University College, Oxford, Educational college in Oxford, England.
University College, known as Univ, occupies a site south of the High Street bounded by Merton Street and Magpie Lane, with Logic Lane running through its centre. The 17th-century Main Quadrangle, begun in 1634 and finished in 1676, is built of pale yellow coursed ashlar; its central section rises into a square crenellated tower with a flagpole, and a statue stands in a niche above the dark arched entrance. The Shelley Memorial, a purpose-built building, holds Edward Onslow Ford's statue of the poet lying dead on the Italian seashore.
William of Durham founded this endowment in 1249 with a bequest to support students of theology. Later centuries brought rebuilding and additions, including the addition of new wings and the remodeling of existing buildings during the Tudor and Jacobean eras.
The college's arms are those attributed to King Alfred, from a 14th-century legend that he founded it in 872; the reigning monarch is always its Visitor. Before every Formal Hall, held on Wednesdays, Fridays and some Sundays, a Scholar reads the longest grace of any Oxford college.
Visitors should note this is a working college, and courtyards or buildings may be closed during term time or for private events. A walk through the accessible areas typically takes around 30 minutes and includes outdoor courts and select public rooms.
A passageway called Logic Lane runs beneath a covered walkway that links two parts of the building complex while allowing pedestrians to pass below. This walkway serves as a physical bridge between residential and teaching areas, showing a practical solution for connecting separate plots of land.
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