Merton College

Merton College was founded in 1264 by Walter de Merton, Chancellor of England and Bishop of Rochester. The College features 4 Quadrangles, one of which is Mob Quad. This is the oldest quad in the University. Mob Library is the oldest continuously functioning library for university academics and students in the world. The Gatehouse dates from the 15th century. The quire of Merton Chapel was begun in the late 1280s, built to replace the Parish Church of St John the Baptist. The Chapel contains one of the finest pre-Reformation lecterns; a screen by Christopher Wren was added in 1673. Edward Blore, William Butterfield, and Sir Gilbert Scott contributed to its restoration during the Gothic revival. Visitors have access to the Fellows garden which features an ancient mulberry, said to have associations with James I. There are specimen trees, a long mixed border and herbaceous bed. Relax at Tolkien’s table and enjoy a view over Christ Church meadow. Merton College was originally founded for 20 fellows, with undergraduates being formally admitted in the 1380s. It was then that John Wyliot, a former Fellow and Sub-Warden, endowed scholarships known as Postmasterships. Over the centuries, eminent scholars and cultural leaders have called Merton home. They include four Nobel Prize winners, the mathematician who solved Fermat’s Last Theorem, the physician who discovered the circulation of blood, and the founder of the Bodleian Library.
See the college website for more details.

Timings & Tours

Saturday 13 September:

1000-1600

Sunday 14 September:

1000-1600

Location & directions

Merton College, Merton Street, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX1 4JD

Contact on day:

Anna Clark

Telephone number:

+441865242918

Booking information

Pre-booking requirement:

Pre-booking not required

Accessibility details

All areas of the college grounds are fully accessible for disabled visitors.

Additional information

Doors will open from 10:00-16:00. Visitors will have the opportunity to explore the gardens and grounds. Find out more about the history of Merton College and its notable members: https://www.merton.ox.ac.uk/about/history-merton https://www.merton.ox.ac.uk/merton-college-war-memorial https://www.merton.ox.ac.uk/750th-anniversary-1264-2014

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