University of Aldesey

The University of Aldesey

Seal of the University of Aldesey
Latin: Universitas Lendartiensis apud Aldesiam
Type	Public
Established	1256
Religious affiliation	Church of Nortend
Endowment	£100 million
Chancellor	Lord Bishop of Chepingstow
Vice-Chancellor	Martin de Hazels
Students	9,000
Location	Lendert-with-Cadell , Great Nortend
Languages	English, Latin, Greek
Colours

The University of Aldesey, formally the Chancellour, Masters and Scholars of the University of Lendert at Aldesey (Latin: Universitas Aldesiensis or Chancellarius, Magistri et Scholares Universitatis Lendartiensis apud Aldesiam) is an ancient collegiate university in Great Nortend located in Lendert-with-Cadell. To-day, the University consists of four faculties, eight schools and twenty four houses with a broad academic focus on the liberal arts. In 2018, there were around 9,000 students studying at the University. Graduates of the University occupy an exclusive and prestigious place in Erbonian society, forming the majority of lawyers, physicians, clergymen, academics, politicians, nobility, research scientists, military officers, senior civil servants and schoolteachers.

History

The University developed out of the monastic school of Lendert Abbey in the 10th and 11th centuries. In 1256, Edmund IV granted a charter to establish a university in Lendert to the Lord Bishop of Chepingstow, who held ordinary jurisdiction over the city until the creation of the see of Lendert. Instead of its original location in the close of the Abbey, the new University of Lendert settled on Aldesey, which was then a small village upon two islands in the Wessert to the west of the main city. Non-monastic scholars were prevented from living with the scholars of St. Peter (which formed the modern Coggeshall), and instead attached themselves to the parish church of St. Mary the Virgin, whose rector obtained a charter in 1264 to found Ladyhall.

Sampser Reforms

In the 19th century, it was increasingly recognised that the University was failing to advance learning and science, especially in the arts. In particular, the lack of further formal courses of study in the arts resulted in the University's declining importance in the burgeoning fields of natural philosophy and history. Lord Sampser was appointed in 1878 by Parliament to undertake a wholesale reform of the University, leading to the publication of the Sampser Report which recommended the establishment of the degrees of Bachelor and Doctor of Science and of Letters within the Faculty of Arts which occured in 1883 with the passage of the University Act. Furthermore, the practice of termly written examinations was formalised, among other sundry reforms.

Lady students

Women had been permitted to attend lectures on an informal basis since the late 19th century, with earlier precedents including the mediaeval education of nuns and abbesses. However, being unable to take examinations or degrees, this arrangement was widely seen as insufficient for a formal education system. In 1923, in a plan to improve the standard of female education and schoolmistresses, the Crown enacted the Ladies’ University Halls Act which allowed for the establishment of houses of residence for lady students at the University. The next year, St. Elisabeth’s Hall was founded with a Governess and twenty ladies. Despite the admission of women, it was still thought that degrees and membership of the University ought to remain exclusively for men, and therefore the first woman to complete the Arts course received the title of Lady of Arts in 1927. The first Mistress of Arts was created in 1932.

Organisation

The new Physic School and Teaching Hospital at the University.

The governing body of the University is the Great Congregation, comprising all Masters of Arts and Doctors of Science, Letters, Music, Physic, Laws or Divinity. The Congregation votes on the University's statutes and exercises control over academic matters such as examinations, rustication, matriculation, curricula and teaching, as well as graces, dispensations and degrees. Congregation normally meets only every three years and delegates its powers to the smaller Lesser Congregation, or Convocation of Regent Masters, which has power over academic matters. Statutes are deliberated upon by Convocation, and if agreed to, referred back to Congregation.

The University also consists of the four faculties, being those of Arts, Laws, Physic and Divinity. Within the Faculty of Arts are the sub-faculties of Letters and Science, the former consisting of the schools of Languages, Music, Philosophy and History, and the latter the schools of Mathematics, Astronomy, Natural Philosophy (Physics and Chemistry) and Natural History (Biology and Geology). Unusually, the Faculty of Laws includes the schools of Economics and Politics, as well as the schools of Civil Law and Canon Law. The faculties are responsible for the lecturing, research and examination of students.

Parallel to the faculties are the twenty four houses of scholars — each either a college or a hall — which are independent of the University and responsible for the lodging, tutelage and nourishment of their students. The houses are separated into three nations, although these are of little importance. Students are admitted to a house through the process of matriculation and thereby become members of the University in statu pupillari. Henceforth, they are bound by the University's statutes which are enforced by the University's proctors, constables and beadles, who have the power to fine and confine, and in extreme cases, to rusticate or ban (expel).

Location

The University is located to the west of Lendert-with-Cadell, one mile from St. Michael’sgate. The main University sites form a generally cohesive district centred on the two Upper and Lower Eyotes on the Wessert. The Church of St. Peter is the main church on Upper Eyote and serves as the site of most smaller University ceremonies. Coggeshall, Ladyhall, Canonshall, Gosthall and Middlehall have their main house on the Eyotes, as well as the Old Arts School, the Old Laws School and the Divinity School. The rest of the Eyotes are made up of sundry housing and shops and the church The rest of the halls, colleges and University buildings are located on the outer banks of the Wessert. Along the Lither, where rowing is practised, is a large swathe of open pasture, meadow and parkland owned by the various academic and religious houses. The precincts of the University, within which University statutes, proctors and constables have jurisdiction, are the parishes of St. Mary the Virgin, St. Peter ad Vincula, All Hallows and All Souls, Holy Ghost and St. Andrew.

Academic profile

Admission

Prospective students apply to matriculate by application to the houses of scholars, generally on the basis of good results in the Exhibition Examinations. These are public examinations taken at the end of the Sixth Form to prove scholastic competence and potential entitlement to a Crown Exhibition. However, as passing the Exhibitiones is not a prerequisite to admission, houses may admit students at their discretion. Several houses restrict admission either partially or fully to students from particular schools. Furthermore, many matriculate international students, although not all, on the basis of a separate Matriculation Examination. This examination may also be taken by state school pupils, and older candidates, in theory, but it is quite rare.

Arts degrees

View inside St. Michael’s Chapel, at Middlehall.

An degree in the Arts is the only initial, or undergraduate, degree offered by the University of Aldesey. The curriculum for the Arts involves attendance at lectures, supplemented with repetitions (tutorials) and disputations. A disputation was originally a kind of formal debate. It is nowadays always delivered in written form, either short or long. A short disputation is akin to an ordinary academic essay, while a long disputation is similar to an academic thesis. For such, students are also required to write an abstract or summary in Latin. Lectures for undergraduates are given by regent masters and involve exposition and instruction of the subject matter, as well as questions and discussion. Examination at the University is typically by a written paper and viva voce examination, often in Latin. Collections are college examinations taken at the beginning of a term to assess previous term learning. They do not contribute to one’s final degree.

After Matriculation, a student is known as a Freshman in his first year and a Sophister in his second. Over two years, the student hears eight compulsory lectures on „Science” and „Letters”, the former covering Logic and Mathematics and the latter Classical Literature and History. At the end of his first and second years, he „responds” by undertaking his First and Second Responsions (also known as the „Littles”). In his third and fourth years, the student (then known as a Junior or Senior Questionist) hears eight lectures offered in any of the various schools of the University leading to one of the several fixed „Moderations”. At the end of his third and fourth years, the student takes his First and Second Moderations (also known as the „Greats”). He may then seek to „determine” and be admitted to his Bachelor of Arts degree. Although students must pass Responsions, degrees are classed solely based on results in the Moderations — bene, melius or optime — having moderated well, better or best. The best student in the year of each Moderation is titled the Junior or Senior Optimas.

Bachelors wishing to incept later as Master of Arts must keep a further four years. This simply involves paying the requisite fees, except that the Bachelor is required to reside for his final Easter term. At the end of Easter term, the Bachelor gives a formal disputation known as his Quodlibetica, after which he is licensed to incept as Master of Arts at Commencement (Comitia) during Whitsun term. Alternatively, the Bachelor may wish to read for a higher degree.

Higher degrees

The higher faculties are those of Laws, Physic and Divinity, in which the University admits students to bachelor's degrees and doctorates. Furthermore, higher study in the Faculty of Arts is possible in either Science or Letters. By ancient statute all students in higher faculties must have incepted as Master of Arts first before graduating with their higher degree. Study for a taught higher bachelor's degree involves attending lectures and taking the Generales and Particulares examinations at the end of the second and fourth years respectively, while a degree by research involves a Quodlibetica thesis and dissertation.

After attaining bachelorhood, the bachelor may seek to obtain a doctorate after up to another period of study or research. Like for a Master of Arts' Quodlibetica, the Bachelor produces a formal thesis and dissertation known as the Sollempnes. Thereafter he may incept as a Doctor.

University Press

The University is one of the oldest publishers in Great Nortend, having held the right to produce and print books and publications since the 16th century. As the official printer of the Church of Nortend, it has the sole right to print (as opposed to engross) copies of the Holy Bible in the country in Cardinal Frympell’s translation and other liturgical and books such as the Book of Hours and the Book of Masses according to the use of the Church of Nortend, and official catechisms, sermons, homilies, commentaries, patristic works and the like. In addition to its ecclesiastical publications, the University publishes academic and scholarly works including dictionaries of English, Latin and Greek, and histories, companions, compendia, textbooks and academic books for the University and broader use. A highly comprehensive set of classical and mediaeval texts are published by the University, both in original language and in facing translation.

Student life

Houses

Punts on the Lither at Jesus Bridge.

Outside of lectures, students generally spend the majority of their time in their houses, of which the University has twenty four. House traditions form the distinct university culture at the University as each student is a member of a college or hall and is required to live „in college” or „in hall” during the academical terms of residence. Furthermore, students attend weekly repetitions and disputations in their houses, in addition to eating communally in hall. Attending daily prayers in each house’s chapel is a requirement under Statute, and a requirement in order to „keep term” in residence for the purpose of qualifying for degrees.

Each house has its own college or hall colours, songs, celebrations and sporting teams. The main sports are academic fencing and boating (rowing), although school games such as stinning, fives and cricket continue to be popular recreations. Punting is also a popular pastime on the Lither. Each college and hall also has its own Officer Cadet company, for students completing muster service.

House name	Date of founding	Affiliation	Founded by
Coggeshall	1256	Benedictines	Edward de Groive
Ladyhall	1264		Bernard de Aldesey
Canonshall	1273	Dominicans	Henry de Ledden
Gosthall	1280	Dominicans	Hartmold III
Middlehall	1371
Old College	1390		Prior of Chepingstow Minor
Jesus Hall	1422	Cistercians	Abbot of Sulthey
Maudlyn Hall	1422	Franciscans
Rhighton College	1432	Benedictines	Walther, Lord Abbot of Rhighton
Allhallowhall	1405	Allord College	Charles I
West College	1493	Benedictines
Godchrist College	1500	Cistercians
Andershall	1511
Trinity College	1533		Elisabeth, Duchess of Caune
Mancourt College	1533		Elisabeth, Duchess of Caune
Clairiddel College	1573		Sir William de Clare
Lucy Hall	1487	Siel School	John, Count of Siel
Wistfin College	1610	Limmes School	Henry de Wistfin, Lord Bishop of Scode
Polchard College	1623	Chepingstow School	John de Polchard, Lord Mayor of Chepingstow
Cardey College	1629	Echester School	Richard de Cardey, Lord Bishop of Echester
New College	1685	Dominicans
Flemey College	1793	Rhise School	Nicholas, Duke of Flemey
Prince's College	1827		Prince Henry of Anthord
King's College	1945		Edmund IX

Academical dress

The academic dress of a Master of Arts.

Students in residence and within the precincts of the University are required to wear academical dress whenever in public, as well as at lectures, in hall and at chapel. For most students, this means wearing the academical square cap and the academical gown. Academical dress is not required when on college or hall premises. At formal university ceremonies such as examinations, ceremonies and graduation, academical dress is worn with subfuscus dress, meaning a black tailcoat, white waistcoat and academical bands. Hoods are worn on certain occasions, being in chapel and at some ceremonies. The hood of a Bachelor of Arts is in winter black stuff lined in white budge (lambswool) or rabbit and in summer black stuff lined in white stuff. The hood of a Master of Arts is in winter black corded silk lined in white miniver or lettice or ermine and in summer black corded silk lined in white corded silk. Higher bachelors and doctors have festal and ordinary hoods (and gowns) winter lined as for the Master of Arts except that Bachelors and Doctors of Divinity have hoods lined in black budge, grys or sable respectively. In summer, the silks are deep violet, deep grey, crimson, pale pinkish grey and black respectively for Science, Letters, Physic, Laws and Divinity.

Ceremonies

The major university ceremonies are that of Matriculation, Determination and Commencement. Matriculation occurs within each house, and involves a symbolic tonsure and signing one’s name „on the books”. The ceremony confers membership of the house and a minor clerical state. Inter alia, each matriculand is required to swear an oath and subscribe to the confession of the Church of Nortend before proceeding to matriculate. Students who refuse to take the oath cannot matriculate, although in special cases, such as foreign students, they can still be „admitted to read”, similar to lady students. Such admitted students cannot graduate ordinarily, but by letters patent from the Crown, as with lady students.

Determination refers to the historical practice of completing the formal disputation required for the degree of Bachelor of Arts. Nowadays, in the Lent term after passing his final Second Moderations, Congregations are held whereat after supplicating, a graduand is presented to the Vice-Chancellour. After taking an Oath, the graduand kneels and gives his clasped hands to the Vice-Chancellour, who says :—

Ego admitto te ad gradum Baccalaurei in Artibus; in nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti. Amen.

At Congregations, names of those to become Master of Arts or doctors are read out in order to receive licence to incept in absentia. Commencement then is an annual ceremony at which all Masters of Arts and higher doctors actually incept and obtain their degrees. It is a festive occasion held in Whitsun term at Lendert Priory in the presence of the Lord Chancellour as Lord Bishop of Chepingstow, the ex officio Chancellour of the University. It begins with Vespers on the Saturday evening beforehand, whereat a Sermon is preached. On Monday, after Mattins and several ceremonies, the Chancellour says to the kneeling inceptor :—

Ego admitto te ad gradum Magistris in Artibus; in nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti. Amen.

The inceptor is then given a Bible and is briefly capped. Subsequently, he is required to give his Principium during the next Michaelmas term. However, for non-regent masters, this is dispensed with by grace.

Alumni

The alumni of the University include a significant number of major Nortish politicians, judges, senior officials, bankers, gentlemen, noblemen and other men of note. Particular alumni include :— (year of matriculation given in brackets)

• King Alexander II (Allhallowhall, 2001)
• Miles Spenser-White, noted stinning player (Prince’s, 1999)
• George Drachington, Foreign Clerk (Wistfin, 1980)
• Sebastian Williams, Lord Bishop of Sulthey (Allhallowhall, 1964)
• Henry de Foide, Lord High Treasurer (Polchard, 1917)
• Frederic de Clercy, Lord High Treasurer (Wistfin, 1879)

See also

• Education in Great Nortend