Image of Detail from the Gate Tower, late 15th century
Detail from the Gate Tower, late 15th century

1496 to 1559

Founded on the former site of St Radegund's Priory in 1496, Jesus College became home to a small community of priests, choirmen, and scholars including the future Archbishop Cranmer.

The foundation of Jesus College

In June 1496 Bishop Alcock received royal authorisation for a new College which would take over the buildings and land of St Radegund’s priory. The College was officially known as the College of the Blessed Virgin Mary, St John the Evangelist and the Glorious Virgin St Radegund, but became commonly known as Jesus College.

In late medieval England colleges were small residential communities of priests and other clerics who, in return for free board and lodging and sometimes a stipend, celebrated Masses and other services of psalms, hymns, and prayers on behalf of other people, often members of wealthy families or guilds.

The intention was that the prayers would shorten the time that the subject's soul would spend in Purgatory making amends for a lifetime of sin. The Masses and other services were chanted, and so the colleges were known as chantry colleges, any chapels devoted solely to them as chantry chapels, and the endowments that supported those celebrating the services as chantries.

At Jesus College services were celebrated for the king, Henry VII (who had permitted the College's establishment), and other members of the royal family, for the bishop and his successors, and for other people who founded chantries there for themselves or their families. In 1547 there were six such chantries, each with its own altar in the chapel.

Members of the College often had duties other than church services, for example teaching, or running hospitals, almshouses, and hostels for travellers.

College members were usually expected to study theology or law (canon and civil) to qualify themselves for senior positions in the church or in government, often both.

At Jesus College the religious needs of the church were given priority: only one priest was allowed to study law rather than theology, and other staff were appointed to take on the duties of school master and assistant.

In 1516 Bishop Nicholas West placed the College on a firm legal footing by writing its first statutes.

The College buildings

During the College's first 20 years significant gifts from influential individuals including Sir Reginald and Lady Katherine Bray and Sir John Rysley allowed the remains of the priory church and the other buildings surrounding its cloister to be adapted and rebuilt.

The huge late 12th century Romanesque church was reduced to less than half its former size to allow the cloisters to be enlarged. It was recast in the Gothic Perpendicular style and became the College’s Chapel. The Chapel was rededicated to the Name of Jesus, a popular contemporary devotion which the pope had authorised the king’s mother to promote.

A stately brick entrance tower was built, containing living accommodation for both the Master of the College and the Master of the Grammar School, with an adjacent classroom and dormitory for the school. A fine new hall was built on the site of the former priory refectory and kitchen, while sets of rooms for Fellows were built where the chapter house, calefactory (common room), and dormitory had previously stood. A spacious library was built on the second floor on the opposite side of the cloisters, above other rooms.

All these buildings were decorated with Bishop Alcock’s heraldic device: a cock perched on an orb representing the world, a pun on the Bishop's name.

The early College community

The new Jesus College continued as a chantry College housing graduate students and a school for half a century.

Between 1549 and 1553, under the young Protestant king Edward VI, the traditional Catholic liturgy was replaced by services from the Books of Common Prayer. The College's six or seven priest Fellows or Scholars were assisted in singing chapel services by eight choristers or choirmen. The boys attended the grammar school and some of the choirmen studied in the University for their Bachelor of Arts degree

These were the only undergraduate members of the College. Some senior graduates, including the future Archbishop Cranmer, also lodged there.

At this time Jesus College was a small community with less than 50 residents, including boys attending the school, other lodgers, and the domestic staff: the cook, the barber, the laundry man, and the porter.

Hear from our students

  • Postgraduate at Jesus College

    Dolly

    Postgraduate

    I chose Jesus College because of the great mixture of undergraduates and postgraduates, and when I first visited I thought it was the most beautiful place I had ever seen! The sense of community in Jesus has had an enormous impact on my experience here. Whether you need help, advice, cheering up or even just a chat there is always someone there to put a smile on your face. From the MCR committee to the Porters, the canteen staff to the gardeners, everyone is so friendly and welcoming. Jesus also...

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    Postgraduate
  • Photograph of a postgraduate student

    Fiamma

    Postgraduate

    Jesus College, my home. I am truly grateful to be able to call Jesus College my second home. It was my preferred option when I first applied for my MPhil and I could not be happier to still be here during my PhD! There are many reasons why Jesus stands out from the other colleges: from its fantastic facilities to its glorious formal dinners and to its wonderful café and brewery room. The Quincentenary Library is a lovely place to study. It has many spaces to choose from and everything...

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    Postgraduate
  • Jesus College Postgraduate Student

    Imogen

    Postgraduate

    I chose Cambridge for my PGCE as it’s the leading UK institution for teacher training and Education, with an exciting, research-dominated, cutting edge course. The staff are welcoming and approachable, and make studying here an absolute joy. I’ve already completed one of my three primary school placements, in a reception class in a school just outside Cambridge, and am due to start the next one soon. I chose Jesus because of its reputation as a sporty College, but the proximity to the city centre is a big bonus. Jesus also...

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    Postgraduate
  • Photograph of a postgraduate student

    Ahsan

    Postgraduate

    It is a well-accepted opinion in Cambridge that Jesus College is the best college and no other college even comes a distant second. Its sports grounds are enormous, its buildings are mesmerising, its libraries are rich, its chapel is the oldest, its accommodation is the best value for money, its international community is diverse, its religious circles are the most welcoming, and its members are the smartest, kindest and the friendliest. It is one of the central colleges that aims to offer three years accommodation to postgraduates, and has comparatively...

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    Postgraduate
  • Photograph of a postgraduate student

    Tara

    Postgraduate

    Jesus College has all the benefits of being large, historical and prestigious college, whilst also retaining fantastic welfare: the staff and other students all care about each other, and will be there to cheer you on when you are thriving, but also there to support you if you need any help. I chose Jesus due to several reasons, including its prime location, where it is very central, and easy to access everywhere, even if you work in one of the institutes further out. I also selected Jesus for its MCR...

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    Postgraduate