Which is the oldest Welsh academic institution?

Dr Owain James

There are a few institutions that can claim to be the oldest Welsh academic institution.

St David's College (later The University of Wales, Lampeter) was the oldest degree awarding institution in Wales. As such, it was the oldest institution of higher education in Wales (and the third oldest in England and Wales), receiving its first charter in 1828. From 1852 onwards, the college gained the right to award degrees in its own right. However, it was a college, and not a full university.

Another claimant to being the oldest Welsh academic institution is Wales' first fully fledged university, namely the University of Wales. This federal university, established in 1893, had three constituent colleges when it was founded – Aberystwyth, Bangor and Cardiff. The University of Wales could issue its own degrees - before that, these colleges awarded degrees from the University of London. Of these colleges, Aberystwyth is the oldest, founded in1872.

BUT there is another that can claim to be the oldest Welsh academic institution in my opinion - and perhaps a bit of a black horse considering this institution isn't even based in Wales!

Oxford University's Jesus College.

Jesus College has strong Welsh credentials.

Hugh Price, from Brecon, petitioned Elizabeth I to formally establish Jesus College, and was an early benefactor to the college. Hugh Price had supposedly asked Queen Elizabeth to establish the college so "that he might bestow his estate of the maintenance of certain scholars of Wales to be trained up in good letters." We could also go into Queen Elizabeth's own strong links to Wales (she may have even been able to speak Welsh!), but let's not get into that!
Between 1571 and 1915, only one Principal of the college was not from Wales or of Welsh descent. Francis Howell was the odd one out between 1657–1660 - three/four short years out of the college's first 344 years of existence. No university in Wales can boast a record like that!
Jesus College has held the university's professorship for Celtic Studies (Jesus Chair of Celtic) since 1876, and continues to hold this thanks to recent efforts made to maintain it

Apparently old members can still remember a time in the 20th century when the majority of the members were from Wales!

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And the links with Wales continue today.

In partnership with Seren, Jesus College runs summer schools for students from Wales
Around 15% of current students are from Wales, which is still very high
It continues with many of its Welsh traditions, such as its annual St. David's Day Dinner and its famous Watkin Williams-Wynn's Pudding - named after another Welshman of course!

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The University of Oxford's old links with Wales extend beyond Jesus College as well. Since 1886, the university has had a Welsh Society, Cymdeithas Dafydd ap Gwilym. It is one of the university's oldest societies. It was established before Wales had its own university in the form of the University of Wales!

You might be lucky enough to get some Watkin Williams-Wynn's Pudding here!

There are a few institutions that can claim to be the oldest Welsh academic institution.

BUT there is another that can claim to be the oldest Welsh academic institution in my opinion - and perhaps a bit of a black horse considering this institution isn't even based in Wales!

Oxford University's Jesus College.

Jesus College has strong Welsh credentials.

Hugh Price, from Brecon, petitioned Elizabeth I to formally establish Jesus College, and was an early benefactor to the college. Hugh Price had supposedly asked Queen Elizabeth to establish the college so "that he might bestow his estate of the maintenance of certain scholars of Wales to be trained up in good letters." We could also go into Queen Elizabeth's own strong links to Wales (she may have even been able to speak Welsh!), but let's not get into that!
Between 1571 and 1915, only one Principal of the college was not from Wales or of Welsh descent. Francis Howell was the odd one out between 1657–1660 - three/four short years out of the college's first 344 years of existence. No university in Wales can boast a record like that!
Jesus College has held the university's professorship for Celtic Studies (Jesus Chair of Celtic) since 1876, and continues to hold this thanks to recent efforts made to maintain it

Apparently old members can still remember a time in the 20th century when the majority of the members were from Wales!

‍

And the links with Wales continue today.

In partnership with Seren, Jesus College runs summer schools for students from Wales
Around 15% of current students are from Wales, which is still very high
It continues with many of its Welsh traditions, such as its annual St. David's Day Dinner and its famous Watkin Williams-Wynn's Pudding - named after another Welshman of course!

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Mae mwy nag un sefydliad sy’n gallu honni mai nhw yw’r sefydliad academaidd Cymreig hynaf.

Coleg Dewi Sant (Prifysgol Cymru, Llanbedr Pont Steffan yn ddiweddarach) oedd y sefydliad dyfarnu graddau hynaf yng Nghymru. O'r herwydd, hwn oedd y sefydliad addysg uwch hynaf yng Nghymru (a'r trydydd hynaf yng Nghymru a Lloegr), gan dderbyn ei siarter gyntaf yn 1828. O 1852 ymlaen, enillodd y coleg yr hawl i ddyfarnu graddau yn ei rinwedd ei hun. Fodd bynnag, coleg ydoedd, ac nid prifysgol lawn.

Un arall sy’n gallu hawlio bod y sefydliad academaidd Cymreig hynaf yw prifysgol gyflawn gyntaf Cymru, sef Prifysgol Cymru. Roedd gan y brifysgol ffederal hon, a sefydlwyd ym 1893, dri choleg cyfansoddol pan gafodd ei sefydlu – Aberystwyth, Bangor a Chaerdydd. Gallai Prifysgol Cymru gyhoeddi ei graddau ei hun. Cyn hynny, dyfarnodd y colegau hyn raddau o Brifysgol Llundain. O'r colegau hyn, Aberystwyth yw'r hynaf, a sefydlwyd yn 1872.

OND mae yna honiad arall i fod y sefydliad academaidd Cymreig hynaf yn fy marn i – un annisgwyl o ystyried nad yw’r sefydliad yma hyd yn oed wedi ei leoli yng Nghymru!

Coleg yr Iesu, Prifysgol Rhydychen.

Mae gan Goleg Iesu gysylltiadau Cymreig cryf.

Deisebodd Hugh Price, o Aberhonddu, Elisabeth I i sefydlu Coleg Iesu yn ffurfiol, a bu'n gymwynaswr cynnar i'r coleg. Mae'n debyg bod Hugh Price wedi gofyn i'r Frenhines Elisabeth sefydlu'r coleg "fel y gallai roi ei ystâd o gynnal rhai ysgolheigion o Gymru i gael ei hyfforddi mewn llythyrau da." Gallem hefyd fynd i mewn i gysylltiadau cryf y Frenhines Elizabeth ei hun â Chymru (efallai ei bod hi hyd yn oed yn gallu siarad Cymraeg!), ond well i ni beidio â mynd i mewn i hynny!
Rhwng 1571 a 1915, dim ond un Prifathro yn y coleg nad oedd yn dod o Gymru nac o dras Gymraeg. Francis Howell oedd yr eithraid rhwng 1657–1660 – tair/pedair blynedd fer allan o 344 mlynedd cyntaf y coleg. Ni all unrhyw brifysgol yng Nghymru frolio record felly!
Mae Coleg yr Iesu wedi cynnal Athro Astudiaethau Celtaidd y brifysgol (Cadair Celtaidd Iesu) ers 1876, ac mae’n dal i wneud oherwydd ymdrechion diweddar i’w gynnal
Mae’n debyg bod hen aelodau’n dal i gofio adeg yn yr 20fed ganrif pan oedd y mwyafrif o’r aelodau o Gymru!

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Ac mae’r cysylltiadau â Chymru yn parhau heddiw.

Mewn partneriaeth â Seren, mae Coleg yr Iesu yn rhedeg ysgolion haf i fyfyrwyr o Gymru
ae tua 15% o’r myfyrwyr presennol yn dod o Gymru, sy’n dal yn uchel iawn
Mae’n parhau gyda llawer o’i thraddodiadau Cymreig, megis ei Ginio Dydd Gŵyl Dewi blynyddol â’i Pwdin Watkin Williams-Wynn enwog _-wedi ei enwi ar ôl Cymro arall wrth gwrs!

Mae hen gysylltiadau Prifysgol Rhydychen â Chymru yn ym estyn y tu hwnt i Goleg Iesu hefyd. Ers 1886, mae gan y brifysgol Gymdeithas Gymraeg, Cymdeithas Dafydd ap Gwilym. Mae'n un o gymdeithasau hynaf y brifysgol. Fe'i sefydlwyd cyn i Gymru gael ei phrifysgol ei hun ar ffurf Prifysgol Cymru!