Evening star., 1925-07-26
CHRIST COLLEGE
! IS 400 YEARS OLD
Oxford Institution Begins
f Fifth Century of Existence
This Month.
Correspondence of the Associated Press.

Correspondence of the Associated Press
OXFORD, England. July 6<-Christ
Church. the largest and most Qotaoie
of oxford colleges, begins the MIN
century of its existence this month
For reasons of convenience, the cele'
bration already has been held, so the
true birthday of this curious instltu-
ton, which is both a college and a
cathedral and yet is called church,
win pass quietly during the long va
cation.
Modern investigation has revealed
a remarkable continuity in the history
of English ecclesiastical foundations.
The SaXons built their churches on
the ruins of the great Roman temples,
and the Normans in their turn re
built the Saxon churches. This con-
tinuity is most remarkable in oxford.
where nearly every college has grown
out of a medieval monastery. Christ
Churcl, stands on the site of priory,
a parish church and at least two older
monastic colleges: its bells were re-
moved from a neiGhboring abbey, and
both the stones and the funds used
in its construction were obtained
from the dissolution of more than 40
monastic foundations.
Begun BY WoIsey.
In 1916 the tercentenary of this
same college was celebrated, and in
sense properly, for 1916 was the date
of its last foundation. The true credit
belongs, however, to an earlier date
and to Cardinal Wolsey, son of an
Ipswich butcher, who began it as
Cardinal College at a time when he
was the favorite of King Henry VIII
and stood second only to him in power
and pomp and fortune. Wolsey was
nothing If not man of action. To
make room for his college a quarter
of the city of oxford was pulled
down. In the first year alone he spent
a sum equivalent to three quarters OF
million dollars. His plan was so
vast that the great church of ST.
Frideswides, which serves as the
cathedral of the oxford diocese, was
to be raZed to make room for his
college chapel. His kitchen is one
of the largest in the country. and
the great dining hall is second only
to the hall of Westminster in size and
grandeur.
When Wolsey fell from favor his
college was taken over by the king.
who refounded it under his own name.
then suppressed 1t as a college to
unite it with his new oxford diocese.
Has Pure Architecture.
Besides Wolsey's great hall and
kitchen, Christ Church boasts two of
the finest English examples of the
Gothic style of architecture, both
built more than a century after
Gothic became merely a historical
term. One of these, the stairway to
the hall, was designed in 1910 by
genius known only as Smith of Lon
don" The other. Tom Tower, car
rying the Great Tom bell. which every
night rings 10l peals TO announce the
rinS{r7- pf
by Christopher Wren, architect of st.
Paul's, in one of the few happy mo-
ments when he really Sensed the
feeling of medieval builders.
Christ Church In its 400 years has
contributed its share of illustrious
names TO history, American as well
as English. William Penn was a stu
dent of the house until he was sent
down for his religion, as was George
Grenville, whose stamp act led to the
Revolution and the loss of the Ameri-
can colonies. Sydney, knight and
poet; Hakluyt, the geographer; Ben
Jonson, John Locke, the philosopher;
Bishop Stubbs, the historian, and
Lewis Carroll" author of Alice in
Wonderland are but few Of the
great Christ Church company The
college has been fortunate in its
rulers, nearly all its deans being men
OF great ability. One was the greatest
smoker of his day, and when bet
was made that he would be smoking
his pipe at 10 in the morning it was
only lost because he was cleaning his
pipe at the moment. Another worthy
oean, called Presence -of-mind Smith,"
won this unusual designation by
humping with an oar boating com
panion who had fallen overheard and
was risking the deans safety by his
attempts to re-enter the boat.