| Description | This collections contains the papers of Campion Hall, Oxford, from early deeds of the land, through its foundation in 1896 up to 2021 photographs. While most of the archives of Campion Hall are held at the Hall itself, this collection includes some financial and property records, as well as a range of other documents related to its history, governance, events, news, art holdings, and more. |
| Admin_History | Campion Hall is one of four permanent Private Halls at the University of Oxford, founded by the Society of Jesus on 8 October 1896 at 11 St Giles Street. This was made possible by the Universities Tests Act of 1871, which allowed all men to undertake university degrees, positions, and open halls, not just those who were members of the Church of England. The Jesuits were the first Catholic body to open a private hall.
Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900) founded the hall on orders of his Superiors and was not only its first master but initial namesake, giving it the title Clarke’s Hall. Private halls were named for their masters, so it became in turn Pope’s (1900) and then Plater’s Hall (1916), after Fr John O’Fallon Pope SJ and Charles Dominic Plater SJ. However, in 1918, a statute at Oxford was passed allowing the establishment of Permanent Private Halls, as long as they had suitable provisions for permanent governance and were not-for-profit. It thus became Campion Hall, named for St Edmund Campion – Oxford University’s only Catholic saint and martyr.
Fr Martin Cyril D’Arcy SJ (1888-1975) was appointed Master in 1933 and was highly influential in its development. He sold the St Giles site to St John’s College and commissioned the architect Edwin Lutyens to design an impressive new home for Campion Hall on Brewer Street, with muralist Charles Mahoney tasked with decorating the new Lady Chapel. Evelyn Waugh gave the Hall the royalties from his biography of Campion, which were used to fund this decoration. The West Wing was completed in 1935, with the remainder finished in spring 1936.
In 1996, Campion Hall celebrated its centenary with a year of celebrations including exhibitions, lectures, and more. Originally opened for Jesuit undergraduates, today the Hall is for graduate students of all faiths. |