Which Dreaming Spire? Trivia Quiz

Answer: University

For many centuries University College, or Univ as it is commonly called, claimed to have had it's beginnings in the ninth century and to have been founded by Alfred The Great. The evidence was,however, forged in the 14th century by some Fellows in support of a property deal. Percy Shelley was sent down, ie expelled, for distributing a pamphlet on atheism.

He had spent less than a year on campus.

Answer: St John's

It is said that you can travel from Oxford to Cambridge and not depart from land owned by St John's. The college was founded in 1555 by Sir Thomas White and named in honour of St John the Baptist. The college is the owner of two Oxford pubs, the Lamb and Flag which is in between two college buildings, and the Eagle and Child across the road. Both of these pubs were host to the group that included Tolkien and C S Lewis.

Answer: St Edmund Hall

Called Aularian Houses places such as St Edmund Hall provided accommodation and education before the colleges came into existence. Known affectionately as 'Teddy Hall', St Edmund's is the only one remaining. It was named after St Edmund of Abingdon (1175 - 1240) who was Oxford's first known Master of Arts and the first Oxford educated Archbishop of Canterbury.

The exact date of it's foundation as a Hall is unknown, but some histories put it as early as 1226 whilst others date it to 1278.

Answer: St Hilda's

St Hilda's was founded in 1893 by the same woman that started Cheltenham Ladies College. From the outset St Hilda's was a female only college and it wasn't until 2006 that, following a vote by the governing body, the college decided to allow males at all levels, the first ones being admitted from September 2008.

Answer: False

The choir sing from the top of Magdalen Great Tower. They start at 6.00am and sing two hymns, the Hymnus Eucharisticus and 'Now is the Month of Maying'. This tradition goes back some 500 years. Magdalen (pronounced Maudlin), was founded as a college in 1458, construction on the bell tower was begun in 1492 and it is one of the tallest buildings in Oxford.

Answer: Christ Church

Although the college dates from Henry VIII, the church can trace its history much further back. It was founded as the priory of St Frideswide in 1122 and a nunnery set up by Frideswide, Oxford's patron Saint, existed on the site from 1002. The college had a false start in 1525 as Cardinal College, set up by Wolsey.

In 1532 Henry refounded it as King Henry VIII's College and then renamed it Christ Church after he fell out with Rome. Its full, official title is The Dean, Chapter and Students of the Cathedral Church of Christ in Oxford of the Foundation of King Henry the Eighth.

As of 2008 it is the only college in the world to house a cathedral.

Answer: New College

New College was the second of Oxford's colleges to be dedicated to the Virgin Mary, what is now called Oriel was the first. Because of this it became known as the New College of St Mary, and this was eventually shortened to just New College. One of New College's features went on to influence the design of many further colleges, ie the Quad, around which were arranged the major parts of the college.

Answer: Harris Manchester

Harris Manchester began life as the Manchester Academy in 1786, in the city of the same name. In 1803 it moved to York where it remained until 1840. It moved back to Manchester until relocating to London in 1853. In 1889 it made its final move to Oxford. Known as Manchester Academy and Harris College it was granted Permanent Private Hall status in 1990 before becoming Harris Manchester College in 1996.

A PPH is an institution within the university that can send students for degrees, but is not classed as one of the colleges.

Answer: Jesus

The college's full title is Jesus College in the University of Oxford of Queen Elizabeth's Foundation. Although endowed to educate clergymen it did not teach just theology. The following is an extract from a document signed by Elizabeth I and dated June 27 1571: "...to the Glory of God Almighty and Omnipotent, and for the spread and maintenance of the Christian religion in its sincere form, for the eradication of errors and heresies, for the increase and perpetuation of true loyalty, for the extension of good literature of every sort, for the knowledge of languages, for the education of youth in loyalty, morality, and methodical learning, for the relief of poverty and distress, and lastly for the benefit and well-being of the Church of Christ in our realms, [...] we have decreed that a College of learning in the sciences, philosophy, humane pursuits, knowledge of the Hebrew, Greek and Latin languages, to the ultimate profession of Sacred Theology, to last for all time to come, be created, founded, built, and established...."

Answer: Permanent Private Halls

A PPH is a small establishment that is usually, but not always, funded by a religious order. Two of the oldest are Blackfriars and Greyfriars, both originally founded in the first quarter of the 13th century. Blackfriars is a Dominican institution and Greyfriars is Franciscan. With the dissolution both orders were suppressed and didn't reopen as educational establishments until the 20th century. At the end of the 2007/8 academic year Greyfriars is set to give up its status as a PPH and all existing and future students will study at Regent's Park College, which despite the name is another PPH.