Jesus College, Oxford

The second quadrangle: a square grass lawn surrounded on three sides by joined buildings. To the left and centre, three storeys with windows positioned to form a regular pattern, topped at roof level above each window by curved gablets; on the right, two bay windows (one large, one medium) project from the wall, with the same design of curved gablets.

Jesus College is one of the colleges of the University of Oxford.

The college was founded by Elizabeth I on 27 June 1571 for the education of clergy, though students now study a broad range of secular subjects.

A major driving force behind the establishment of the college was Hugh Price (or Ap Rhys), a churchman and lawyer from Brecon in Wales. The college continues to be associated informally with Wales to this day.

The oldest buildings, in the first quadrangle, date from the 16th and early 17th centuries; a second quadrangle was added between about 1640 and about 1713, and a third quadrangle was built in about 1906. Further accommodation was built on the main site to mark the 400th anniversary of the college, in 1971, and student flats have been constructed at sites in north and east Oxford.

The life of the college was disrupted by the English Civil War. Little happened at the college during the 18th century, and the 19th century saw a decline in numbers and academic standards.

Reforms of Oxford University after two Royal Commissions in the latter half of the 19th century led to removal of many of the restrictions placed on the college's fellowships and scholarships. This meant the college was no longer mostly Welsh students and academics. Students' academic achievements rose in the early 20th century as fellows were appointed to teach in new subjects. Women were first admitted in 1974 and now form a large part of the undergraduate population.

There are about 475 students. The Principal of the college is Lord Krebs, the son of the Nobel Prize winner Hans Krebs. Former students include Harold Wilson (twice British Prime Minister), Norman Washington Manley (Chief Minister of Jamaica) and T.E. Lawrence ("Lawrence of Arabia").

The university's Chair (professorship) of Celtic is attached to the college.

Jesus College, Oxford Media

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  Coronet of a British Earl

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  The college's founder, Queen Elizabeth I, shown in a portrait in the college hall

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  Part of Ralph Agas's map of Oxford (1578) (south at the top), with the early college plan (highlighted) near the city wall

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  An 1837 engraving of the first quadrangle

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  Harold Wilson, who was twice Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, studied Politics, Philosophy, and Economics (PPE) at Jesus College, graduating with first class honours.

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  The interior of the chapel (depicted in 1814, before alterations in the mid-19th century)

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  View of the Principal's Lodging in the first quad

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  Wood paneling detail dating to the early 1600s in the Jesus College Oxford dining hall. The hall, like the chapel, was largely built by Griffith Powell between 1613 and 1620, and was finally completed soon after his death in 1620. A wooden paneled screen (depicted) was installed in 1634.