St Mary's College was a former college in Oxford, England.R. W. Jeffrey,
A Forgotten College of Oxford
'. It is not to be confused with the two other colleges also named "St. Mary's", more commonly known as Oriel College and New College. In the 15th century, the canons of Oseney Abbey attended lectures at Oxford University. Sometimes other Augustinian canons were allowed to stay at Oseney for the same purpose. However, this was by favour rather than by right. Therefore, in 1421, at a meeting of the Augustinian order in

Leicester Leicester ( ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city, Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority and the county town of Leicestershire in the East Midlands of England. It is the largest settlement in the East Midlands. The city l ...

, a petition was sent to King Henry V to found a college for the order in Oxford. A site was found at the eastern end of what is now the modern frontage of Balliol College. However, this scheme was abandoned because the King died in 1422. Later, in 1435, Thomas Holden and his wife Elizabeth founded St Mary's College, donating land in the parishes of St Michael's North, and St Peter le Bailey, and also building a chapel. Rules were created by the Abbot of Oseney in 1448. Secular clerks could also be admitted, but had to pay for their accommodation. The college was headed by the ''prior studentium''. The construction of the college was slow and Thomas Wolsey attempted to accelerate construction. Following the dissolution of the monasteries, the college fell into disrepair. The college was located on the east side of New Inn Hall Street and a gateway still remains. The rebuilt buildings are known as Frewin Hall, named after

Richard Frewin Richard Frewin, M.D. (1681?-1761), was an English physician and professor of history. Early life and education Frewin, the son of Ralph Frewin of London, was admitted as a King's Scholar at Westminster in 1693, and elected thence to a Westminster s ...

(or Frewen), a scholar at

Christ Church, Oxford Christ Church ( la, Ædes Christi, the temple or house, '' ædēs'', of Christ, and thus sometimes known as "The House") is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. Founded in 1546 by King Henry VIII, the college is uniqu ...

(

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d in 1698) and later a Professor of

Chemistry Chemistry is the science, scientific study of the properties and behavior of matter. It is a natural science that covers the Chemical element, elements that make up matter to the chemical compound, compounds made of atoms, molecules and ions ...

. On 2 June 1582, Brasenose College leased the house to

Griffith Lloyd Griffith Lloyd (died 1586) was Principal of Jesus College, Oxford, from 1572 to 1586. He was also Regius Professor of Civil Law from 1577 to his death. He was originally from Lampeter, Wales where the Lloyds of Maesyfelin were a well-respected fa ...

. For many years the house was the official residence of the Regius Professor of Medicine at Oxford University. In 1860, Edward, Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII, was briefly in residence at Frewin Hall with his tutors. The surviving buildings of the medieval college and the Norman town house that preceded it have been studied by Professor John Blair, who has reconstructed the plan of the site. The Tudor hammer-beam roof of the lost chapel was re-used in the 17th-century chapel of Brasenose College, where it now remains above a plaster ceiling.RCHM Inventory of Oxford (1939) Ruins of the college were uncovered during excavations on the site in 2022.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Saint Mary's College, Oxford Former colleges and halls of the University of Oxford Former buildings and structures in Oxford Brasenose College, Oxford Augustinian monasteries in England 1435 establishments in England Educational institutions established in the 15th century Buildings and structures of the University of Oxford

See also

References