St Benet's Hall, Oxford
Encyclopedia
St Benet's Hall is a Permanent Private Hall
Permanent Private Hall
A Permanent Private Hall at the University of Oxford is an educational institution within the university. There are six Permanent Private Halls at Oxford, five of which admit undergraduates. They were founded by different Christian denominations....

 (PPH) of 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...

. It is located at the northern end of St Giles'
St Giles', Oxford
St Giles is a wide street leading north from the centre of Oxford, England. At its northern end, the road divides into Woodstock Road to the left and Banbury Road to the right, both major roads through North Oxford. At the southern end, the road continues as Magdalen Street at the junction with...

 on its western side, close to the junction with Woodstock Road.

Composition and status

St Benet's Hall, founded in 1897, is a Benedictine
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...

 foundation, whose principal historic function was to allow Catholic monk
Monk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...

s (primarily Benedictines from Ampleforth Abbey
Ampleforth Abbey
Ampleforth Abbey is a monastery of Benedictine Monks in North Yorkshire, England, part of the English Benedictine Congregation. It claims descent from the pre-Reformation community at Westminster Abbey through the last surviving monk from Westminster Sigebert Buckley.The current Abbot is Fr...

, and members of related orders) to study for secular degrees as undergraduates within the University. The Hall continues to have a monastic Master, currently The Revd Dom Felix Stephens
Felix Stephens
The Revd Dom Felix Stephens, OSB is Master of St Benet's Hall, Oxford.Born as John Patrick Rhodes Stephens, he was educated at Ampleforth College, where he was a member of St Hugh's House, and at St Benet's Hall, Oxford. During this time he played for Oxford University Cricket Club seconds...

, OSB
Order of Saint Benedict
The Order of Saint Benedict is a Roman Catholic religious order of independent monastic communities that observe the Rule of St. Benedict. Within the order, each individual community maintains its own autonomy, while the organization as a whole exists to represent their mutual interests...

, MA
Master of Arts (Oxbridge)
In the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge and Dublin, Bachelors of Arts of these universities are admitted to the degree of Master of Arts or Master in Arts on application after six or seven years' seniority as members of the university .There is no examination or study required for the degree...

 (and the Chaplain and the Theology Tutor are both also Benedictine monks), but it now principally admits laymen both as undergraduates and post-graduates. There is no requirement that lay members of the Hall should be Catholics, but all are asked to be supportive of the monks' life and values.

St Benet's became a Permanent Private Hall of the University in 1918 when new University legislation created the status of PPH. Unlike some of the other PPHs, the Hall has never been a theological college, although this is a frequently stated misunderstanding. The Governing Body of the Hall are the Trustees of the St Lawrence Education Trust, and a number of functions are also performed by the St Benet's Hall Sub-Committee of the Governing Body. Its chief buildings consist of adjacent houses in St Giles.

As St Benet's is a PPH of the University, its Fellows do not constitute its Governing Body; but they share with the Master
Master (college)
A Master is the title of the head of some colleges and other educational institutions. This applies especially at some colleges and institutions at the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge .- See also :* Master A Master (or in female form Mistress) is the title of the head of some...

 the day-to-day running of the Hall, and elect one of their number to the St Benet's Hall Sub-Committee. The Hall matriculates
Matriculation
Matriculation, in the broadest sense, means to be registered or added to a list, from the Latin matricula – little list. In Scottish heraldry, for instance, a matriculation is a registration of armorial bearings...

 students to be members of the University, and those of its members who have matriculated are full members of the University, and able to supplicate for degrees
Degrees of Oxford University
The system of academic degrees in the University of Oxford can be confusing to those not familiar with it. This is not merely because many degree titles date from the Middle Ages, but also because many changes have been haphazardly introduced in recent years...

 on the successful completion of their studies. For most of its members the only noticeable difference made by the Hall's legal status is that it is very much smaller than any of the Colleges.

Following a dispute over "subsidised condoms being provided by [the] OUSU
Oxford University Student Union
The Oxford University Student Union is the official students' union of the University of Oxford. It is better known in Oxford by its acronym, OUSU . It exists to represent Oxford University students in the University's decision-making, to act as the voice for students in the national higher...

", the Hall disaffiliated in 2004, and was not represented in the OUSU Council. However, the JCR has reaffiliated with OUSU as of May 2010.

The Hall is known as "Benet's" within the University, and is now the only constituent body of the University admitting men alone for undergraduate degrees. The recent review of the PPHs conducted by the University concluded that St Benet's had a 'good sense of its place within the collegiate University', and drew attention to the 'commitment and care' of the Hall's academic staff.
See also Alumni of St Benet's Hall

Private Hall

The Hall was originally established in 1897. It took on its official name "Aula Privata Sancti Benedicti" ("St Benet's Hall") in 1918.

Prior to this date, Private Halls of 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...

 took their name from their Master, and the Hall was known successively as Hunter-Blair's, and Parker's Hall.

The Hall was initially set up in October 1897 at 103 Woodstock Road. This house is still in existence, opposite SS Philip and James Church, and is now a guest-house. The Hall lived there until 1904, when it moved to the former Grindle's Hall in Beaumont Street
Beaumont Street
Beaumont Street is a street in the centre of Oxford, England.The street was laid out from 1828 to 1837 with elegant terraced houses in the Regency style. Before that, it was the location of Beaumont Palace, now noted by a plaque near the junction with Walton Street...

, from which it removed in 1922 to the present buildings of 38 and 39 St Giles. The Beaumont Street houses were demolished in 1938 to make space for the Oxford Playhouse theatre.

The Hall had primarily been a house for monks reading for degrees of the University of Oxford; but, over time, laymen have come to be the majority of the Hall's undergraduate members.

Current subjects in which students are admitted by St Benet's include Theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...

, Theology and Philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...

, Classics
Literae Humaniores
Literae Humaniores is the name given to an undergraduate course focused on Classics at Oxford and some other universities.The Latin name means literally "more humane letters", but is perhaps better rendered as "Advanced Studies", since humaniores has the sense of "more refined" or "more learned",...

, History
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...

 (including both Modern History and Ancient and Modern), History and Politics, Oriental Studies, PPE
PPE
PPE may stand for:*Palmoplantar erythrodysesthesia syndrome*Park Place Entertainment, now part of Caesar's Entertainment*Personal protective equipment*Philosophy, Politics and Economics, an academic degree*Polyphenyl ether...

 and Classics and Oriental Studies.

38 & 39 St Giles

The Hall currently occupies 38 St Giles
St Giles', Oxford
St Giles is a wide street leading north from the centre of Oxford, England. At its northern end, the road divides into Woodstock Road to the left and Banbury Road to the right, both major roads through North Oxford. At the southern end, the road continues as Magdalen Street at the junction with...

, a Georgian-style building, built around 1830, initially as two separate houses (38 and 39). The site was previously part of Coster's yard and stable.

The north hall (38) was, in 1841, occupied as the private dwelling of Philip Bliss
Philip Bliss (academic)
Philip Bliss was a British book collector who served as Registrar of the University of Oxford from 1824 to 1853.-Life:...

, his wife and four servants. A decade later, it was the home of the University's Public Orator and Vice Principal of Magdalen Hall, Rev. Richard Michell. After a two year period as the Oxford High School, it became a private home once more, belonging to Charlotte Cotton, former Provost of Worcester College
Worcester College, Oxford
Worcester College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. The college was founded in the eighteenth century, but its predecessor on the same site had been an institution of learning since the late thirteenth century...

. It then belonged to a Rev. S. J. Hulme (Chaplain of Wadham College 1867-1872), before becoming the Oxford Eye Hospital. In 1898, it was bought by a Madame de Leobardy and opened as St Ursula's Convent, a boarding and day school for Roman Catholic girls.

The south hall (39), meanwhile, was the private home of Mrs Letitia Pett (1841), Mrs Maria Brown (1852), Mrs Greswell (1861), Rev Richard Greswell (1866), Misses Greswell (1882), Charles William Chadwick Oman, Fellow of All Souls College and Chichele Professor of Modern History (1898). In 1909, it too was purchased by Madame de Leobardy and became an extension of the convent school next door.

Masters

The Master
Master (college)
A Master is the title of the head of some colleges and other educational institutions. This applies especially at some colleges and institutions at the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge .- See also :* Master A Master (or in female form Mistress) is the title of the head of some...

 of St Benet's Hall is The Revd Dom Felix Stephens
Felix Stephens
The Revd Dom Felix Stephens, OSB is Master of St Benet's Hall, Oxford.Born as John Patrick Rhodes Stephens, he was educated at Ampleforth College, where he was a member of St Hugh's House, and at St Benet's Hall, Oxford. During this time he played for Oxford University Cricket Club seconds...

 OSB MA.

St Benet's has had ten Masters since it was established in 1897:
  • Abbot Oswald Hunter Blair OSB (1898–1909)
  • Father Anselm Parker OSB (1909–1920)
  • Father Justin McCann OSB (1920–1947)
  • Father Gerard Sitwell OSB (1947–1964)
  • Father James Forbes (1964–1979) OSB (famed pottery
    Pottery
    Pottery is the material from which the potteryware is made, of which major types include earthenware, stoneware and porcelain. The place where such wares are made is also called a pottery . Pottery also refers to the art or craft of the potter or the manufacture of pottery...

     expert and Knight of Malta)
  • Father Philip Holdsworth OSB (1979–1989)
  • Father Fabian Cowper
    Fabian Cowper
    Dom Fabian Cowper , a monk of Ampleforth Abbey, was a Roman Catholic monk, who served as Master of St Benet's Hall, Oxford from 1989 until his death in 1990.-Early life:...

     OSB (1989–1990)
  • Father Henry Wansbrough
    Henry Wansbrough
    The Very Reverend Dom Henry Wansbrough, OSB, MA , STL , LSS , is a biblical scholar and a monk of Ampleforth Abbey in North Yorkshire, England....

     OSB (1990–2004) (Editor of the New Jerusalem Bible
    New Jerusalem Bible
    The New Jerusalem Bible is a Roman Catholic translation of the Bible published in 1985 by Darton, Longman & Todd and Les Editions du Cerf, and edited by the Reverend Henry Wansbrough.- Contents :...

    )
  • Father Leo Chamberlain OSB
    Fr. Leo Chamberlain
    The Very Revd. Dom. Leo Chamberlain OSB is former Master of St Benet's Hall, Oxford, a monk of Ampleforth Abbey, and a former Headmaster of Ampleforth College....

     (2004–2007)
  • Father Felix Stephens
    Felix Stephens
    The Revd Dom Felix Stephens, OSB is Master of St Benet's Hall, Oxford.Born as John Patrick Rhodes Stephens, he was educated at Ampleforth College, where he was a member of St Hugh's House, and at St Benet's Hall, Oxford. During this time he played for Oxford University Cricket Club seconds...

     OSB (2007–present)

Officers, fellows, and lecturers

As of Trinity Term 2010 the Officers, Fellows and Lecturers of the Hall were as follows:

Officers
  • Senior Tutor, Tutor for Graduates: Santha Bhattacharji, MA, PhD
  • Deputy Master: Philip McCosker, MA, MTS, PhD
  • Chaplain: The Revd Dom Michael Phillips OSB, MA
  • Dean: Julian Borthwick, MA, MSc, MBCS
  • Librarian: The Revd Dom Michael Phillips OSB, MA
  • Development Executive: Paul Eros BA, MA, MSt
  • College Secretary: Miss Hannah Dunnington
  • IT Officer: Brian Wright MA


Fellows
  • Brian Klug
    Brian Klug
    Brian Klug is Senior Research Fellow & Tutor in Philosophy at St. Benet's Hall, Oxford and a member of the philosophy faculty at Oxford University...

    , BA, MA (London), PhD (Chicago): Senior Research Fellow in Philosophy (2000—)
  • Joseph Shaw, MA, DPhil (Oxon.): Fellow in Philosophy (2000—)
  • Stuart Carney, MB, ChB (Edinburgh), MPH (Harvard), MRCPsych: Senior Research Fellow in Psychiatry (2003—)
  • Santha Bhattacharji, MA (Oxon.), PhD (Bristol): Senior Tutor; Director of Studies in English (2004—)
  • Julian Borthwick, BA (Bristol), MA (Oxon.), MSc (Reading), MBCS: Dean and IT Fellow (2004—)
  • John Eidinow, MA (Oxon.), DipLaw (City), Barrister (Middle Temple): Fellow and Tutor in Classics (2004—); Director of Studies
  • The Revd Dom Bernard Green OSB, MA (Oxon.), MPhil (Cantab.), DPhil (Oxon.): Fellow and Tutor in Theology (2004—); Director of Studies
  • Stratford Caldecott, MA (Oxon.): G. K. Chesterton Fellow (2005—)
  • The Revd Ian Ker, MA (Oxon.), PhD (Cantab.), Hon DLitt (Leicester): Senior Research Fellow in Theology (2005—)
  • Susan Doran, BA (Oxon.), PhD (London): Fellow in History (2007—)
  • Philip McCosker, MA (Oxon.), MTS (Harvard), PhD (Cantab.): Deputy Master; Research Fellow in Theology (2007—)
  • Frances Reynolds, BA, PhD (Birmingham): Senior Research Fellow and Director of Studies in Oriental Studies (2007—); Shillito Fellow in Assyriology, Faculty of Oriental Studies
  • Harry Sidebottom
    Harry Sidebottom
    Harry Sidebottom is an author and historian. He is currently Fellow and Tutor in Ancient History at St. Benet's Hall and lecturer at Lincoln College, Oxford...

    , BA (Lanc.), MA, MPhil (Manc.), DPhil (Oxon.): Fellow and Director of Studies in Ancient History (2008—)
  • Mark Sheehan, MA (Melbourne), PhD (New York): Senior Research Fellow (Fixed Term) in Philosophy (2009—); James Martin Fellow and Deputy Director of the Oxford Bioethics Network
  • Yvonne Cornish, MA, DPhil (Oxon.): Fellow and Tutor in History (2010-); Director of Studies


Lecturers
  • Jane Baun, BA (Yale), MA (Catholic University of America), PhD (Princeton): Research Lecturer in Byzantine Studies
  • Marina Bazzani, Laurea (Genova), MA (Catholic University of America), DPhil (Oxon.): Research Lecturer in Classics
  • Rev Jennifer Cooper, BA (Toronto), MA (Ottawa), DPhil (Oxon.): Lecturer in Theology
  • Ferdinando Giugliano BA, MPhil (Oxon.): Director of Studies in Economics
  • Edward Turner, MA (Oxon.), PhD (Birmingham): Director of Studies in Politics
  • Cornelia van der Poll, BA (Stellenbosch), MPhil, PhD (Cantab.); Director of Studies in Ancient Greek
  • Nicholas Waghorn, MA (Oxon.), PhD (Reading): Director of Studies in Philosophy
  • Christa Steinby, MA (Turku), FL (Helsinki), Dip. Ed. (Turku), PhD (Helsinki): Visiting Research Lecturer in Ancient History (2009–10); British Academy Visiting Fellow


Honorary Fellows
  • Professor Henry Mayr-Harting, MA, DPhil (Oxon.), FBA (Emeritus Regius Professor of Ecclesiastical History, University of Oxford)
  • Professor Peter Hennessy, MA (Cantab.), FBA, FRHistS (Attlee Professor of Contemporary British History, Queen Mary, University of London)
  • Very Revd Henry Wansbrough OSB, MA (Oxon.), STL (Fribourg), LSS (Biblical Commission) (Master of St Benet’s Hall (1990—2004); Titular Cathedral Prior of Norwich (2004—9); Titular Cathedral Prior of Durham)
  • Very Revd Leo Chamberlain OSB, MA (Oxon.)(Master of St Benet’s Hall (2004—2007); Titular Cathedral Prior of Gloucester)

J.C.R.

Unlike other Colleges and PPHs, St Benet's has a united Common Room of which all students at the Hall are members.
The J.C.R. has its own committee.

Rowing

Despite the small size of the Hall, an VIII has been put on the river for many years, the self-proclaimed 'Benet's Bisons'; in recent years, it has had a good record of winning 'blades', the trophy awarded for 'bumping' (rowing past teams ranked above) every day in a regatta.

University life

Despite having a small number of members, St Benet's has a big presence in the University. Several Presidents of the Oxford University Newman Society
Oxford University Newman Society
For Newman Centers around North America see Newman Centre.The Oxford University Newman Society is Oxford University's oldest Roman Catholic organisation, named as a tribute to Cardinal Newman, who advanced the cause of Catholicism at Oxford both as an Anglican striving to recover Anglicanism's...

, a President of the Oxford Law Society
Oxford Law Society
Oxford Law Society is a student society open to members of Oxford University and the Oxford Institute of Legal Practice .Most of the society's revenues are derived from sponsorship from City law firms and barristers' chambers...

, several Officers in the Oxford University Conservative Association
Oxford University Conservative Association
The Oxford University Conservative Association, or OUCA is a student political organisation founded in 1924 whose members are drawn from the University of Oxford...

, an elected Standing Committee member, and several Returning Officers and Chairmen of the Consultative Committee of the Oxford Union
Oxford Union
The Oxford Union Society, commonly referred to simply as the Oxford Union, is a debating society in the city of Oxford, Britain, whose membership is drawn primarily but not exclusively from the University of Oxford...

, officers of the Light Entertainment Society, and prominent University sportsmen have come from St Benet's. The Hall currently has three Blues: one is the immediate past Captain of the University Golf Club, another plays for the University Association Football Club, the third for the University Rugby League Football Club.

In 2009, a junior member of the Hall was elected Rhodes Scholar by the Canadian Rhodes Foundation for 2010–2011. The generous scholarship provides up to two years of funded graduate study at a Canadian University.

Welfare

Members of the Hall are entitled to invite guests to all meals. A tradition of the Hall is that there is one Common Table for all members, with the result that fellows, lecturers, monks, students, and their guests mix freely at all meals.

See also

  • 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...

  • Permanent Private Hall
    Permanent Private Hall
    A Permanent Private Hall at the University of Oxford is an educational institution within the university. There are six Permanent Private Halls at Oxford, five of which admit undergraduates. They were founded by different Christian denominations....

  • Benedictine
    Benedictine
    Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...

  • Ampleforth Abbey
    Ampleforth Abbey
    Ampleforth Abbey is a monastery of Benedictine Monks in North Yorkshire, England, part of the English Benedictine Congregation. It claims descent from the pre-Reformation community at Westminster Abbey through the last surviving monk from Westminster Sigebert Buckley.The current Abbot is Fr...


Further reading

  • Wansbrough, Henry; Marett-Crosby, Anthony (ed.), Benedictines in Oxford (London: Darton, Longman and Todd, 1997). ISBN 023252176X; ISBN 978-0232521764.

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
x
OK