The Quadrangle

The Great Hall

Stained glass windows

The stained glass windows in the Great Hall are among the finest work of their kind in Australia.

At each end of the Hall is a great stained glass window. The western one represents Oxford University, and the eastern Cambridge. Each depicts portraits of figures associated with the founding of colleges within those universities, holding a replica of his or her college, with the arms of the college reproduced beside the figure.

In the alcove beside the dais are the royal windows, consisting of a large central panel on the north wall, with smaller ones high up on the east and west walls. They contain portraits of the rulers of England, together with their consorts, from William the Conqueror to Victoria.

The smaller windows along the side walls each present three portraits of men famous in literature, history, philosophy or science.

• View images of stained glass in the Great Hall.

— History

The windows of the Great Hall were the work of the London firm of Clayton and Bell.

The cost was largely defrayed by subscriptions collected in 1857 by Sir Charles Nicholson. Nicholson bore the cost of the Cambridge Window and several others the remainder (see below).

— Oxford (western) window (Subject - Founders of Colleges at Oxford)

• Alfred the Great, University College, 872.
• John de Balliol, Balliol College, 1263.
• Walter de Merton, Merton College, 1274.
• Walter de Stapleton, Bishop of Exeter, Exeter College, 1314.
• Queen Philippa, Queen's College, 1340.
• William de Wykeham, Bishop of Winton, New College, 1386.
• Richard Fleming, Bishop of Lincoln, Lincoln College, 1427.
• Archbishop C'nchele, AU Souls College, 1437.
• William of Waynflete, Bishop of Winton, Magdalen College, 1456.
• William Smith, Bishop of Lincoln, Brazenose College, 1509.
• Fox, Bishop of Winchester, Corpus Christi College, 1516.
• Cardinal Wolsey, Christ Church, 1526.
• Queen Elizabeth, Jesus College, 1571.
• Richard Wightwick, B.D., Pembroke College, 1624.

— Cambridge (eastern) window (Subject - Founders of Colleges at Cambridge)

• Bishop H. de Balsham, Peterhouse, 1257.
• Marie de S. Paul, Pembroke College, 1347.
• Eliz. de Clare, Clare Hall, 1326.
• John Caius, M.D., Caius College, 1348.
• Bishop Bateman, Trinity Hall, 1350.
• King Henry VI., King's College, 1441.
• Queen Margaret of Anjou, Queen's College, 1446.
• Robert Woodlark, D.D., St. Catherine's Hall, 1473.
• Bishop Alcock, Jesus College, 1496.
• Margaret Countess Richmond, Christ's and St. John's Colleges, 1505-1511.
• Baron Audley, Magdalen College, 1519.
• King Henry VIII., Trinity College, 1546.
• Sir W. Mildmay, Emmanuel College, 1584.
• Countess of Sidney, Sidney Sussex College, 1598.

— The royal windows (Subject: rulers of England, together with their consorts, from William the Conqueror to Victoria)

• William I and Matilda (1066 - 1087)
• William II (1087 - 1100)
• Henry I and Matilda (1100 - 1135)
• Henry II and Eleanor (1154 - 1189)
• Richard I and Berengaria (1189 - 1199)
• John and Isabella (1199 - 1216)
• Henry III and Eleanor (1216 - 1272)
• Edward I and Eleanor (1272 - 1307)
• Edward II and Isabella (1307 - 1327)
• Edward III and Philippa (1327 - 1377)
• Richard II and Anne (1377 - 1399)
• Henry IV and Mary (1399 - 1413)
• Henry V and Catherine (1413 - 1422)
• Henry VI and Margaret of Anjou (1422 - 1461)
• Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville (1461 - 1483)
• Edward V (murdered in the Tower) (1483 - 1483)
• Richard III and Anne (1483 - 1485)
• Henry VII and Elizabeth (1485 - 1509)
• Henry VIII and Catherine Parr (1509 - 1547)
• Edward VI (died aged 16) (1547 - 1553)
• Mary and Philip of Spain (1553 - 1558)
• Elizabeth I (1558 - 1603)
• Mary Queen of Scots (died 1587)
• James I and Anne of Denmark (1603 - 1625)
• Charles I and Henrietta Maria (1625 - 1649)
• Oliver Cromwell (Protector (1651 - 1658)
• Charles II and Catherine of Braganza (1660 - 1685)
• James II and Mary of Modena (1685 - 1688)
• William III (1689 - 1702) and Mary II (1689 - 1694)
• Anne and Pr George of Denmark (1702 - 1714)
• George I and Sophia (1714 - 1727)
• George II and Caroline (1727 - 1760)
• George III and Charlotte (1760 - 1820)
• George IV and Caroline (1820 - 1830)
• William IV and Adelaide (1830 - 1837)
• Queen Victoria (1837 - 1901)

— The smaller windows along the side walls (Subject - men famous in literature, history, philosophy or science)

• Window I, Anglo-Saxons
  — Venerable Bede (673-735)
  — Alcuinus (732-804)
  — Caedman (7th century)
• Window II, Schoolmen:
  — Roger Bacon (1220-1294)
  — Robert Groathead (1175-1253)
  — John Duns Scotus (1265-1308)
• Window III, Medieval writers
  — Chaucer (1340-1400)
  — Fortescue (1394-1476)
  — James I of Scotland (1394-1437)
• Window IV, Tudor writers:
  — Sir Thomas More (1478-1535)
  — Earl of Surrey (1518-1547)
  — Spenser (1552-1599)
• Window V, Dramatists:
  — Beaumont (1584-1616) & Fletcher (1579-1625)
  — Shakespeare (1564-1616)
  — Massinger (1586-1639) & Ford (1583-1640)
• Window VI, Elizabethan authors & men of affairs:
  — Sir Walter Raleigh (1552-1618)
  — Lord Francis Bacon (1561-1626)
  — Sir P Sydney (1554-1586)
• Window VII, 17th century:
  — Selden (1584-1654)
  — Milton (1608-1674)
  — Harvey (1578-1667)
• Window VIII, Early Augustan men of letters:
  — Dryden (1631-1700)
  — Pope (1688-1744)
  — Addison (1672-1719)
• Window IX, Science & Philosophy:
  — Boyle (1627-1691)]
  — Sir I Newton (1642-1727)
  — Locke (1632-1704)
• Window X, Late Augustan men of letters:
  — Gray (1716-1771)
  — Dr Johnson (1709-1784)
  — Burke (1729-1797)
• Window XI, 18th century investigation and law:
  — Dr Black (1728-1799)
  — Judge Blackstone (1723-1780)
  — Captain Cook (1728-1779)

— Donors

From the Senate report of 1861:

In allusions in former Reports to the expected arrival of the stained glass windows which now embellish the Hall, the deep sense entertained by the Senate of the munificent liberality of those Colonists by whom the windows were given, has been already expressed; the Senate, however, consider that in this Report, which records the completion and opening of the Hall to the beauty of which, the windows so largely contribute - the names of those to whom the University is indebted for them, ought not to be omitted. The following table is accordingly inserted, - shewing the subjects and the donors of the several windows:

• Western window: Donor: SIR CHARLES NICHOLSON, BART.
• Eastern window: Donor: SIR DANIEL COOPER, KNT.
• Royal windows: Donor: J. H. CHALLIS, ESQUIRE
• Side Window I - Donor: HENRY O'BRIEN, ESQUIRE
• Side Window II - Donor: CHARLES NEWTON, ESQUIRE
• Side Window III - Donor: EDWARD KNOX, ESQUIRE
• Side Window IV - Donor: WILLIAM LONG, ESQUIRE
• Side Window V - JOHN DOBIE, ESQUIRE
• Side Window VI - ROBERT FITZGERALD, ESQUIRE
• Side Window VII - A. MOSES, ESQUIRE
• Side Window VIII - JOHN REEVE, ESQUIRE
• Side Window IX - THOMAS BARKER, ESQUIRE
• Side Window X - HENRY AND ALFRED DENISON, ESQUIRES
• Side Window XI - THOMAS W. SMART, ESQUIRE

— Information

• 1861 Senate report
• Main Quadrangle Building, Conservation Plan:
  1. BASE CONSERVATION PLAN prepared by Orwell & Peter Phillips Architects and Wendy Thorpe
  2. SUPPLEMENTARY CONSERVATION PLAN ADVICE prepared by Barry Macgregor Architect Pty Ltd

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