“Fifty staircases?” That’s what they say about Stanford House. Stanford University has called this place home since 1984. It provides accommodation for around 45 undergraduates. These students come to Oxford to study. Stanford House isn’t just one building. It’s a collection of older buildings joined together. Magdalen College owns these buildings.
Stanford House has a rich history before Stanford University. Let’s step back in time. In 1772, before the current building existed, a Mrs. Anderson lived here. Her house had a frontage of 7 yards.
Fast forward to 1841. John Hill, a clerk in holy orders, lived at No. 65. He lived here with his wife Sophia and their five children. Two female servants also resided here. By 1851, Hill was a widower. He was described as the Vice-Principal and Tutor of St Edmund Hall. He was also the Perpetual Curate of Hampton Gay. His daughter Mary and two servants lived with him.
The 1861 census tells us Elizabeth Pilcher lived here. She was a fund-holder and house and land proprietor. Her cook lived with her.
Revd Henry Joseph Turrill occupied the house by 1863. He lived here with his wife. Their three sons were born here in the 1860s. The 1871 census shows the Turrill family still resided here. They lived with a governess and two servants.
Turrill opened Turrell’s Hall here in February 1881. But the hall was short-lived. It moved to larger premises later that year. An advertisement appeared in Jackson’s Oxford Journal. It announced an auction of the property. The house contained three reception rooms, eight bedrooms and a large garden.
By 1884, No. 65 became university lodgings. A widow, Mrs. Sarah Reeves, ran the lodgings. She lived here with her son and daughter.
In 1911, Miss Ethel Helen Davis ran a university lodging house. She had 14 rooms. Her married sister, Selina Griffith, aided her. Selina’s husband, Herbert Griffith, was listed as a masseur here in 1914.
Stanford House has undergone renovations. In 2014, it was extended. It won an Oxford Preservation Trust Award in 2015.
Stanford House isn’t just accommodation. It’s an academic hub. It houses a library with over 8,000 books. It also has an archive and a small art collection. Stanford House has collaborations with Magdalen, Brasenose and Corpus Christi Colleges. It also works with The Oxford Research Centre in the Humanities.
The Kathleen Lavidge bursary is an important part of Stanford’s mission. It sends Oxford undergraduates to study at Stanford.
Stanford House students are affiliated with one of three colleges. These are Brasenose, Corpus Christi, or Magdalen. This allows them to participate in college life. They can eat meals alongside Oxford students. They can also use the college library. They can get involved in sports, music and theatre.
Most activities in Oxford are within walking distance of Stanford House. So, while the building has evolved over centuries, Stanford House remains a place of learning. Its walls have seen families, scholars, and students pass through. Stanford House continues to be a vibrant part of Oxford’s academic community.