It has been a feature of the history of Oxford that every college has, from time to time, come to the front as the special home and source of some movement.  There has never been the overshadowing concentration of men and of wealth, which has given a more one-sided direction to the history of Cambridge.  Hence the strength of the college system; every college has its traditions to live up to, its great names to cherish, and Wadham is, certainly, by no means last or least in these respects.

HERTFORD COLLEGE

“Outspake the (Warden) roundly: 
’The bridge must straight go down;
For if they once should get the bridge ...’”
MACAULAY, Horatius, adapted.

Academic bridges, over the Cam or elsewhere, are a great feature at Cambridge.  At Oxford they were unknown till this century, when University first of all threw its modest little arch over Logic Lane; later, in 1913. the “Bridge of Sighs,” which forms the subject of Plate XXIV, was completed.  There was a hard struggle before leave could be obtained from the City Council for thus bridging a public thoroughfare; University only maintained their claim to a bridge by a long lawsuit, in which the college rights were firmly established by the production of charters, which went back to the reign of King John.  The great opposition to the Hertford Bridge was said to be due to regard for the feelings of the old Warden of New College, who considered that it would injure the view of his college bell-tower.  Whether this story be true or not, Hertford obtained its permission at last, and Sir Thomas Jackson added a new attraction to Oxford’s buildings.  His genius has been especially shown in triumphing over the difficulties of the Hertford site, for it was no easy thing to unite into a harmonious whole, buildings so various; his new chapel—­ opened in 1908—­is worthy to rank with the best classic architecture in Oxford.

The variety of the Hertford buildings only reflects the chequered history of the foundations that have occupied them.  As early as the thirteenth century Hart Hall stood on this site.  In the eighteenth century this old hall was turned into a college by an Oxford reformer, Dr. Newton.  But unfortunately Newton’s endowments were not equal to his ambition, and the first Hertford College fell into such decay that finally its buildings were transferred to an entirely different foundation, Magdalen Hall.  Almost immediately afterwards, old Magdalen Hall, which stood close to Magdalen College, was burned down, and the society sold their site, thus made empty, to their wealthy namesake, and migrated, in 1822, to what had formerly been Hertford College.  Finally, in 1874, Magdalen Hall was re-endowed by the head of the great financial house of Baring as “Hertford College” once more.