Jesus Professor of Celtic
Encyclopedia
The Jesus Professorship of Celtic is a professorship in Celtic studies
at the University of Oxford
within the Faculty of Medieval and Modern Languages
. The holder is also a Professorial Fellow of Jesus College, Oxford
. The chair was established in 1876, and the first professor was Sir John Rhys
. Only four other people have held the position since then, the current holder (since 1997) being Thomas Charles-Edwards
.
. There were also exhibitions for students from Wales, with the Meyricke
bequest making the north Wales exhibitions particularly valuable, despite the lower numbers of residents in north Wales as opposed to south Wales. The restrictions were said to be "ruining the College as a place of education", since it took little effort for a Welsh boy to achieve a scholarship or exhibition despite the deficiencies in their education, and then many became Fellows of the college without obtaining anything more than a third or fourth class degree. The Commissioners appointed in 1852 to consider reforms of the university were known to favour abolishing local restrictions on fellowships and scholarships, such as those requiring the holder to be from a particular school or area. The college therefore proposed to the Commissioners in 1854 that the divisions between north and south Wales fellowships and scholarships should be removed, and that the number of fellows should be reduced by two in order to endow a Professor of Welsh.
The Commissioners, however, proposed that a fellowship should be devoted to the Laudian Professor of Arabic
. The college objected, on the basis that a Celtic Professorship was more appropriate for the college given its Welsh connections, and the Commissioners conceded some ground, allowing the fellowship to be applied to such purposes as might be decided upon later. The college's proposal was later adopted, with the first Jesus Professor of Celtic, the distinguished Welsh scholar Sir John Rhys
, being elected in 1876.
It is the oldest chair in the Faculty of Medieval and Modern Languages, University of Oxford
and is still the only chair in Celtic at an English university.
The Professor also controls access to the Celtic Library at Jesus College, a specialist collection for researchers.
Celtic Studies
Celtic studies is the academic discipline occupied with the study of any sort of cultural output relating to a Celtic people. This ranges from linguistics, literature and art history archaeology and history, the focus lying on the study of the various Celtic languages, living and extinct...
at the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
within the Faculty of Medieval and Modern Languages
Faculty of Medieval and Modern Languages, University of Oxford
The Faculty of Medieval and Modern Languages at the University of Oxford, England, was established in 1903. European languages were first taught at Oxford in the 19th century. The Jesus Professorship of Celtic is the oldest of the chairs in the faculty, dating from 1877...
. The holder is also a Professorial Fellow of Jesus College, Oxford
Jesus College, Oxford
Jesus College is one of the colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It is in the centre of the city, on a site between Turl Street, Ship Street, Cornmarket Street and Market Street...
. The chair was established in 1876, and the first professor was Sir John Rhys
John Rhys
Sir John Rhys was a Welsh scholar, fellow of the British Academy, celticist and the first Professor of Celtic at Oxford University.-Early years and education:...
. Only four other people have held the position since then, the current holder (since 1997) being Thomas Charles-Edwards
Thomas Charles-Edwards
Thomas Mowbray Charles-Edwards FRHistS FLSW FBA is an academic at Oxford University. He holds the post of Jesus Professor of Celtic and is a Professorial Fellow at Jesus College....
.
History
The reforms of Oxford University during the mid-19th century provided the impetus for the establishment of a chair in Celtic, with a major impetus provided by Matthew Arnold's Poetry lectures 'On the Study of Celtic Literature'. At the time that the Royal Commission was established in 1852, there were 19 fellowships and 18 scholarships at Jesus College. Seven of each were limited to those from north Wales, seven of each to south Wales and MonmouthshireMonmouthshire (historic)
Monmouthshire , also known as the County of Monmouth , is one of thirteen ancient counties of Wales and a former administrative county....
. There were also exhibitions for students from Wales, with the Meyricke
Edmund Meyrick
Edmund Meyrick was a Welsh cleric and benefactor of Jesus College, Oxford, where scholarships are still awarded in his name.-Life:...
bequest making the north Wales exhibitions particularly valuable, despite the lower numbers of residents in north Wales as opposed to south Wales. The restrictions were said to be "ruining the College as a place of education", since it took little effort for a Welsh boy to achieve a scholarship or exhibition despite the deficiencies in their education, and then many became Fellows of the college without obtaining anything more than a third or fourth class degree. The Commissioners appointed in 1852 to consider reforms of the university were known to favour abolishing local restrictions on fellowships and scholarships, such as those requiring the holder to be from a particular school or area. The college therefore proposed to the Commissioners in 1854 that the divisions between north and south Wales fellowships and scholarships should be removed, and that the number of fellows should be reduced by two in order to endow a Professor of Welsh.
The Commissioners, however, proposed that a fellowship should be devoted to the Laudian Professor of Arabic
Laudian Professor of Arabic
The position of Laudian Professor of Arabic at the University of Oxford was established in 1636 by William Laud, who at the time was Chancellor of the University of Oxford and Archbishop of Canterbury. The first professor was Edward Pococke, who was working as a chaplain in Aleppo in what is now...
. The college objected, on the basis that a Celtic Professorship was more appropriate for the college given its Welsh connections, and the Commissioners conceded some ground, allowing the fellowship to be applied to such purposes as might be decided upon later. The college's proposal was later adopted, with the first Jesus Professor of Celtic, the distinguished Welsh scholar Sir John Rhys
John Rhys
Sir John Rhys was a Welsh scholar, fellow of the British Academy, celticist and the first Professor of Celtic at Oxford University.-Early years and education:...
, being elected in 1876.
It is the oldest chair in the Faculty of Medieval and Modern Languages, University of Oxford
Faculty of Medieval and Modern Languages, University of Oxford
The Faculty of Medieval and Modern Languages at the University of Oxford, England, was established in 1903. European languages were first taught at Oxford in the 19th century. The Jesus Professorship of Celtic is the oldest of the chairs in the faculty, dating from 1877...
and is still the only chair in Celtic at an English university.
The Professor also controls access to the Celtic Library at Jesus College, a specialist collection for researchers.
List of Jesus Professors of Celtic
- Sir John Rhys : 1877–1915
- John FraserJohn Fraser (Celticist)John Fraser was Jesus Professor of Celtic at the University of Oxford.-Life:He was born in Inverness, Scotland, and studied at the University of Aberdeen, Trinity College Cambridge and the University of Jena...
: 1921–1945 - Sir Idris FosterIdris FosterSir Idris Llewelyn Foster was a distinguished Welsh scholar, and was most notably Jesus Professor of Celtic at the University of Oxford from 1947 until 1978....
: 1947–1978 - D Ellis EvansEllis EvansEllis Evans is a Welsh scholar and academic. He was born in the Towy Valley in Carmarthenshire and went to Llandeilo Grammar School....
: 1978–1996 - Thomas Charles-EdwardsThomas Charles-EdwardsThomas Mowbray Charles-Edwards FRHistS FLSW FBA is an academic at Oxford University. He holds the post of Jesus Professor of Celtic and is a Professorial Fellow at Jesus College....
: 1997 to date