Whether this story be true or not, Hertford obtained its permission
at last, and Sir Thomas Jackson added a new attraction to Oxford's
buildings. His genius has been especially shown in triumphing over
the difficulties of the Hertford site, for it was no easy thing to
unite into a harmonious whole, buildings so various; his new chapel--
opened in 1908--is worthy to rank with the best classic architecture
in Oxford.
The variety of the Hertford buildings only reflects the chequered
history of the foundations that have occupied them. As early as the
thirteenth century Hart Hall stood on this site. In the eighteenth
century this old hall was turned into a college by an Oxford
reformer, Dr. Newton. But unfortunately Newton's endowments were not
equal to his ambition, and the first Hertford /College/ fell into
such decay that finally its buildings were transferred to an entirely
different foundation, Magdalen Hall. Almost immediately afterwards,
old Magdalen Hall, which stood close to Magdalen College, was burned
down, and the society sold their site, thus made empty, to their
wealthy namesake, and migrated, in 1822, to what had formerly been
Hertford College.
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