All Souls College, Oxford

All Souls is an oddity, in that it has no students, consisting entirely of Fellows, i.e. academics who are full governing members of the College.

Every year, the top finalists of the University are invited to sit the examination for fellowship of the College. About two are elected to fellowship each year. Fellowship of All Souls is thus regarded as one of the highest academic honours in the United Kingdom.

History

The College of All Souls of the Faithful Departed, of Oxford, was founded by Henry VI of England and Henry Chichele (fellow of New College and Archbishop of Canterbury), in 1438. The Statutes provided for the Warden and forty fellows - all to take Holy Orders; twenty-four to study arts, philosophy and theology; and sixteen to study civil or canon law. Today the College is primarily an academic research institution.

Customs

Every hundred years there is a commemorative feast after which the fellows parade around the College with flaming torches, singing the Mallard song¹ and led by a "Lord Mallard" who is carried in a chair, in search of a fictional giant mallard that supposedly flew out of the foundations of the college when it was being built. The last mallard ceremony was in 2001 and the next will be held in 2101.

¹ Chorus: Hough the bloud of King Edward, By ye bloud of King Edward, It was a swapping, swapping mallard!

Fellows

• Isaiah Berlin
• Robin Briggs
• David Caute
• Sheppard Frere
• Michael Howard (historian)
• Susan Hurley
• Thomas Linacre
• Anthony Quinton
• John Redwood
• Peter Salway
• Gilbert Sheldon

Official Website

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