Canterbury Quadrangle, Historic quadrangle at St. John's College, Oxford, England.
Canterbury Quadrangle is a courtyard at St. John's College in Oxford featuring stone walls and a central grass lawn enclosed by covered arcades. The facades display ornate carved details and the space connects different sections of the college buildings around its perimeter.
The quadrangle was built between 1631 and 1636 under the direction of Archbishop William Laud and displays early Stuart period construction methods. Master masons John Jackson and Robert White carried out the practical construction work creating an important space for the college.
The quadrangle bears the name of Archbishop William Laud and serves today as a central gathering place within the college community. Students use the covered walkways and grass areas as part of their daily routines moving between buildings and teaching spaces.
The quadrangle is part of St. John's College and can be explored during campus visits. Access is easiest through the main college entrances and the paved walkways allow you to move through the space comfortably.
The quadrangle exemplifies the direct involvement of the church in academic architecture, with an archbishop overseeing its design personally. This level of input from a senior church figure in shaping a university courtyard was unusual for Oxford and left a lasting mark on the space.
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