Robert Woodlark (also spelled Wodelarke) was an English academic and priest. He was the Provost of

King's College, Cambridge King's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Formally The King's College of Our Lady and Saint Nicholas in Cambridge, the college lies beside the River Cam and faces out onto King's Parade in the centre of the cit ...

, and the founder of

St Catharine's College, Cambridge St Catharine's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Founded in 1473 as Katharine Hall, it adopted its current name in 1860. The college is nicknamed "Catz". The college is located in the historic city-centre of Cam ...

. He was also a professor of

sacred theology Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing the s ...

at the

University A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. ''University'' is derived from the Latin phrase ''universitas magistrorum et scholarium'', which ...

. He was the son of Richard Woodlark of

Wakerley Wakerley is a linear village and civil parish in the county of Northamptonshire, England. Forming part of North Northamptonshire, Wakerley is close to, and south of, the River Welland that forms the boundary with Rutland; its nearest neighbour, ...

, Northamptonshire. Robert Woodlark was one of the founding Fellows of King's College in 1441. He was appointed Provost of King's in 1452, eventually being succeeded in 1479, by Walter Field. He was surveyor of

King's College Chapel King's College Chapel is the chapel of King's College in the University of Cambridge. It is considered one of the finest examples of late Perpendicular Gothic English architecture and features the world's largest fan vault. The Chapel was bui ...

during its building and master of the works there, 1452-5. While Provost of King's, Woodlark began the preparations for the foundation of a new college, which he established in 1473. He drew up the original statutes for the governance of the college and obtained a charter from Edward IV, 16 August 1475. His vision for the college was one populated by a small society of priests. Indeed, Woodlark's original statutes expressly excluded the teaching of medicine or law. Woodlark did not contemplate undergraduates at the college, instead desiring a small community of senior scholars of

theology Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing th ...

and philosophy. Woodlark served as Chancellor of the University of Cambridge from 1459 to 1460, and again from 1462 to 1463. Woodlark never served as

Master Master or masters may refer to: Ranks or titles * Ascended master, a term used in the Theosophical religious tradition to refer to spiritually enlightened beings who in past incarnations were ordinary humans *Grandmaster (chess), National Master ...

of St Catharine's, instead appointing

Richard Roche Richard Roche was Master of St Catharine's College, Cambridge from 1475 until 1480. Roche was born in Taunton and educated at Eton College. After graduating MA he was ordained in 1457. He became a Fellow of King's College, Cambridge in 1469; and ...

as the college's first true master in 1475.

References

Bibliography

* * Jones, William Henry Samuel, "A History of St. Catharine's College, Cambridge: Once Catharine Hall, Cambridge"

Cambridge University Press Cambridge University Press is the university press of the University of Cambridge. Granted letters patent by Henry VIII of England, King Henry VIII in 1534, it is the oldest university press in the world. It is also the King's Printer. Cambr ...

(Cambridge, 1936/2010) {{DEFAULTSORT:Woodlark, Robert 15th-century births 15th-century deaths Chancellors of the University of Cambridge Masters of St Catharine's College, Cambridge Provosts of King's College, Cambridge Founders of English schools and colleges People from North Northamptonshire Year of birth unknown Year of death unknown