Bodleian Library and Oxford University: A Brief History

Oxford University has no clear date of foundation, but teaching occurred in some shape or form at Oxford in 1096.

In 1167, Henry II banned English students from attending the University of Paris which meant Oxford experienced significant growth.

Oxford University was being praised by the likes of popes and kings by 1355 when King Edward III paid tribute to the University for its ‘invaluable contribution to learning’.

Oxford was a centre for lively controversy. In the 16^th century, three Anglican churchmen – Cranmer, Latimer and Ridley - were tried for heresy and burned at the stake on its grounds.

The story of the Bodleian Library has its beginnings circa 1320, when the first library at Oxford University existed as a relatively unimpressive room in association with the University Church of St Mary the Virgin. This room still exists as a vestry to the church and ‘is neither large nor architecturally impressive’. 

However, the oldest part of the Bodleian complex as we know it today is actually ‘Duke Humfrey’s Library’, named after King Henry V’s younger brother, Duke Humphrey of Lancaster, 1st Duke of Gloucester.

Duke Humphrey donated over 280 manuscripts to the University, which would have made the existing library incredibly overcrowded, therefore it became necessary to erect a new one; construction began in 1444 and didn’t completely end until the library finally opened in 1488.

The Bodleian was, at this stage, not a wealthy institution, and under the instruction of King Edward VI, in the name of religion, the library was raided in 1550. It was not possible to replace the works which had been taken and the library room was taken over by the Faculty of Medicine.

Enter Sir Thomas Bodley.

Sir Thomas Bodley was a man who had carried out several diplomatic missions for Queen Elizabeth I, and whose wife was very wealthy from a prior marriage. In his retirement, Bodley decided to donate his time and money to the University of Oxford in 1598. The library officially opened in 1602 and was now the home of 2,500 books, some of which had been donated by Bodley himself.

Due to the ever growing collection of books, the library underwent its first expansion in 1610-1612 and this wing is known as Arts End. Bodley died in 1613, and iin his will he left money to add a third level, which went on to become the first public museum and picture gallery in England.

Oxford’s ‘most impressive piece of structural architecture’ – the ‘monumental, circular domed building’ was completely independent of the Bodleian. Built between 1737 and 1748 and opened in 1749, the ‘Radcliffe Library’ as it was called, could have been described as somewhat of a ‘white elephant’ in its early days. It was taken over by the Bodleian in 1860.

The Bodleian celebrated their first printed catalogue in 1835.

“The Bodleian was not only a collection of books and manuscripts; it also housed pictures, sculptures, coins and medals, and ‘curiosities’: objects of scientific, exotic or historical interest, including even a stuffed crocodile from Jamaica”. 

RESEARCH

As I am researching a university and taking my information from their website, I have been very adequately informed and trust its authority. Being that I am writing about the history of these institutions and that is one of the core reasons why they are so internationally famous, it comes as no surprise that their websites be well equipped with such information. 

 SOURCES

 University of Oxford, A brief history of the university, viewed 31 May 2012, <http://www.ox.ac.uk/about_the_university/introducing_oxford/a_brief_history_of_the_university/index.html>.

University of Oxford, History of the Bodleian, Bodleian Library and Radcliffe Camera, viewed 31 May 2012, <http://www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/bodley/about/history>