Trinity College

Trinity College stands on Broad Street in Oxford, between Balliol College and Blackwell’s bookshop. The site once belonged to Durham College, a Benedictine foundation from the 13th century, until it was surrendered in the 16th century. Sir Thomas Pope bought the land in 1555 and created Trinity College as a place for prayer and learning. The college covers a large area but has only about 400 students, making it one of Oxford’s smaller colleges. Its buildings include four main quadrangles, a chapel, and gardens with a small wooded area. The blue iron gates on Broad Street give the entrance an open feel compared with other Oxford colleges. Trinity has produced three British prime ministers, placing it third among Oxford colleges for this achievement. The chapel, designed in the Baroque style, was completed in 1694 and is one of the first of its kind in Oxford. The college’s history includes a long rivalry with Balliol, marked by songs, raids, and pranks over the centuries. Films such as Brideshead Revisited and novels like The Last Enchantments used Trinity’s grounds as inspiration. The college became coeducational in 1979 after admitting its first women undergraduates. Visitors enter through the iron gates on Broad Street and walk into a series of quadrangles. The oldest, Durham Quadrangle, still contains parts of the medieval Durham College. The chapel’s west tower holds statues representing Astronomy, Geometry, Medicine, and Theology. The gardens include a lawn and a small wooded area, while the Old Library preserves books from the college’s early years. The rivalry with Balliol lives on in college folklore, adding a layer of tradition to the visit.