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Gilbert White

Gilbert White

Gilbert White (July 18, 1720 – June 26, 1793) was a pioneering naturalist and ornithologist. White was born at Selborne in Hampshire. He was educated by a private tutor in Basingstoke before going to Oriel College, Oxford. White obtained his deacon's orders in 1747 and became vicar of Moreton Pinkney in Northamptonshire. He later became curate of Farringdon in Hampshire, the adjoining parish to Selborne, and moved back into the family home at the Wakes. In 1784 he became curate in Selborne, remaining so until his death. Having studied at Oriel at the behest of his uncle, he was ineligible to be considered for the permanent living of Selborne, which was in the gift of Magdalen College. Magdalen College White is regarded as England's first ecologist. He said of the earthworm (1770):

Earthworms, though in appearance a small and despicable link in the chain of nature, yet, if lost, would make a lamentable chasm [...] worms seem to be the great promoters of vegetation, which would proceed but lamely without them...

White is best known for his The Natural History and Antiquities of Selborne (1789). This was a compilation of his letters to Thomas Pennant, the leading zoologist of the day, and also the Hon. Daines Barrington, a Welsh barrister and another member of the Royal Society. These letters contained White's discoveries about local birds and animals. He believed in distinguishing birds by observation rather than by collecting specimens, and was thus one of the first people to separate the similar-looking Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler and Wood Warbler by means of their song. In addition to his publications on Natural History, he is also noted as a poet. His house in Selborne, The Wakes, now contains the Gilbert White Museum, as well as the Oates Memorial Museum, commemorating Frank and Lawrence Oates. A biography of White, by Richard Mabey was published by Ebury Press in 1986, and won the Whitbread Biography of the Year award.

External links

- [http://www.heureka.clara.net/art/gilbert-white.htm Gilbert White]
- [http://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/webbin/gutbook/author?name=White%2c%20Gilbert Project Gutenberg edition of The Natural History of Selborne]
- White, Gilbert White, Gilbert White, Gilbert White, Gilbert White, Gilbert White, Gilbert

July 18

July 18 is the 199th day (200th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 166 days remaining.

Events

- 390 BC - Battle of the Allia: A Roman army is defeated by raiding Gauls, leading to the subsequent sacking of Rome.
- 64 - Great fire of Rome: A fire begins to burn in the merchant area of Rome and soon burns completely out of control while Emperor Nero reportedly plays his lyre and sings while watching the blaze from a safe distance.
- 1195 - Battle of Alarcos, great victory of Almohad ruler Abu Yusuf Ya'qub al-Mansur over the Castilian King Alfonso VIII
- 1536 - The authority of the Pope is declared void in England.
- 1830 - Uruguay adopts its first constitution.
- 1857 - Louis Faidherbe, French governor of Senegal, arrives to relieve French forces at Kayes, effectively ending El Hajj Umar Tall's war on the French.
- 1863 - American Civil War: The first formal African American military unit, the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, unsuccessfully assaults Confederate-held Fort Wagner but their valiant fighting still proves the worth of African American soldiers during the war.
- 1872 - Britain introduces voting by secret ballot.
- 1873 - Oscar II of Sweden-Norway is crowned king of Norway in Trondheim
- 1898 - Marie and Pierre Curie announce the discovery of a new element and proposed to call it polonium.
- 1914 - The United States Army's Signal Corps is formed, giving definite status to its air service for the first time.
- 1925 - Adolf Hitler publishes his personal manifesto Mein Kampf.
- 1938 - Douglas "Wrong Way" Corrigan arrives in Ireland.
- 1942 - World War II: The Germans test fly the Messerschmitt Me-262 using only its jets for the first time.
- 1944 - World War II: Hideki Tojo resigns as Prime Minister of Japan due to numerous setbacks in the war effort.
- 1947 - President Harry S. Truman signs the Presidential Succession Act into law which places the Speaker of the House and the Senate President Pro Tempore next in the line of succession after the United States Vice President.
- 1966 - Gemini 10 launched.
- 1968 - Vietnam War: The two-day Honolulu Conference begins in Honolulu, Hawaii between US President Lyndon B. Johnson and South Vietnamese President Nguyen Van Thieu.
- 1968 - Intel incorporated.
- 1969 - After a party on Chappaquiddick Island, Senator Ted Kennedy from Massachusetts drives an Oldsmobile off a wooden bridge into a tide-swept pond and his passenger, Mary Jo Kopechne, dies.
- 1969 - Apollo 11 makes preparations for landing on the Moon.
- 1976 - Gymnast Nadia Comaneci, aged 14, scores first ever perfect 10 at the Olympics.
- 1977 - Vietnam joins the United Nations.
- 1982 - 268 campesinos ("countryside people") are slain in the Plan de Sánchez massacre in Ríos Montt's Guatemala.
- 1984 - McDonald's massacre in San Ysidro, California: In a fast-food restaurant, James Oliver Huberty kills 21 people and injures 19 others before being shot dead by police.
- 1984 - National Crime Authority. Formed, in Australia.
- 1986 - A tornado is broadcast live on KARE television in Minnesota when the station's helicopter pilot makes a chance encounter.
- 1986 - The motion picture Aliens opens in theaters.
- 1989 - Rebecca Schaeffer is shot by a crazed fan, prompting California to pass America's first anti-stalking law in 1990.
- 1992 - The ten victims of the La Cantuta massacre disappeared from their university in Lima.
- 1992 - 'The Late Show', starring the D-Generation Debuts on ABC T.V
- 1994 - In Buenos Aires, an explosion destroys a building housing several Jewish organizations killing 85 and injuring many more.
- 1994 - A court upholds NBA salary cap and draft rights.
- 1995 - On the Caribbean island of Montserrat, the Soufriere Hills volcano erupts. Over the course of several years, it devastates the island, destroying the capital and forcing most of the population to flee.
- 1996 - Storms provoke severe flooding on the Saguenay River in Quebec, beginning one of Canada's costliest natural disasters ever.
- 1996 - In an event very similar to the Oklahoma tornado that would occur three years later, an F5 tornado hit the town of Oakfield, Wisconsin.
- 1997 - 8000 low-caste Indians riot in Mumbai (Bombay) following a funeral for 10 children who had been killed by police.
- 1998 - A 23-foot tidal wave kills nearly 3,000 people in Papua New Guinea.
- 2001 - In Baltimore, Maryland, a 60-car train derails in a tunnel, sparking a fire that lasts days and virtually shuts down downtown Baltimore.
- 2003 - Kobe Bryant is charged with sexually assaulting a 19-year old girl.

Births

- 1013 - Hermannus Contractus, learned monk (d. 1054)
- 1501 - Isabella of Burgundy, queen of Christian II of Denmark (d. 1526)
- 1504 - Heinrich Bullinger, Swiss religious reformer (d. 1575)
- 1552 - Rudolf II, Holy Roman Emperor (d. 1612)
- 1634 - Johannes Camphuys, Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies (d. 1695)
- 1635 - Robert Hooke, English scientist (d. 1703)
- 1670 - Giovanni Bononcini, Italian composer (d. 1747)
- 1718 - Saverio Bettinelli, Italian writer (d. 1808)
- 1720 - Gilbert White, English ornithologist (d. 1793)
- 1797 - Immanuel Hermann Fichte, German philosopher (d. 1879)
- 1811 - William Makepeace Thackeray, English author (d. 1863)
- 1821 - Pauline Garcia-Viardot, French mezzo-soprano and composer (d. 1910)
- 1845 - Tristan Corbière, French poet (d. 1875)
- 1853 - Hendrik Lorentz, Dutch physicist, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1928)
- 1864 - Phillip Snowden, British politician (d. 1937)
- 1887 - Vidkun Quisling, Norwegian politician and traitor (d. 1945)
- 1890 - Frank Forde, fifteenth Prime Minister of Australia (d. 1983)
- 1892 - Arthur Friedenreich, Brazilian football player
- 1894 - Isaac Babel, Ukrainian writer (d. 1940)
- 1900 - Nathalie Sarraute, French writer (d. 1999)
- 1902 - Jessamyn West, American writer (d. 1984)
- 1902 - Chill Wills, American actor (d. 1978)
- 1906 - S. I. Hayakawa, American semanticist and politician (d. 1992)
- 1906 - Clifford Odets, American writer (d. 1963)
- 1909 - Andrei Gromyko, Soviet diplomat and President (d. 1989)
- 1909 - Mohammed Daoud Khan, President of Afghanistan (d. 1978)
- 1911 - Hume Cronyn, Canadian actor (d. 2003)
- 1913 - Red Skelton, American actor and comedian (d. 1997)
- 1918 - Nelson Mandela, President of South Africa, recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize
- 1921 - John Glenn, astronaut and politician
- 1922 - Thomas Kuhn, American philosopher (d. 1996)
- 1923 - Jerome H. Lemelson, American inventor (d. 1997)
- 1925 - Shirley Strickland, Australian athlete
- 1927 - Kurt Masur, Silesian-born conductor
- 1929 - Dick Button, American figure skater
- 1929 - Screamin' Jay Hawkins, American singer (d. 2000)
- 1930 - Burt Kwouk, English actor
- 1933 - Yevgeny Yevtushenko, Russian poet
- 1935 - Jayendra Saraswathi, Hindu religious leader
- 1937 - Roald Hoffman, Polish-born chemist, Nobel Prize laureate
- 1937 - Hunter S. Thompson, American journalist and author (d. 2005)
- 1940 - James Brolin, American actor
- 1940 - Joe Torre, baseball player and manager
- 1941 - Martha Reeves, American singer
- 1947 - Steve Forbes, American entrepreneur and politician
- 1948 - Hartmut Michel, German chemist, Nobel Prize laureate
- 1950 - Sir Richard Branson, British entrepreneur
- 1951 - Elio Di Rupo, Belgian politician
- 1960 - Anne-Marie Johnson, American actress
- 1962 - Jack Irons, American drummer Red Hot Chili Peppers
- 1963 - Martín Torrijos Espino, President of Panama
- 1963 - Mike Greenwell, baseball player
- 1969 - Masanori Murakawa, Japanese professional wrestler
- 1967 - Vin Diesel, American actor
- 1975 - Torii Hunter, baseball player
- 1975 - Daron Malakian, American guitarist (System of a Down)
- 1978 - Ben Sheets, baseball player
- 1980 - Kristen Bell, American actress

Deaths

- 1100 - Godfrey of Bouillon, French crusader
- 1488 - Alvise Cadamosto, Italian explorer (b. 1432)
- 1591 - Jacobus Gallus, Slovenian composer (b. 1550)
- 1608 - Joachim Friedrich, Elector of Brandenburg (b. 1546)
- 1610 - Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, Italian artist (b. 1573)
- 1623 - Pope Gregory XV
- 1639 - Bernhard of Saxe-Weimar, German general (b. 1604)
- 1665 - Stefan Czarniecki, Polish general (b. 1599)
- 1695 - Johannes Camphuys, Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies (b. 1634)
- 1698 - Johann Heinrich Heidegger, Swiss theologian (b. 1633)
- 1721 - Antoine Watteau, French painter (b. 1684)
- 1730 - François de Neufville, duc de Villeroi, French soldier (b. 1644)
- 1792 - John Paul Jones, American naval commander (b. 1747)
- 1817 - Jane Austen, English novelist (b. 1775)
- 1863 - Robert Gould Shaw, American military officer (b. 1837)
- 1872 - Benito Juárez, President of Mexico (b. 1806)
- 1892 - Thomas Cook, English travel agent (b. 1808)
- 1949 - Vítězslav Novák, Czech composer (b. 1870)
- 1952 - Paul Saintenoy, Belgian architect (b. 1862)
- 1968 - Corneille Heymans, Belgian physiologist, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1892)
- 1988 - Nico, German-born model and singer (b. 1938)
- 1989 - Donnie Moore, baseball player (suicide) (b. 1954)
- 1990 - Yoon Boseon, President of South Korea (b. 1897)
- 1995 - Fabio Casartelli, Italian cyclist (b. 1970)
- 2001 - James Hatfield, American author
- 2001 - Fabio Taglioni, Italian automotive engineer (b. 1920)
- 2002 - Victor Emery, British theoretical physicist (b. 1933)
- 2004 - Paul Foot, British journalist (b. 1937)
- 2005 - William Westmoreland, U.S. Army general (b. 1914)

Holidays and observances

- Uruguay - Constitution Day
- Japan - Marine Day (3rd Monday of July, 2005)
- United States - National Ice Cream Day and National Caviar Day (mix those)

External links

- [http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/july/18 BBC: On This Day] ---- July 17 - July 19 - June 18 - August 18 -- listing of all days ko:7월 18일 ja:7月18日 th:18 กรกฎาคม

1720

Events

- January 6 - The Committee of Inquiry on the South Sea Bubble publishes its findings
- February 11 - Sweden and Prussia sign the (2nd Treaty of Stockholm) declaring peace.
- February 29 - Queen Ulrike Eleonora of Sweden resigns.
- The Tuscarora fled North Carolina as a result of European colonisation
- Edmond Halley appointed Astronomer Royal
- The Academia Real da Historia is founded in Lisbon, Portugal
- Jonathan Swift begins Gulliver's Travels

Ongoing events

- Great Northern War (1700-1721)

Births

- January 4 - Johann Friedrich Agricola, German composer (d. 1774)
- January 13 - Richard Hurd, English bishop and writer (d. 1808)
- January 27 - Samuel Foote, English dramatist and actor (d. 1777)
- January 30 - Charles De Geer, Swedish industrialist and entomologist (d. 1778)
- February 8 - Emperor Sakuramachi of Japan (d. 1750)
- March 9 - Philip Yorke, 2nd Earl of Hardwicke, English politician (d. 1790)
- March 13 - Charles Bonnet, Swiss naturalist and writer (d. 1793)
- March 22 - Nicolas-Henri Jardin, French architect (d. 1799)
- April 23 - Vilna Gaon, Lithuanian rabbi (d. 1797)
- May 11 - Karl Friedrich Hieronymus Freiherr von Münchhausen, German officer and adventurer (d. 1797)
- May 15 - Maximilian Hell, Slovakian astronomer (d. 1792)
- July 18 - Gilbert White, English naturalist and cleric (d. 1793)
- August 8 - Carl Fredrik Pechlin, Swedish politician (d. 1796)
- August 12 - Konrad Ekhof, German actor (d. 1778)
- August 18 - Laurence Shirley, 4th Earl Ferrers, English murderer (d. 1760)
- August 30 - Samuel Whitbread, English brewer and politician (d. 1796)
- October 3 - Johann Peter Uz, German poet (d. 1796)
- October 4 - Giovanni Battista Piranesi, Italian artist (d. 1778)
- October 8 - Jonathan Mayhew, American minister and patriot (d. 1766)
- October 19 - John Woolman, American Quaker preacher and abolitionist (d. 1772)
- November 1 - Toussaint-Guillaume Picquet de la Motte, French admiral (d. 1791)
- November 16 - Carlo Antonio Campioni, French-born composer (d. 1788)
- December 14 - Justus Möser, German statesman (d. 1794)
- December 26 - Gian Francesco Albani, Italian Catholic cardinal (d. 1803)
- December 31 - Charles Edward Stuart, pretender to the British throne (d. 1788)

Deaths

- January 31 - Thomas Grey, 2nd Earl of Stamford, English privy councillor
- February 27 - Samuel Parris, English-born Puritan minister (b. 1653)
- April 2 - Joseph Dudley, colonial Governor of Massachusetts (b. 1647)
- April 21 - Antoine Hamilton, French writer (b. 1646)
- June 27 - Guillaume Amfrye de Chaulieu, French poet (b. 1639)
- August 3 - Anthonie Heinsius, Dutch statesman (b. 1641)
- August 9 - Simon Ockley, English orientalist (b. 1678)
- August 17 - Anne Lefèvre, French scholar (b. 1654)
- September 3 - Henri de Massue, Marquis de Ruvigny, 1st Viscount Galway, French soldier and diplomat (b. 1648)
- October 10 - Antoine Coysevox, French sculptor (b. 1640) Category:1720 ko:1720년 ms:1720

June 26

June 26 is the 177th day of the year (178th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 188 days remaining.

Events

- 684 - Benedict II becomes Pope.
- 1284 - According to legend, the Pied Piper lures 130 children of Hamelin away.
- 1409 - Western Schism: The Catholic church is led into a double schism as Petros Philargos is crowned Pope Alexander V after the Council of Pisa, joining Pope Gregory XII in Rome and Pope Benedict XII in Avignon.
- 1483 - Richard III becomes king of England.
- 1807 - Lightning hits a warehouse in Luxembourg,killing 230 people.
- 1819 - The bicycle is patented.
- 1924 - American occupying forces leave the Dominican Republic.
- 1934 - President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs the Federal Credit Union Act, which establishes credit unions.
- Initial flight of the Focke-Wulf Fw 61, the first practical helicopter.
- 1940 - World War II: Under the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, the Soviet Union presents an ultimatum to Romania requiring it to cede Bessarabia and northern part of Bukovina.
- 1945 - The United Nations Charter is signed.
- 1948 - The Western allies start an airlift to Berlin after the Soviet Union has blockaded West Berlin.
- 1959 - The Saint Lawrence Seaway opens, opening North America's Great Lakes to ocean-going ships.
- 1960 - Former British Protectorate of Somaliland British Somaliland gains its independence
- 1963 - John F. Kennedy speaks the famous words "Ich bin ein Berliner" on a visit to West Berlin.
- 1964 - The Beatles release the album A Hard Day's Night.
- 1973 - On Plesetsk Cosmodrome 9 persons were killed at an explosion of a Cosmos 3-M rocket.
- 1974 - The first retail product (a pack of chewing gum) was sold using a barcode reader.
- 1975 - Indira Gandhi establishes authoritarian rule in India.
- 1977 - Last concert of Elvis Presley.
- 1979 - Muhammad Ali retires.
- 1993 - The U.S. launches a missile attack targeting Baghdad intelligence headquarters in retaliation for a thwarted assassination attempt against former President George H.W. Bush in April in Kuwait.
- 1997 - The U.S. Supreme Court rules that the Communications Decency Act violates the First Amendment.
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone in the U.S.), the first book in J.K. Rowling's hugely popular Harry Potter series, is published.
- 2003 - The U.S. Supreme Court rules that sodomy laws are unconstitutional in Lawrence v. Texas.

Births

- 1681 - Hedwig Sophia, duchess of Holstein-Gottorp, Swedish writer (d. 1708)
- 1689 - Edward Holyoke, American President of Harvard University (d. 1769)
- 1694 - Georg Brandt, Swedish chemist and minerologist (d. 1768)
- 1702 - Philip Doddridge, English religious leader (d. 1751)
- 1703 - Thomas Clap, first president of Yale University (d. 1767)
- 1824 - Lord Kelvin, Irish-born physicist (d. 1907)
- 1854 - Robert Laird Borden, eighth Prime Minister of Canada
- 1865 - Bernard Berenson, American art historian (d. 1959)
- 1866 - George Herbert, 5th Earl of Carnarvon, English financier of Egyptian excavations (d. 1923)
- 1869 - Martin Andersen Nexø, Danish writer (d. 1954)
- 1892 - Pearl S. Buck, American writer, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1973)
- 1898 - Willy Messerschmitt, German aircraft designer (d. 1978)
- 1899 - Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna of Russia (d. 1918)
- 1904 - Peter Lorre, Hungarian-born actor (d. 1964)
- 1906 - Alberto Rabagliati, Italian singer and actor (d. 1974)
- 1909 - Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis Presley's manager (d. 1997)
- 1911 - Babe Didrikson Zaharias, American athlete and golfer (d. 1956)
- 1912 - Jay Silverheels, American actor (d. 1980)
- 1919 - Richard Neustadt, American political historian (d. 2003)
- 1925 - Pavel Belyayev, cosmonaut (d. 1970)
- 1926 - Frank Scott Hogg, Canadian astronomer (d. 1951)
- 1933 - Claudio Abbado, Italian conductor
- 1934 - Jeremy Wolfenden, British journalist (d. 1965)
- 1936 - Robert Maclennan, British politician
- 1937 - Robert Coleman Richardson, American physicist, Nobel Prize laureate
- 1942 - Gilberto Gil, singer, songwriter, and first Minister of Culture of Brazil
- 1943 - John Beasley, American actor
- 1945 - Dwight York, American musician, fashion consultant, cult leader, and child molester
- 1954 - Steve Barton, American actor, singer, and dancer
- 1955 - Mick Jones, British guitarist (The Clash and Big Audio Dynamite)
- 1956 - Chris Isaak, American singer
- 1959 - Mark McKinney, Canadian actor
- 1961 - Greg Lemond, American cyclist
- 1963 - Mikhail B. Khodorkovsky, Russian businessman
- 1968 - Rich Eisen, sports broadcaster
- 1968 - Paolo Maldini, Italian footballer
- 1968 - Shannon Sharpe, American football player and commentator
- 1969 - Colin Greenwood, British musician (Radiohead)
- 1970 - Chris O'Donnell, American actor
- 1973 - Gretchen Wilson, American singer
- 1974 - Derek Jeter, American baseball player
- 1977 - Kubo Tite, Japanese cartoonist
- 1980 - Jason Schwartzman, American actor
- 1980 - Michael Vick, American football player
- 1985 - Urgyen Trinley Dorje, Tibetan spiritual leader
- 2005 - Princess Alexia of the Netherlands

Deaths

363 to 1899

- 363 - Julian the Apostate, Roman Emperor (killed in battle)
- 1291 - Eleanor of Provence, queen of Henry III of England
- 1541 - Francisco Pizarro, Spanish conqueror of Peru (murdered)
- 1688 - Ralph Cudworth, English philosopher (b. 1617)
- 1784 - Caesar Rodney, American lawyer and signer of the Declaration of Independence (b. 1728)
- 1793 - Gilbert White, English ornithologist (b. 1720)

1900 to 1999

- 1918 - Peter Rosegger, Austrian poet and Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1843)
- 1922 - Albert I, Prince of Monaco (b. 1848)
- 1939 - Ford Maddox Ford, English writer (b. 1873)
- 1943 - Karl Landsteiner, Austrian biologist and physician, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (b. 1868)
- 1947 - Richard Bedford Bennett, eleventh Prime Minister of Canada (b. 1870)
- 1957 - Alfred Döblin, German writer (b. 1878)
- 1958 - George Orton, Canadian athlete (b. 1873)
- 1958 - Andrija Štampar, Croatian physician and United Nations diplomat (b. 1888)
- 1964 - Gerrit Rietveld, Dutch architect (b. 1888)
- 1968 - Tony Hancock, English comedian (b. 1928)
- 1975 - St. Josemaría Escrivá, Spanish Catholic priest (b. 1902)
- 1984 - Michel Foucault, French literary theorist (b. 1926)
- 1993 - William H. Riker, American political scientist (b. 1920)
- 1997 - Israel Kamakawiwo'ole, Hawaiian singer (b. 1959)

2000 onwards

- 2002 - Jay Berwanger, American football player (b. 1914)
- 2003 - Marc-Vivien Foé, Cameroon footballer (b. 1975)
- 2003- Strom Thurmond, U.S. Senator (b. 1902)
- 2004 - Yash Johar, Indian film producer (b. 1929)
- 2005 - Richard Whiteley, British television presenter (b. 1943)

Holidays and observances

- The United Nations' Day in Support of Victims of Torture.
- Flag Day in Romania

External links

- [http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/june/26 BBC: On This Day] ---- June 25 - June 27 - May 26 - July 26 -- listing of all days ko:6월 26일 ms:26 Jun ja:6月26日 simple:June 26 th:26 มิถุนายน

Natural history

:For other meanings of "natural history", see Natural History "Natural history" is an umbrella term for what are now usually viewed as a number of distinct scientific disciplines. Most definitions include the study of living things (e.g. biology, including botany and zoology); other definitions extend the topic to include paleontology, ecology or biochemistry, as well as parts of geology, astronomy, and physics and even meteorology. A person interested in natural history is known as a naturalist. This was predominantly an amateur activity and not an occupation. The rise of interest in natural history in Britain is linked with the tradition of herbalists and apothecarians. This grew into specialist hobbies such as the study of birds, butterflies and wildflowers. In the 18th century and well into the 19th century, natural history as a term was frequently used to refer to all scientific studies, as opposed to political or ecclesiastical history. As such, the subject area would include all aspects of physics, astronomy, archeology, etc. This broad usage is still used for some institutions including museums and societies.

Famous natural history museums

The term "natural history" forms the descriptive part of institution names, such as the Natural History Museum in London, the Humboldt Museum für Naturkunde in Berlin, the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History in Washington D.C., the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh, the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture in Seattle, the Peabody Museum of Natural History in New Haven, and the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, which also publishes a magazine called Natural History. For more museums, see Natural history museums

Natural history societies

The term "natural history" alone, or sometimes together with archaeology, forms the name of many national, regional and local natural history societies that maintain records for birds (ornithology), mammals, insects (entomology) and plants (botany). They may also have microscopical and geological sections. Examples of these societies in Britain include the British Entomological and Natural History Society founded in 1872, Birmingham Natural History Society, Glasgow Natural History Society, London Natural History Society, Manchester Microscopical and Natural History Society established in 1880 and the Sorby Natural History Society, Sheffield, founded in 1918. The growth of natural history societies was also spurred due to the growth of British colonies in tropical regions with numerous new species to be discovered. Many civil servants took an interest in their new surroundings, sending specimens back to museums in Britain. (See also Indian natural history)

External links

- [http://www.nhm.ac.uk/ Natural History Museum, London]
- [http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~lnhsweb/ London Natural History Society]
- [http://freespace.virgin.net/clare.h/bnhs.htm Birmingham Natural History Society]
- [http://www.bnhs.org Bombay Natural History Society, India]
- [http://www.gnhs.freeuk.com/ Glasgow Natural History Society]
- [http://www.manchestermicroscopical.org.uk/ Manchester Microscopical & Natural History Society]
- [http://www.sorby.org.uk/ Sorby Natural History Society, Sheffield]
- [http://www.amnh.org American Museum of Natural History, New York]
- [http://www.washington.edu/burkemuseum/ Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, Seattle]
- [http://www.fieldmuseum.org/ Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago]
- [http://www.uri.edu/ce/rinhs/index.htm Rhode Island Natural History Survey] Category:Geology Category:Botany Category:Zoology Category:Biology Category:History of science ja:博物学

Selborne

Selborne is a village in Hampshire, England, about 50 miles from London, with a population of about 650. It is famous for its association with the 18th-century naturalist, Gilbert White (1720–1793), who wrote The Natural History and Antiquities of Selborne. First published in 1789, the book has not been out of print in over 200 years, and is one of the most widely published works in the English language after the Bible and Shakespeare. White is recognised as being the first naturalist or environmentalist. Most of his observations on wildlife remain pertinent, although he did have some strange theories; most notorious is his belief that not all swallows, martins and swifts migrated, but that some might hibernate instead, although he mocked the peculiar Swedish notion that swallows spent the winter beneath the surface of the local ponds. White was writing before seasonal migration was fully understood. White's home, The Wakes, has been converted into a museum, known as Gilbert White's House. This museum also contains the Oates Museum and family archive. This comprises an exhibition relating to the life of Captain Lawrence Oates, who died on Robert Falcon Scott's ill-fated expedition to Antarctica in the early twentieth century, and Frank Oates, his uncle. Frank Oates was an explorer and naturalist, who mounted expeditions in the late 19th century into East Africa and South America. The Wakes was substantially refurbished and updated in 2003–04. The costs of £1.3m were covered by a mixture of personal, institutional and charity grants amounting to 50%, matched by a grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. It is open throughout the year, attracting an annual average of 30,000 visitors. This turnover helps to support two pubs and a thriving village shop, which the resident population alone would make unviable. Many people combine their visit to The Wakes with one to the Jane Austen House in nearby Chawton. Selborne is surrounded by land owned by the National Trust and is distinguished by being recognised as an "Area of Outstanding National Beauty". As such, development is strictly controlled.

External links

- [http://www.selborne.parish.hants.gov.uk/ Selborne Parish Council]
- [http://www.selborne.net/ Selborne Village Hall] Category:Villages in Hampshire

Hampshire

Hampshire (abbr. Hants) is a county on the south coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county borders (clockwise from West), Dorset, Wiltshire, Berkshire, Surrey and West Sussex. The county is 1,455 square miles (3,769 km²) in size and at its widest points is approximately 55 miles (90 km) east-west and 40 miles (65 km) north-south. The county town is Winchester situated at . The 2001 census gave the population of the administrative county as 1.24 million; the ceremonial county also includes the cities of Portsmouth and Southampton, which are administratively independent, and has a total population of 1.6 million. Hampshire is a popular holiday area, with tourist attractions including its many seaside resorts, the maritime area in Portsmouth, and the motor museum at Beaulieu. The New Forest National Park lies within the borders, as does a large area of the South Downs, which is also scheduled to become a National Park. Hampshire has a long maritime history and two of England's largest ports lie on its coast. The county is famed as home of the writers Jane Austen and Charles Dickens.

Physical geography

Hampshire's geology falls into two categories. In the south, along the coast is the "Hampshire Basin", an area of relatively non-resistant Eocene and Oligocene clays and gravels which are protected from sea erosion by the Isle of Purbeck, Dorset, and the Isle of Wight. These low, flat lands support heathland and woodland habitats, a large area of which form part of the New Forest. The New Forest has a mosaic of heathland, grassland, coniferous and deciduous woodland habitats that host diverse wildlife. The forest is protected as a national park, limiting development and agricultural use to protect the landscape and wildlife. Large areas of the New Forest are open common lands kept as a grassland plagioclimax by grazing animals, including domesticated cattle, pigs and horses, and several wild deer species. Erosion of the weak rock and sea level change flooding the low land has carved several large estuaries and rias, notably the 12 mile (19 km) long Southampton Water and the large convoluted Portsmouth Harbour. The Isle of Wight lies off the coast of Hampshire where the non-resistant rock has been eroded away forming the Solent. In the north and centre of the county the substrate is the Southern England Chalk Formation of Salisbury Plain and the South Downs. These are high hills with steep slopes where they border the clays to the south. The hills dip steeply forming a scarp onto the Thames valley to the north, and dip gently to the south. The highest point in the county is Pilot Hill, which reaches the height of 286 m (938 ft). The downland supports a calcareous grassland habitat, important for wild flowers and insects. In the past Hampshire had little arable agriculture, but in the early 20th century the demand for food led to the establishment of farms on the downs. A large area of the downs are now protected from further agricultural damage by the East Hampshire Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty The Itchen and Test are trout rivers that flow from the chalk through wooded valleys into Southampton Water. Hampshire has a milder climate than most areas of the British Isles, being in the far south with the climate stabilising effect of the sea, but protected against the more extreme weather of the Atlantic coast. Hampshire has a higher average annual temperature than the UK average at 10.2 °C to 12 °C , average rainfall at 741–1060 mm per year , and higher than average sunshine at over 1541 hours per year .

History

The chalk downland of the South Downs and southern edges of Salisbury Plain were settled in the neolithic, and these settlers built hill forts and may have farmed the valleys of Hampshire. Hampshire was part of an area named Gwent or Y Went by the Celts, which also covered areas of Somerset and Wiltshire. In the Roman invasion of Britain, Hampshire was one of the first areas to fall to the invading forces. The county was occupied by Jutish tribes until Saxon times. Hampshire was one of the first Saxon shires, recorded in 755, but for two centuries represented the western end of Saxon England, as advances into Dorset and Somerset were fought off by the Britons. After the Saxons advanced west Hampshire became the centre of the Kingdom of Wessex, and many Saxon kings are buried at Winchester. A statue in Winchester celebrates the powerful King Alfred, who stabilised the region in the 9th century. 9th century After the Norman Conquest the county was favoured by Norman kings who established the New Forest as a hunting forest. The county was recorded in the Domesday Book divided into 44 hundreds. From the 12th century the ports grew in importance, fuelled by trade with the continent, wool and cloth manufacture in the county, and the fishing industry, and a shipbuilding industry was established. Over several centuries a series of castles and forts were constructed along the coast of the Solent to defend the harbours at Southampton and Portsmouth. These include the Norman Portchester Castle which overlooks Portsmouth Harbour, and a serious of forts built by Henry VIII including Hurst Castle, situated on a sand spit at the mouth of the Solent, Calshot Castle on another spit at the mouth of Southampton Water, and Netley Castle. Southampton and Portsmouth remained important harbours when rivals, such as Poole and Bristol declined, as they are amongst the few locations that combine shelter with deep water. Southampton has been host to many famous ships, including the Mayflower and the Titanic, the latter being staffed largely by Hampshire natives. Hampshire played a large role in World War II due to its large Royal Navy harbour at Portsmouth, the army camp at Aldershot and the military Netley Hospital on Southampton Water, as well as its proximity to the army training ranges on Salisbury Plain and Purbeck. Supermarine, the designers of the Spitfire and other military aircraft, were based in Southampton, which led to severe bombing of the city. Aldershot remains one of the British Army's main permanent camps. British Army The county has in the past been called "Southamptonshire" and appears as such on some Victorian maps. Its name was officially changed from 'County of Southampton' to 'County of Hampshire' on April 1, 1959. The short form of the name, often used in postal addresses, is Hants. The Isle of Wight and the Channel Islands have traditionally been treated as part of Hampshire for some purposes, but have been administratively independent for over a century, with the Isle of Wight obtaining a county council of its own in 1890. The Isle of Wight became a full ceremonial county in 1974. Apart from a shared police force there are now no formal administrative links between the Isle of Wight and Hampshire, though many organisations still combine Hampshire, Isle of Wight and the Channel Islands. The towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch also fall within the traditional county of Hampshire, but were ceded to Dorset in the local government reorganisation of 1974.

Economy

Dorset Hampshire is a relatively affluent county, with a Gross domestic product (GDP) of £22.9 billion (£16.3 billion when excluding Southampton and Portsmouth). This makes it the sixth largest economy in England, and is equal in size to the economy of Northern Ireland, making up 2% each of the economy of the UK as a whole. In terms of GDP per head Hampshire is just above the national average at 105% (37th highest in England), rising to 122% when including Southampton and Portsmouth. The highest GDP per head is Portsmouth at 144% of the national average . Portsmouth and Winchester have the highest job densities in the county, and there is therefore a high level of commuting into the cities. Southampton has the highest number of total jobs and commuting both into and out of the city is high. The county has a lower level of unemployment than the national average, at 1.9% when the national rate was 3.3%, and as of March 2005 has fallen to 1.1%. 39% are employed by large firms, compared to a national average of 42%. Hampshire has a considerably higher than national average employment in high-tech industries, but average levels in knowledge based industry. 25.21% of the population work in the public sector . Many rural areas of Hampshire have traditionally been reliant on agriculture, though the county was less agricultural than most surrounding counties, and was mostly concentrated on dairy farming. The significance of agriculture as an employer and wealth creator has declined since the first half of the 20th century and agriculture currently employs 1.32% of the population. The New Forest area is a National Park, and tourism is a significant economic segment in this area. The cities of Southampton and Portsmouth are both significant ports, with Southampton handling a large proportion of the national container freight and Portsmouth housing a large Royal Navy base. The docks have traditionally been large employers in these cities, though again mechanisation has forced diversification of the economy.

Demographics

Royal Navy At the Census 2001 the ceremonial county recorded a population of 1,644,249, of which 1,240,103 were in the administrative county, 217,445 were in the unitary authority of Southampton, and 186,701 were in Portsmouth. The population of the administrative county grew 5.6% from the 1991 census, Southampton grew 6.2% while Portsmouth remained unchanged, compared with 2.6% for England and Wales as a whole. Eastleigh and Winchester grew fastest at 9% each. The age structure of the population is similar to the national average. 96.73% of residents were indigenous, falling to 92.37% in Southampton. The significant ethnic minorities are Asian at 1.34% and mixed race at 0.84%. 0.75% of residents were migrants from outside the UK. 73.86% stated their religion as Christianity and 16.86% were not religious. Significant minority religions were Islam (0.76%) and Hinduism (0.33%).

Politics

Hampshire is divided into seventeen parliamentary constituencies. Ten of these are represented by Conservative MPs, four by the Liberal Democrats and three by Labour. Labour represent the large cities, including both Southampton constituencies (Test and Itchen) and Portsmouth North. The Conservatives represent the most rural constituencies, Aldershot, New Forest West, New Forest East, Hampshire North West, Basingstoke, Hampshire North East, Hampshire East, Havant, Gosport and Fareham. The Liberal Democrats represent Winchester, Romsey, Portsmouth South and Eastleigh, all centred around towns. At the 2005 local elections for Hampshire County Council the Conservative Party had a 43.69% share of the votes, the Liberal Democrats had 36.01% and Labour 16.08%. Therefore 46 Conservatives, 28 Liberal Democrats and four Labour councillors sit on the County Council . Southampton City Council, which is entirely independent, has 18 Liberal Democrat, 15 Labour and 15 Conservative councillors . Portsmouth City Council, also independent, has 20 Liberal Democrat, 18 Conservative, seven Labour and one independent councillor .

Cities, towns, and villages

Eastleigh Hampshire's county town is Winchester, a historic city that was once the capital of the ancient kingdom of Wessex. The port cities of Southampton and Portsmouth were split off as independent unitary authorities in 1997, although they are still included in Hampshire for ceremonial purposes. Fareham, Gosport and Havant have grown into a conurbation that stretches along the coast between the two main cities. The three cities are all university cities, Southampton being home to the University of Southampton and Southampton Solent University (formerly Southampton Institute), Portsmouth to the University of Portsmouth, and Winchester to the University of Winchester (formerly known as University College Winchester; King Alfred's College). Hampshire lies outside the green belt area of restricted development around London, but has good railway and motorway links to the capital, and in common with the rest of the south-east has seen the growth of dormitory towns since the 1960s. Basingstoke, in the north of the county, has grown from a country town into a business and finance centre. Aldershot, Portsmouth, and Farnborough have strong military associations with the Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force respectively. The county also includes several market towns; Andover, Bishop's Waltham, Lymington, Petersfield, Ringwood, Romsey, and Whitchurch. Towns by population size: (2004 est.)
- Southampton - 221,100
- Portsmouth - 188,700
- Havant - 116,300
- Fareham - 107,977
- Winchester - 35,200 For the complete list of settlements see List of places in Hampshire.

Culture, arts and sport

List of places in Hampshire Hampshire has literary connections, being the birthplace of authors including Jane Austen, Charles Dickens and Charles Kingsley. Austen lived most of her life in Hampshire, where her father was rector of Steventon, and wrote all of her novels in the county. Hampshire also has many visual art connections, claiming the painter John Everett Millais as a native, and the cities and countryside have been the subject of paintings by L. S. Lowry and J. M. W. Turner. Hampshire's relatively safe waters have allowed the county to develop as one of the busiest sailing areas in the country, with many yacht clubs and several manufacturers on the Solent. The sport cricket was largely developed in south-east England, with one of the first teams forming at Hambledon in 1750. Hampshire County Cricket Club today is a successful first-class team, captained by Shane Warne. Hampshire has several association football teams, the most successful being Premier League Portsmouth F.C. and Championship side Southampton F.C., which have traditionally been fierce rivals.

Transport

There is an international airport with its own rail station situated between Southampton and Eastleigh, Southampton Airport, and cross-channel ferries link the city to the Isle of Wight and European continent. The South Western Main Line railway from London to Weymouth runs through Winchester and Southampton, and the Wessex Main Line from Bristol to Portsmouth also runs through the county. The M3 motorway connects the county to London. The construction of the Twyford Down cutting near Winchester caused major controversy by cutting through a series of ancient trackways (the Dongas) and other features of archeeological significance. The M27 motorway serves a bypass for the major conurbations and as a link to other settlements on the south coast. Other important roads include the A3, A31 and A36. The county has a high level of car ownership, with 15.7% having no access to a private car compared to 26.8% for England and Wales. The county has a lower than average use of trains (3.2% compared to 4.1% for commuting) and buses (3.2% to 7.4%) but a higher than average use of bicycles (3.5% to 2.7%) and cars (63.5% to 55.3%) .

External links

- [http://www.thisishampshire.net Thisishampshire] Local news, sport & information
- [http://www.hampshire.gov.uk Hampshire County Council]
- [http://www.bbc.co.uk/hampshire BBC Hampshire]
- [http://www.steinsky.me.uk/hampshire.php Photographs of Hampshire]
- [http://www.hantsphere.org.uk/ Hantsphere local history]
- West, Ian, 2005. "[http://www.soton.ac.uk/~imw/ Geology of the Wessex coast and Southern England]", Southampton University.
- [http://www.hampshireonline.co.uk Hampshire news and information]
- [http://www.hampshire-hotels.info Directory of hotels in Hampshire]

Notes

# Met Office, 2000. [http://www.metoffice.com/climate/uk/averages/19712000/tmean/17.gif Annual average temperature for the United Kingdom]. # Met Office, 2000. [http://www.metoffice.com/climate/uk/averages/19712000/rr/17.gif Annual average rainfall for the United Kingdom]. # Met Office, 2000. [http://www.metoffice.com/climate/uk/averages/19712000/ss/17.gif Annual average sunshine for the United Kingdom]. # Hampshire County Council, 2002. [http://www.hants.gov.uk/profile/2002/profiles-21.html Economic factors]. # Hampshire County Council, 2004. [http://www.hants.gov.uk/factsandfigures/profileofhampshire-index.html Profile of Hampshire]. # Office for National Statistics & Hampshire County Council, 2003. [http://www.hants.gov.uk/census/ Census 2001 data] # Hampshire County Council, 2005. [http://election.hants.gov.uk/hwstate.aspx Local election results]. # Southampton City Council, 2005. [http://www.southampton.gov.uk/council/councillors/default.asp#0 Local election results]. # Portsmouth City Council, 2005. [http://www.portsmouth.gov.uk/yourcouncil/1121.html List of councillors]. # Hampshire County Council, 2005. [http://www.hants.gov.uk/factsandfigures/ Facts and Figures website].

References

# Encyclopædia Britannica, 1911. "[http://59.1911encyclopedia.org/H/HA/HAMPSHIRE.htm Hampshire]". # Draper, Jo. 1990. Hampshire. Wimborne: Dovecote Press. ISBN 0946159823 # Pigot & Co's Atlas of the Counties of England, 1840. London: J Pigot & Co.

Oriel College, Oxford

Oriel College (in full: The House of Blessed Mary the Virgin in Oxford commonly called Oriel College, of the Foundation of Edward the Second of famous memory, sometime King of England), located in Oriel Square, Oxford, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom and the last all-male college to admit women (1985).

History

Founded in 1324 by Adam de Brome, Rector of the University Church. Under the patronage of Edward II, he diverted the revenue of St Mary's to his college, which thereafter was responsible for appointing the vicar. De Brome's foundation of 1324 was confirmed by Edward II in a charter of 1326. Oriel is the fifth oldest of Oxford's colleges, and the oldest college that doesn't habitually claim it is the oldest college. The official name of the College is ‘the House of Blessed Mary the Virgin in Oxford commonly called Oriel College', the name Oriel being used from about 1349 which probably originated from a tenement known as Seneschal Hall or La Oriole granted to the college in 1327. The word oriel probably referred to either a balcony or oriel window forming a feature of the earlier property. In the 1830s, intellectually eminent Fellows of Oriel, John Keble, Thomas Arnold, and John Henry Newman, supported by Canon Pusey of Christ Church and others, formed a group known as the Oxford Movement, alternatively as the Tractarians, or familiarly as the Puseyites. The group were disgusted by the indolence prevailing in the Church, and they sought to revive the spirit of early Christianity.

First Quadrangle

Nothing survives of the original buildings, which were demolished when the quadrangle was built in the 17th Century. The south and west ranges and the clock tower were built around 1620 to 1622, the north and east ranges and the chapel buildings date from 1637 to 1642. King Charles I is commemorated on the portico of the hall entrance which has pierced stonework stating "REGNANTE CAROLO" (in the reign of Charles) and was completely rebuilt in 1897. The main facade is a classical E shape comprising the college chapel, hall and undercroft. High above the entrance to hall stands a statue of the Virgin Mary above two Kings: Edward II on the left, it is disputed who the other King is, but is probably either Charles I or James I. The oriel above the chapel door was used by John Henry Newman during his time as a fellow of the college, it now has modern stained glass commemorating Newman and his life. The chapel was consecrated in 1642 and still retains nearly all of its original fittings.

Second Quadrangle

Originally a garden, the demand for more accommodation resulted in two free standing blocks being built between 1720 and 1729. Further building were erected in the late 19th Century. The north range houses the Palladian library and senior common rooms - designed by James Wyatt, it was built between 1788 and 1796.

St Mary Hall/Third Quadrangle

The mediaeval rectory house of St Mary’s Church served as an annex to Oriel College upon its foundation. It steadily developed into an independent entity and in 1545 the door between St Mary Hall and Oriel College was blocked up. The Hall took on its own lecturers but the Principals of St Mary Hall continued to be Fellows of Oriel for another hundred years. By 1875 its undergraduate body had risen to 60, a large number at that time. In 1902, the Hall was incorporated into Oriel College, though some remnants of the relationship still exist - the post of Vicar of St Mary's Church carries dining rights at Oriel. The building pictured in the infobox is the [http://www.headington.org.uk/oxon/high/tour/south/095_101.htm Rhodes Building], built in 1911. It was designed by Basil Champneys and stands squarely on the site of the Principal's house, on the High Street. Champney's first proposal for the building included an open arcade to the High Street, a domed central feature and ballustraded parapet. The left hand block and much of the centre centre was to be given up to a new Provost's Lodging, and the five windows on the first floor above the arcade were to light a gallery belonging to the Lodging. The college eventually decided to retain the existing Provost's Lodging and demanded detailing "more in accordance with the style which has become traditional in Oxford". It became the last building of the Jacobean revival style in Oxford.

The "Island" site

A triangle of buildings, bordered by Oriel Street, King Edward Street (created by the college between 1872 and 1873), and Oriel Square. The site took six hundred years to acquire. Previously let for commercial ventures, it now is dominated by student accommodation. The Harris Building (formerly a real tennis court where King Charles I played tennis with his nephew Prince Rupert in December 1642 and King Edward VII had his first tennis lesson in 1859), is now given over to student accommodation and a fully functional theatre.

James Mellon Hall

James Mellon Hall (JMH) is Oriel's modern annexe, situated on Rectory Road and bordered by the Cowley Road. It was opened by Queen Elizabeth II on November 8, 2000. The site incoprorates a former nunnery, neighbouring buildings on Rectory Road and impressive purpose built halls of residence. Principally the choice of digs for Oriel's graduates and finalists, the site also has its own common rooms, squash court, gymnasium and support staff.

Oriel Street

The name "Oriel Street" was in use by 1850, from 1210 it was called "Schidyard Street", and between 1542 and 1772 it was known as St Mary Hall Lane.

The College arms

1772] 1772] In heraldic terminology: gules three lions passant guardant or within a bordure engrailed argent The arms of the College are basically those of the founder Edward II, the three gold lions of England. However, as no-one can bear another's arms unaltered, a silver border was added 'for difference'. The three feathers, often adopted by members of the College, can be found in decorations around college and is the motif on the college crested tie. It probably represents Edward, the Black Prince, however, it has been suggested that it stands for Charles I, who was Prince of Wales when the College was rebuilt in the seventeenth century. College colours are two white stripes on navy.

The College grace

"Benedicte Deus, qui pascis nos a iuventute nostra et praebes cibum omni carni, reple gaudio et laetitia corda nostra, ut nos, affatim quod satis est habentes, abundemus in omne opus bonum. Per Jesum Christum Dominum Nostrum, cui Tecum et Spiritu Sancto sit omnis honos, laus et imperium in saecula saeculorum. Amen." "Blessed God, who feeds us from our youth and provides food for all flesh, fill our hearts with joy and gladness, that we, having enough to satisfy us, may abound in every good work. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom with You and the Holy Spirit, be all honour, praise and power for all ages. Amen."

Student life

Oriel has a reputation for its success in rowing, in particular the two college rowing events Torpids and Eights Week. In 2005 they kept "Head of the River" in Torpids and rowed over second in Eights Week. Since 2001, Oriel College students have chosen not to be affiliated to the University-wide Students' Union, OUSU. The college has a reputation for students to be more Right-leaning than the other Oxford colleges. As well as rooms for accommodation, the buildings of Oriel include the [http://www.oriel.ox.ac.uk/chapel/history.htm Chapel], Hall, [http://www.oriel.ox.ac.uk/library/history.htm two libraries], a bar, and common rooms for dons, graduates and undergraduates. There are also sportsground and boat-house facilities. Accommodation is provided for all undergraduates, and for some graduates, though some accommodation is off-site. Members are generally expected to dine in hall, where there are two sittings every evening, one informal and one formal (where jackets, ties and gowns are worn). The Bar, situated underneath the Hall, serves food from mid morning and drinks in the evening. There is both a Junior Common Room (JCR), between Second and Third Quad, and a Middle Common Room (MCR), on the Island Site. The college lending library supplements the university libraries (many of which are non-lending), with over 100,000 volumes, it is one of the largest college libraries in the university. The library will purchase any book needed for the course. Most undergraduate tutorials are carried out in the college, though for some specialist papers undergraduates may be sent to tutors in other colleges. Croquet may be played in St Mary Quad in the summer as can bowls in the First Quad. The sportsground is mainly used for cricket, tennis, rugby and soccer. Rowing is carried out by the boat-house across Christ Church Meadow.

Notable former students

- William Cardinal Allen - Undergraduate 1547 to 1561, Fellow of the college from 1550 to 1561: Principal (St Mary Hall) from 1556 to 1561, Cardinal.
- Thomas Arundel - Undergraduate 1373: Chancellor of England and Archbishop of Canterbury. Opposed Richard II and crowned Henry of Bolingbroke as Henry IV.
- Bernard Bosanquet - Undergraduate 1896 to 1899: Triple Blues, English test cricketer.
- Alexander Hugh Bruce, 6th Lord Balfour of Burleigh - Scottish politician and statesman
- Beau Brummell - Undergraduate 1794: Dandy and arbiter of fashion.
- Joseph Butler - Undergraduate 1715 to 1718, graduate until 1733 : Bishop of Bristol and Dean of St Paul's Cathedral 1740, Bishop of Durham 1750.
- Baron Clements - Irish nobleman and politician.
- Peter Emery - Politician, privy councillor.
- Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron - Undergraduate 1710 to July 1713: friend and patron of George Washington.
- Edmund Fellowes - Undergraduate 1889 to 1892: Music editor/author on 16th and 17th English music.
- James Anthony Froude - English Historian and Regius Professor of Modern History, 1892 to 1894
- George Joachim Goschen, 1st Viscount Goschen - British statesman and businessman.
- William Grant - Scottish politician and judge.
- William Gerard Hamilton - English Statesman, Chief Secretary for Ireland 1761 to 1764.
- Renn Dickson Hampden - Bishop of Hereford 1847.
- James Hannington - Undergraduate 1868 to 1873: Missionary bishop.
- James Howard Harris, 3rd Earl of Malmesbury -