Once I was a clever boy learning the arts of Oxford... is a quotation from the verses written by Bishop Richard Fleming (c.1385-1431) for his tomb in Lincoln Cathedral. Fleming, the founder of Lincoln College in Oxford, is the subject of my research for a D. Phil., and, like me, a son of the West Riding. I have remarked in the past that I have a deeply meaningful on-going relationship with a dead fifteenth century bishop... it was Fleming who, in effect, enabled me to come to Oxford and to learn its arts, and for that I am immensely grateful.


Monday 13 June 2011

In Keble Hall


On Sunday evening I was a guest at dinner in the Hall at Keble College. Designed by William Butterfield and completed in 1878 it was deliberately built to be seven feet longer than the Hall at Christ Church, and like that structure, is on the first floor, and approached by an impressive staircase. It includes a musician's gallery half way along from which the choir sang the college grace at the beginning of dinner.

It underwent a major cleaning and restoration in 2003-4, which revealed the splendour of the stencilled ceiling. This was my first visit to the hall and it is a spectacular piece of Victorian High Church confidence.

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The view looking east
Image: Philosopher Queen on Flickr



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The view towards High Table

Image: Andrew Harrington on Flickr

Quite apart from all that it was a very convivial evening discussing the history of Pakistan with our host as well as, this being Oxford, plenty of church gossip.

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