith ( Fitzgerald; 29 April 1896 – 16 March 1977) CBE was a British historian and biographer. She wrote four popular history books, each dealing with a different aspect of the Victorian era. Early life Cecil Woodham-Smi ...

, historian * Hou Yifan, chess grandmaster

Fellows

* Mary Bennett *

William Boyd William, Willie, Will or Bill Boyd may refer to: Academics * William Alexander Jenyns Boyd (1842–1928), Australian journalist and schoolmaster * William Boyd (educator) (1874–1962), Scottish educator * William Boyd (pathologist) (1885–1979), ...

, author * Gordon Duff * Helen Gardner * Elspeth Kennedy * Barbara Levick *

Beryl Smalley Beryl Smalley (1905–1984) was an English historian best known for her work ''The Study of the Bible in the Middle Ages'', originally published in 1941, but revised many times, a book that laid the foundations of modern study of the medieval ...

Helen Waddell Helen Jane Waddell (31 May 1889 – 5 March 1965) was an Irish poet, translator and playwright. She was a recipient of the Benson Medal. Biography She was born in Tokyo, the tenth and youngest child of Hugh Waddell, a Presbyterian ministe ...

* Kathy Wilkes

Honorary fellows

* Doris Odlum * Rosalyn Tureck

Gallery

File:Garden Building, St. Hilda's College, Oxford.jpg, Garden Building File:Hall building and Porter's Lodge, St. Hilda's College, Oxford.jpg, Hall building and Porters' Lodge (now demolished) File:St Hilda's College Library.jpg, College library File:St Hilda's South Building.jpg, South Building as seen from the croquet lawn File:St Hilda's JdP exterior.jpg, The exterior of the JdP File:View_from_the_roof_of_the_Anniversary_Building.jpg, Anniversary building and Pavilion