The Queen's College, Oxford
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The Queen's College, founded 1341, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. It is located on the High Street. It is one of the wealthier colleges with an estimated financial endowment of £88m (2003).
The college was founded during the 14th century by a chaplain, Robert de Eglesfield, of Queen Philippa of Hainault, wife of King Edward III of England, hence the name. The crest of three red eagles on a white background was inspired by the chaplain's surname. The magnificent frontage was designed by Nicholas Hawksmoor, part of a substantial rebuilding in the 18th century during which the impressive library was built.
The college has had a long association with the north of England, in part because of its founder. Eglesfield is a village in Cumberland. This was reinforced for many years until relatively recently by the large number of Hastings Scholarships given to men from 20 schools in Yorkshire, Westmorland and Cumberland. One of the most famous feasts of the College is the Boar's Head Gaudy, which originally was the Christmas Dinner for members of the College who were unable to return home to the north of England over the Christmas break between terms, but is now a feast for old members of the College on the Saturday before Christmas.
The College Chapel is noted for its excellent Frobenius organ in the west gallery. It was installed in 1965, replacing a Rushworth and Dreaper organ from 1931. The earliest mention of an organ is 1826. The Chapel Choir has been particularly successful and busy in recent years.
The Queen's College is notable for having one of the oldest boat clubs in the world. In 1837, The Queen's College Boat Club represented Oxford in the third Boat Race against Lady Margaret Boat Club, representing Cambridge, and won. This event, held on the River Thames at Henley-on-Thames, is credited with leading to support from the town for the establisment of the Henley Royal Regatta, one of the most famous rowing events in the world, in 1839. Rowing is still a major sport in the College, with the men placed 9th in Torpids and 13th in Eights and the women 2nd in Torpids and 8th in Eights. The women are closing in on the Head of the River in Torpids.
Rowing is not the only sport in which members of the college excel. In 2005, in addition to two Blues in women's rowing, 11 other members of the college were awarded a Blue and 11 were awarded Half Blues.
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