Nuffield College

Nuffield College stands on the site of the old Oxford Canal basin, west of the city centre near Oxford Castle. It is one of Oxford’s smaller colleges, founded in 1937 for graduates in social sciences. The college was the first in Oxford or Cambridge to admit both men and women from the start. It was also the first to focus solely on postgraduate study. Lord Nuffield gave both the land and £900,000 to build and endow the college. The college’s buildings were designed by Austen Harrison, who first proposed Mediterranean styles before switching to Cotswold-inspired forms. Construction began after the Second World War and finished in 1960. The tall tower houses the library and is the first new tower in Oxford for two centuries. Two quadrangles organise the college: one for living, the other for the dining hall, library and offices. The chapel has stained glass by John Piper. Nuffield’s fellows include leading economists, political scientists and sociologists. Among its alumni are former Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The college runs the Centre for Social Investigation and publishes the Nuffield Election Studies. Students share a Junior Common Room and take part in college sports and the annual ball. Free lunches are provided for all members throughout the year.