Magdalen College, Oxford

Magdalen College
Founded	1458
Sister College	Magdalene College
President	Anthony Smith
President-elect	Professor David Clarey FRS
Graduates	216
Undergraduates	385

Magdalen College (pronounced ) is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.

Magdalen is one of the most visited colleges in the university. Its large square tower is a famous landmark, and it is from the top of this tower early on May morning that the Magdalen College choir sings. The College stands next to the River Cherwell, with Magdalen College School nearby. Within the grounds is a deer park.

History

Magdalen College was founded in 1448 as Magdalen Hall in Oxford by William of Waynflete, Bishop of Winchester, becoming Magdalen College in 1458. The founder's statutes included provision for a choral foundation of men and boys and this tradition has continued to the present day. In 2005 the choir was nominated for a prestigious Grammy award for its CD of music by Orlando Gibbons 'With a Merrie Noyse'.

Famous Alumni

• John Mark Ainsley
• James Richard Atkin
• Kenneth Baker
• John Betjeman
• Al-Muhtadee Billah Bolkiah
• Ashley Bramall
• Stephen Breyer
• Wesley Clark
• Alfred Denning
• Alfred Douglas
• John Carew Eccles
• Edward VIII of the United Kingdom
• Howard Walter Florey
• Malcolm Fraser
• Edward Gibbon
• William Hague
• Omar Hassan
• Seamus Heaney
• Ian Hislop
• Alan Hollinghurst
• Albert Hourani
• Keith Joseph
• Terrence Malick
• Peter Medawar
• Dudley Moore
• Desmond Morris
• Ivor Novello
• Hormuzd Rassam
• John Redwood
• Robert Robinson
• Duncan Sandys
• Erwin Schrödinger
• Charles Scott Sherrington
• David Souter
• Andrew Sullivan
• William Tyndale
• Oscar Wilde
• Thomas Wolsey

(P. G. Wodehouse attributes a Magdalen undergraduateship to his fictional literary character Bertie Wooster)

Teachers/Academics

• Joseph Addison
• C. S. Lewis
• A. J. P. Taylor

External Link

• Official website