Jesus College Gatehouse and the "Chimney"

Jesus College at the University of Cambridge was founded in 1496 on the site of a Benedictine nunnery by John Alcock, then Bishop of Ely. It is traditionally held that the nunnery was turned into a college because the nunnery had gained a reputation for licentiousness.

The college's full name is "The College of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint John the Evangelist and the glorious Virgin Saint Radegund, near Cambridge". Its common name comes from the name of its chapel, Jesus Chapel. Founded in the beginning of the 11th century, the chapel is the oldest University building in Cambridge and is still in use.

When founded in 1496, the college consisted of buildings taken over from the nunnery: namely the chapel, and the cloister attached to it; the nuns' refectory, which became the college hall; and the former lodging of the prioress, which became the Master's Lodge. This set of buildings remains the core of the college to this day, and this accounts for its distinctly monastic and non-collegiate character, which sets it apart from other Cambridge colleges. A library was soon added, on the floor above the college hall, and the chapel was considerably modified and reduced in scale by Alcock.

The 500th anniversary of the college's foundation in 1996 saw the completion of the new Quincentenary Library, designed by Eldred Evans and David Shalev , which was shortly followed by a new accommodation building.

The college is also known for its grounds, which are unlike those of Cambridge's other old colleges, and which resemble an American-style campus set back from Jesus Lane. The main entrance to the college is a walled passage, called the "Chimney" (derived from the French word chemin).

Jesus College is one of the few colleges to allow anyone to walk on its grass lawns (often called courts), with the exception of First Court and those that are burial sites for deceased nuns from the original nunnery. However, in common with other Cambridge colleges, this privilege is only extended during the summer term.

The college is unique in Oxford and Cambridge in maintaining two choirs. The Chapel Choir consists of men and boys, and the Mixed Choir of men and women.

Professor Robert Mair , Fellow of St John's and Professor of Geotechnical Engineering in the university, has been Master of Jesus since March 2001.

Famous Jesuans

• Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury, and compiler of the Book of Common Prayer
• John Bale, Bishop of Ossory
• Thomas Goodrich , Bishop of Ely
• Sir Fulke Greville (1568), friend and biographer of Sir Philip Sidney
• John Eliot (1619), apostle of the North American Indians, who translated the Bible into the Algonquin language
• Geoffrey Downs , John Edmunds , and John Golding (also known as a translator of Ovid), all Protestant propagandists
• Richard Sterne (Master, 1634), and later Archbishop of York
• William Beale (Master, 1632),
• John Flamsteed, (1670) the first Astronomer Royal
• Thomas Herring (1710) and Matthew Hutton (1710), both Archbishops of Canterbury
• John Jortin (1715), ecclesiastical historian
• Henry Venn (1742), a leader of the Evangelical movement in the Church of England
• Gilbert Wakefield (1772), principal of two nonconformist academies
• Laurence Sterne (1733)
• Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1791)
• David Hartley (1722), philosopher
• Robert Malthus (1784), population theorist
• Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch, novelist and critic, universally known as 'Q'
• Arthur Gray (Master, 1912-40)
• E.M.W. Tillyard (Master, 1945-59), literary critic
• Steve Fairbairn, rowing coach
• Alistair Cooke, broadcaster
• Jacob Bronowski, broadcaster
• Robert Gittings , poet and biographer
• Raymond Williams, literary and cultural critic, who subsequently returned to Jesus to become Professor of Drama
• David Hare, playwright
• Nick Hornby, novelist and journalist
• Lisa Jardine , literary critic (and Bronowski's daughter), the college's first woman fellow elected in 1976
• Prince Edward (read history 1983-1986)
• Lord Renfrew (Master 1986-1998), archaeologist

Masters of Jesus College

• William Chubbes or Stubs, D.D. 1497-1505
• John Eccleston or Egliston, D.D. 1505-1516
• Thomas Alcock , LL.D. 1516 only
• William Capon , D.D. 1516-46
• John Reston , D.D. 1546-51
• Edmund Pierpoint , B.D. 1551-57
• John Fuller , LL.D. 1557-58
• Thomas Redman , B.D. 1559-60
• Edward Gascoyne , LL.D. 1560-62
• John Lakin or Larkyn, B.D. 1562-63
• Thomas Ithell , LL.D. 1563-79
• John Bell , D.D. 1579-89
• John Duport , D.D. 1590-1617
• Roger Andrewes , D.D. 1618-32
• William Beale , D.D. 1632-34
• Richard Sterne, D.D. 1634-44 and 1660
• Thomas Young , M.A. 1644-50
• John Worthington , D.D. 1650-60
• John Pearson, D.D. 1660-62
• Joseph Beaumont , D.D. 1662-63
• Edmund Boldero , D.D. 1663-79
• Humphrey Gower , D.D. 1679 only
• William Saywell , D.D. 1679-1701
• Charles Ashton , D.D. 1701-52
• Philip Yonge , D.D. 1752-58
• Lynford Caryl , D.D. 1758-81
• Richard Beadon , D.D. 1781-89
• William Pearce , D.D. 1789-1820
• William French , D.D. 1820-49
• George Elwes Corrie , D.D. 1849-85
• Henry Arthur Morgan , D.D. 1885-1912
• Arthur Gray , M.A. 1912-40
• Wynfrid Laurence Henry Duckworth 1940-45
• Eustace Mandeville Wetenhall Tillyard 1945-59
• Denys Lionel Page (knighted 1971) 1959-73 (d. 1978)
• Alan Cottrell (knighted 1971) 1973-86
• Colin Renfrew (Lord Renfrew of Kairmsthorn) 1986-96
• David Crighton 1997-2000
• Robert Mair 2001-

External links

• Jesus College website
• Map showing the college's location near the centre of Cambridge