Youngest and smallest of the colleges but by no means the runt of the litter, Mansfield sprung into being in Birmingham in 1838, but packed its satchel for Oxford half a century later. Outside it looks inspiring and spacious. Inside, the main Victorian buildings are set around the huge circular lawn. It used to be a Free Church centre and prides itself on traditionally being the source of many a minister. The atmosphere’s friendly, traditional nonconformist and much less less ‘keep out, mortal’ than some Oxford colleges and there’s a strong tradition of supplying hacks to the SU and journos to Cherwell.
| Sex ratio (M:F): 61:39 |
Founded: 1886 |
| Full-time u’grads: 193 |
Part-time: n/a |
| Postgrads: 56 |
Mature: n/a |
| State:private school: 66:34 |
International: n/a |
| Academic ranking: 28 |
Disabled: n/a |
'Black Bottle' bar, packed at the weekend; thespy, with annual Arts Fesival; eclectic film soc; handful of termly bops and bands in the JCR (cap. 225); Winter Ball every three years; cabaret; pool tables; games machines. Weekly ‘Bogsheet’. Two libraries (35,000 volumes, 72 study places, specialist law and theology libraries); 21 PCs with 24-hour access; internet access in all rooms on campus and 30 sockets in the library; specialist science-software packages. Greenish JCR with a charitable streak. Non-consecrated URC chapel. Tennis courts, basketball court; most sports amenities are run jointly with Merton College. Possibly thanks to its closeness to the River Cherwell, rowing’s popular and the College has its own boathouse (Mansfield was the home of Donald McDonald, the rower made famous(ish) by the film ‘True Blue’). Varied accommodation for all first and third years/finalists. Students eat in College dining halls except on Sundays. CCTV, night wardens, computerised entry. Ramps available; one room for a wheelchair user. College nurse; counselling team; women’s and LGBT officers; free attack alarms. Limited maintenance awards for those on the wrong side of the breadline and prizes for academic fireworks.
FAMOUS ALUMNI
Paul Crossley (concert pianist); C H Dodd, Albert Schweitzer (theologians); Philip Franks (actor); Guy Hands (übercapitalist); Donald McDonald (mutinous rower); Adam von Trott (almost Hitler's assassin).