Compared to many Oxford Colleges, St Hugh's is young. It was founded in 1886 by Elizabeth Wordsworth, the great niece of the poet. But she had a strong sense of the historical perspective in which her new foundation would take its place. Using money left to her by her father, a bishop of Lincoln, she named the College after one of his twelfth century predecessors, Hugh of Avalon, who was canonised in 1220, and in whose diocese Oxford had been. Elizabeth Wordsworth was a champion of the cause of women's education, and her foundation was intended to enable poorer women to gain an Oxford education. The first male undergraduates were admitted in 1986 and now the College has a roughly equal mix of men and women undergraduates. It is stressed that the paintings at St Hugh's College are not in public ownership. In accordance with the charitable aims of the College, which is a private institution, we are including our paintings on this website to widen public awareness and for the benefit of scholarship. Not all areas of the College are open to the public. Please contact St Hugh's College for more information.