Oriel College, Oxford
college of the University of Oxford
Oriel College is one of the colleges of the University of Oxford. It claims to be the oldest college at the University. University College, Balliol College and Merton College also claim to be the oldest. Oriel College traces its origins to 1324.
The full name of the college is "The Provost and Scholars of the House of the Blessed Mary the Virgin in Oxford, commonly called Oriel College, of the Foundation of Edward the Second of famous memory, sometime King of England".
The common name of the college refers to one of its earliest buildings That building, which no longer exists, featured a prominent bay window, known as an oriel.