In pictures: Oriel College celebrates 700th anniversary of its foundation

Oriel College held a memorable day of events on Wednesday 21 January to mark 700 years since King Edward II confirmed the foundation of a “certain college of scholars” by its founder and first provost Adam de Brome.

Fellows, alumni and guests were led on tours of the wine cellars beneath the college grounds and viewed items from the silver collection and archives – such as the rare 1300 engrossment of Magna Carta that Oriel obtained upon its foundation.

There was also a ceremonial cutting of a Foundation Day cake by the Provost and gifts were presented to students, SCR members and staff.

The day’s events concluded with a Foundation Dinner attended by Fellows, members of the Campaign Board and Provost’s Court and external guests.

“The longevity and continuity of this college and its work is astonishing,” Provost Lord Mendoza said in a statement on the day. 

“Few institutions have endured for so long, and even fewer have remained devoted to the same cause.

The Provost added: “On the occasion of our anniversary, I am mindful of our responsibility to this wonderful college, the experience of our students and the vital academic work and research that happens here.

“It is now up to Oriel’s Governing Body to ensure the future of not just our heritage but the education we offer and the spirit of free inquiry that underpins the whole academic enterprise.”

Lord McDonald, Master of Christ’s College, Cambridge, was among the guests who attended the Foundation Dinner.

He brought with him the 1957 Nobel Prize medal that was awarded to Lord Todd of Trumpington, an Oriel graduate, for his work on nucleotides and nucleic acids, which enabled Franklin, Watson and Crick to describe DNA’s double helix structure.

Christ’s has loaned the medal to Oriel for display at events during its anniversary year.

Todd is one of two Nobel Prize winners associated with Oriel. James Meade, a joint recipient of the 1977 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences – and perhaps the most influential 20th century economist in Britain after John Maynard Keynes – was a PPE graduate of the College.

Among numerous other notable individuals, two saints also figure in Oriel’s history. Saint Thomas More was a student at St Mary’s Hall (before it was incorporated into Oriel College in 1902), and Saint John Henry Newman was a Fellow for more than two decades, prior to his famed conversion to Catholicism.

Celebrations to mark Oriel College’s 700th anniversary will continue throughout 2026. A programme of events has been planned, including events in the UK and overseas, and thousands of alumni from around the globe are invited.

Alumni will be invited to Inspiration Days throughout the year to see Oriel’s treasures and take part in tours of the College.

Some events will be open to the public, allowing visitors to explore the College and view items from archival collections. Further details will be announced soon.