New College, Durham (17th century)

Durham College
The College (cathedral close), given to Durham College as its home
Active1653 (1653)–1660 (1660)
FoundersOliver Cromwell
Location
Durham
,
County Durham
,
England

54°46′20″N 1°34′36″W / 54.772314°N 1.576700°W / 54.772314; -1.576700
CampusUniversity town

New College, Durham, or Durham College, was a university institution set up by Oliver Cromwell, to provide an alternative to (and break the effective monopoly of) the older University of Oxford and University of Cambridge. It also had the aim of bringing university education to Northern England.

It was formed in 1653,[1][2] receiving its letters patent – though not degree-awarding powers – in 1656, but after Cromwell's death in 1659 the universities of Oxford and Cambridge petitioned his son Richard Cromwell against the new university, and the college ceased to exist with the restoration of the monarchy in 1660.

  1. ^ "After the soldiers left: Durham Cathedral's conversion into a new university for the North of England, 1653–1660". Palace Green Library. Archived from the original on 13 February 2023. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
  2. ^ Green, Adrian (2018). "The First Durham University" (PDF). Symeon. 8: 6–9 – via Durham University.