The Hall of Brasenose College The College Hall was first built in the early 16th century, on the south side of Brasenose’s front quadrangle, known as Old Quad. Since then, College members have dined in much the same Hall! This …

The Hall at BNC has a fascinating history - read all about it in the latest Brasenose College Archives blog right here:
brasenosecollegelibrary.wordpress.com/2026/04/20/t...

The winner will be announced at the Award Ceremony on 14th May 2026. Very best of luck Aditi, here’s hoping you’ll be bringing the award back to Brasenose!

Further details and a booking link to attend the event can be found on this page: www.torch.ox.ac.uk/event/oxford...

Congratulations to BNC DPhil student Aditi Upmanyu, whose story 'Bua' has been shortlisted for the Oxford-BNU Creative Writing Award 2026. Best of luck Aditi! 🤩
www.torch.ox.ac.uk/event/oxford...

Alumni Summer Party Venue Reveal YouTube video by Brasenose College Development Office

Tickets are now open for this year’s Brasenose Alumni Summer Party in one of London’s most remarkable historic settings....

www.youtube.com/watch?v=qW4j...

Tuesday 30 June 2026 | 6:30pm - 8:30pm.

BNC alumni: your invitation is now in your inbox.

Congratulations to comedy sketch group The Tiny Umbrellas, including BNC alumni Chess Nightingale and Kian Moghaddas, on winning the Hen & Chickens Theatre Choice Award at SketchFest! 👏🤩👍

Congratulations to all the Oxford rowers who took part in the 2026 Boat Race 👏🚣.

A special shoutout to the Oxford women’s crew on an incredible victory, their first since 2016! 💙

We look forward to next year's race!

#BoatRace #oxforduniversity

You can read a short biography of Alyson King here: www.bnc.ox.ac.uk/person/alyso... (8/8)

The College records its deep gratitude to John Bowers KC for his dedicated and distinguished leadership. Under his tenure, Brasenose has thrived, and the Governing Body, staff, and students thank him warmly for his energetic service. (7/x)

The selection process has been competitive and thorough, and at every stage Alyson has impressed with her vision, her ability to connect and her desire to understand what the College means for all its members. We are also thrilled that she will be the first woman in the role.” (6/x)

...to help ensure that all who study and work here flourish; and to sustain and celebrate the enduring bonds that define the Brasenose community.”

The Vice-Principal, Professor Anne Davies, said
“We are delighted to announce the appointment of Alyson as our next Principal.... (5/x)

On her election, Alyson said:
“Brasenose shaped both my intellectual outlook and my commitment to public service. I am honoured to return to lead a college defined by friendliness, openness and academic excellence; (4/x)

Her career has combined principled governance, inclusive leadership, and a sustained commitment to education, mentoring and public service.

Her first degree was in Jurisprudence at Brasenose. (3/x)

Alyson brings distinguished leadership experience from a senior career in diplomacy and public service. She is currently serving as His Majesty’s Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of Congo. (2/x)

Our next Principal: Alyson King

Brasenose College has elected Alyson King OBE as its next Principal. Alyson will take up her new post in October 2026, on the retirement of John Bowers KC. (1/x)

Dame Antonia Romeo appointed as first female Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Civil Service to drive change and implement the government’s agenda The appointment marks the first time a woman has held the role in its over 100 year history.

Huge congratulations to Dame Antonia Romeo (PPE, 1993) on her appointment as the first female Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Civil Service!
www.gov.uk/government/n...

Coming soon... The Varsity Match on
Saturday 28th February, with the Oxford line-up including Brasenose's very own Otis Walker (Geography, 2023) & Sophie Goodman (Physics, 2023) - wishing them the very best of luck! 🤩#ComeOnYouDarkBlues More details here
www.thevarsitymatches.com

Sanger scientist awarded Kovalenko Medal by National Academy of Sciences Professor Sir Mike Stratton receives the Jessie Stevenson Kovalenko Medal for his outstanding research in the medical sciences

Huge congratulations to BNC Honorary Fellow and alumnus Sir Mike Stratton (Physiological Sciences, 1976) on winning the 2026 Jessie Stevenson Kovalenko Medal for his outstanding research in medical sciences! www.sanger.ac.uk/news_item/sa...

The Treasury houses the College chest, which contained money and important documents (the beginnings of the Archives). Over time they outgrew the chest and eventually moved to the Muniment Room below - now the Library and Archives office! #EYAYourArchives #ExploreYourArchive

#ExploreYourArchive 2025 marked 80 years since the end of WWII. College was taken over by the military, and most BNC students moved to Christ Church. This is an image of sandbagging in 1939 from Principal Stallybrass’s photo collection. brasenosecollegelibrary.wordpress.com
#EYAAnniversaries

In 1974 Brasenose was one of the first 5 Colleges to admit women, and in fact we believe that we may have been the first College to vote for the change in 1967. This may have surprised the author of this poem in the Archives dated 1884 #EYAInclusion #ExploreYourArchive

For our 2009 Quincentenary the Chapel Choir made recordings of sheet music held in the Archives, now preserved in the digital archive. One of these was The Song of the Torpid by George Cunningham and Philip Morgan Watkins, members of the Boat Club. #EYADigital #ExploreYourArchive

Civic Trust Awards - Architectural Awards Scheme The Civic Trust Awards is the longest standing built environment awards scheme in Europe.

We are delighted that our Frewin Garden Building (the recently completed new student block) has been selected as a Regional Finalist for the 2026 Civic Trust Awards. Great work by Lee Fitzgerald architects, and everyone else involved in the project! 👏🤩

www.civictrustawards.org.uk

Despite a ban on pets recorded in the Vice-Principal’s Register of 1851, we have quite a few photos of pets in the Archives. One of these was the College tortoise. Here you can see it with the Brasenose Rugby XV in 1912 and 2nd Eight in 1913. #EYAPets #ExploreYourArchive #EYA

College Statutes outline governance proceedings and rules for conduct of members. Here you can see a copy of the statutes from 1681. Statute 20 urges College members to maintain silence during the reading of the Bible or other appointed book. #EYASilence #ExploreYourArchive #EYA

Registrum A records meetings of BNC Seniority from 1539-1594, and contains fragments of a C13th manuscript from a commentary on Aristotle’s Metaphysics by scholar Averroes, translated into Latin c.1220-1224 by Michael Scot. Find out more here brasenosecollegelibrary.wordpress.com #EYAMedieval #EYA

Cushions made for the consecration of the ‘new’ Chapel in 1666, bearing the arms of College founders Bishop William Smyth and Sir Richard Sutton, and the bill for making them. Read more here brasenosecollegelibrary.wordpress.com #EYABeauty #ExploreYourArchive #ExploreYourArchives

To kick off #ExploreYourArchive week, here is an 1889 drawing by the New Quad architect Sir Thomas Graham Jackson for gargoyles on the parapet, being cleaned by the National Conservation Service prior to repair #EYAConservation #ExploreYourArchives

brasenosecollegelibrary.wordpress.com

Tomorrow is the start of Explore Your Archives Focus Week! Over the next 7 days we’ll be posting a series of highlights from our collections based on the given themes. #ExploreYourArchive

brasenosecollegelibrary.wordpress.com

This Giving Day Meagan, MBA 2023, shares her favourite things about Brasenose and you can too! #bncgivingday

brasenose.givingday.co.uk

What makes Brasenose special to you? Let us know! #bncgivingday

brasenose.givingday.co.uk