Somerville College, Oxford

History

Somerville College was founded in 1879, in response to a growing demand to provide an Oxford education for women. Its founders named the College in honour of the Scottish mathematician and scientist Mary Somerville (1780-1872), and the Somerville family arms and motto (the notoriously untranslatable "Donec rursus impleat orbem") were adopted.  

Somerville alumnae have achieved an impressive number of “firsts”  - the first, and only, British woman to win a Nobel prize in science(Dorothy Hodgkin); the highest-ranking female officer of her time in the British intelligence services (the Queen of Spies, Daphne Park);  the first woman to lead the world’s largest democracy (Indira Gandhi); the first Indian woman barrister (Cornelia Sorabji) and the first woman Prime Minister of this country (Margaret Thatcher).

Countless others have forged path-breaking careers in academic life, politics, literature, science, law, business, education and the media.

Food & Beverage

Breakfast is only included in the room rate where stated.

(Breakfast is not included in Room Only Bookings).

Although this can be purchased (Cash only) at the student servery between 8.00am – 9.00am (Mon to Fri only)

Breakfast, when included, is self-service, with a wide range of hot and cold food, available from 08.00 to 09.00 in the grand first floor Dining Hall which has views across the main quad. With Somerville being one of the former women's colleges, the dining hall, which comfortably seats 200, has wooden chairs rather than benches on which to sit.

Grounds & Gardens

The magnificent gardens are available for guests to enjoy and garden benches are provided for you to relax when the weather's suitable, and you are allowed to walk on the lawns.

Other facilities

Free Wi-Fi internet access is available using the cloud network. The Cloud is a 3rd party service and support for users is only available from the Cloud via http://www.thecloud.net/  (No telephone support is available from the Cloud).

All bedrooms have tea and coffee making facilities.

The Porters' Lodge is staffed 24 hours a day.