Brasenose College, College of the University of Oxford in Radcliffe Square, England
Brasenose College is a college of the University of Oxford located on Radcliffe Square in England, its main quadrangle surrounded by wings of student housing. The structure combines classical columns and arches with medieval stone walls framing the central courtyard.
William Smyth, Bishop of Lincoln, founded this college in 1509 and named it after a door knocker from the old hall. Later building phases expanded the site over the centuries, adding wings and courtyards.
The name refers to a brass door knocker shaped like a nose that once hung at the original medieval hall and remains a defining symbol. Students regularly gather in the 16th-century dining hall, a room with high ceilings and long tables, where shared meals shape daily community life.
The library stays open around the clock and students can live on site throughout all years of their undergraduate degree. The 16th-century dining hall serves daily meals in a setting with historical character.
Every year on Shrove Tuesday students perform songs they have written themselves during the festive dinner, describing life at the college and often picking up humorous events from the past year. This tradition is called Ale Verses and is accompanied by singing and laughter.
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