Jesus College, Oxford, England United Kingdom

Jesus College is unique in that it is the only college at Oxford University to date from the reign of Elizabeth I. The college received its charter on June 27, 1571.

Jesus College actually replaced an earlier academic hall, known as White Hall, which had been established on the spot since the 13th century.

As with many of the early Oxford University colleges, Jesus College was intended as a training institution for clergymen. The building work may have been financed by a wealthy churchman, Hugh Price (or Aprice).

Price was allowed to exercise almost dictatorial control over the college in exchange for a promised endowment of lands and money. When Price died in 1574 it was found that "his" property was only leased and his estate was far less valuable than he had led other founding members to believe.

Jesus College has the reputation of being the major "Welsh" college at Oxford, and certainly a large number of Welsh students have passed through its portals, though nothing in its charter indicates that this was its intended role. All of the early servants at Jesus were also Welsh.

Most of the buildings that make up Jesus College date from the 17th century, though several were remodeled in the Victorian period.