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Founded 1448 as Magdalen Hall by William Wayflete Bishop of Winchester. 1458 as Magdalen College

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Founded 1448 as Magdalen Hall by William Wayflete Bishop of Winchester. 1458 as Magdalen College (Pronounced Maudlin). Sister College – Magdalene College Cambridge. Men and Women – Undergraduates 411 Postgraduates 185. Magdalen is situated on the eastern edge of central Oxford, along side the River Cherwell, in a huge 100 acres of woodlands. This includes a deer park where a herd of hundreds of freely roaming deer enhance the already impressive setting. Striking, five hundred year old buildings radiate an ancient and powerful charm, despite a chequered history of renovation that, in past times, caused great friction between fellows. Secret demolitions (in the long breaks between terms) and rebuilds along with a perpetual battle between …show more content…

Founded as Magdalen Hall The Bishop of Winchester, William of Wayflete founded the forerunner to the college – Magdalen Hall in 1448 on the High Street. The good bishop was a leading educational reformer of the day, with a passion for Renaissance ideas and had, by this time, already helped to establish schools to promote his new views. He had also been Provost of Eton: one of England’s leading and most influential schools. Wayflete’s ambition, wealth and connections with Henry VI enabled him to acquire the nearby site of an old tumble down hospital, sitting on vast tracts of land just outside the city walls. It was here, the present site, that Magdalen became a proper college in 1458. Wayflete made use of some of the existing buildings, as a temporary arrangement, until his grand, purpose built college was complete. However the inherited chapel and hospital hall remained in use and traces still survive to this today. May morning song The pronunciation of the college name is ‘Maudlin’ and special reference was made to this in the original statutes. The name honours Mary Magdalen who is said to have undergone a spiritual transformation after meeting Christ in Galilee. The statutes also made provision for a choir to be founded consisting of men from the college and boys drawn from the associated school. This choral tradition continues to this day and includes the ancient and famous custom of singing grace from the

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