Exeter College is one of the 38 constituent colleges of the University of Oxford. It is the fourth-oldest college at Oxford and one of the smallest.

It was originally founded in 1314 by the Bishop of Exeter to educate clergymen and it was traditionally the college favoured by gentlemen from Devon; however, nowadays its student body has a much more diverse background.

Former students of Exeter College include writers JRR Tolkien and Martin Amis; actor Richard Burton; Roger Bannister, the first person to run the four-minute mile; Liaquat Ali Khan, the first prime minister of Pakistan; former president of Ghana John Kufuor, and former president of Peru Pedro Pablo Kuczynski.

The film, The Golden Compass, was filmed at Exeter College, as was the final episode of Inspector Morse.


What to see at Exeter College

There is quite a bit to see at Exeter College with an interesting mix of buildings spanning over 700 years.

The Front Quadrangle features a 19th-century chapel that was inspired by Sainte-Chapelle in Paris and the college’s 17th-century Hall features vaulted ceilings.

The Margary Quadrangle is much more recent, completed only in 1964, although some parts date from the 19th century.

Cohen Quad is Exeter’s newest quad, opened only in 2017.

The Fellows Garden was designed by George Gilbert Scott in the 19th century and is a quiet spot with views towards the Radcliffe Camera.

One of the quadrangles at Exeter College at the University of Oxford (Photo: Ozeye [CC BY-SA 2.0])
One of the quadrangles at Exeter College at the University of Oxford (Photo: Simon Q [CC BY-SA 2.0])

Visiting Exeter College

Exeter College is located on Turl Street, just west of the Sheldonian Theatre and the Bodleian Library.

The college is open to the public 2pm–5pm every day and there is no entry charge.

Like other colleges at Oxford, Exeter College is occasionally closed to the public for university events.

There are no comments yet.

Submit your review

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Plan your next trip to England with us

Planning a trip to England? englandrover.com is your independent source of travel information with information about how to get around, what to see and do and where to stay on your next trip to England.

Plan your next trip to England with us

Planning a trip to England? englandrover.com is your independent source of travel information with information about how to get around, what to see and do and where to stay on your next trip to England.

The South

The Midlands

The North

Back to England Rover home

Copyright 2018–2024 by Rover Media Pty Ltd.

Back to England Rover home

Copyright 2018–2024 Rover Media Pty Ltd

Login

Register

Your personal data will be used to support your experience throughout this website, to manage access to your account, and for other purposes described in our privacy policy.

Already have account?

Lost Password

Please enter your username or email address. You will receive a link to create a new password via email.