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Magdalen College, Oxford

Magdalen College is a constituent college of the University of Oxford. It was founded in 1458 by Bishop of Winchester William of Waynflete. It is one of the wealthiest Oxford colleges, as of 2022, and one of the strongest academically, setting the record for the highest Norrington Score in 2010 and topping the table twice since then. It is home to several of the university's distinguished chairs, including the Agnelli-Serena Professorship, the Sherardian Professorship, and the four Waynflete Professorships.

The large, square Magdalen Tower is an Oxford landmark, and it is a tradition, dating to the days of Henry VII, that the college choir sings from the top of it at 6 a.m. on May Morning. The college stands next to the River Cherwell and the University of Oxford Botanic Garden. Within its grounds are a deer park and Addison's Walk.

Foundation
Magdalen College was founded in 1458 by William of Waynflete, Bishop of Winchester and Lord Chancellor of England and named after St Mary Magdalene. The college succeeded a university hall called Magdalen Hall, founded by Waynflete in 1448, and from which the college drew most of its earliest scholars. Magdalen Hall was suppressed when the college was founded. The name was revived for a second Magdalen Hall, established in the college's grounds around 1490, which in the 19th century was moved to Catte Street and became Hertford College. Waynflete also established a school, now Magdalen College School, a private school located nearby on the other side of the Cherwell. Waynflete was assisted by a large bequest from Sir John Fastolf, who wished to fund a religious college.

Magdalen College took over the site of St John the Baptist Hospital, alongside the Cherwell, initially using the hospital's buildings until new construction was completed between 1470 and 1480. At incorporation in 1458, the college consisted of a president and six scholars. In 1487 when the Founder's Statutes were written, the foundation consisted of a President, 40 fellows, 30 demies, four chaplain priests, eight clerks, 16 choristers, and appointed to the Grammar School, a Master and an usher.

The founder's statutes included provision for a choral foundation of men and boys (a tradition that has continued to the present day) and made reference to the pronunciation of the name of the college in English. The college's name is pronounced like the adjective maudlin because the late medieval English name of Mary Magdalene was Maudelen, derived from the Old French Madelaine.

English Civil War
Oxford and Magdalen College were supporters of the Royalist cause during the English Civil War. In 1642, Magdalen College donated over 296 lbs of plate (ie. silver or gold utensils or dishes) to fund the war effort – the largest donation by weight of any Oxford college.

Magdalen College, commanding a position on the banks of the Cherwell that overlooked Magdalen Bridge and the road from London, had tactical significance for the King's forces. From 1643 to 1645, Magdalen's Grove was occupied by the Royalist ordnance, and Prince Rupert is thought to have quartered in the college.

The city built fortifications in preparation for siege through Magdalen's grounds, including Dover's Speare (or Pier), a bastion that would have allowed observation to the north and east of the city. The earthworks where it was located, in the Water Meadow where the Cherwell forks, are still apparent today. Further fortifications and earthworks were built to protect the Holywell Ford site to the north. During the first Siege of Oxford, Charles I surveyed the battle from Magdalen Tower.

Following the capitulation of Oxford to Thomas Fairfax at the end of the First English Civil War, Parliament ordered a Visitation to Oxford to purge Fellows for political and religious reasons. In 1647, the Visitors removed the then-president of Magdalen John Oliver and appointed instead one of their number, John Wilkinson, a former Principal of Magdalen Hall who had previously run unsuccessfully for the position of President at the college. When they refused to submit to the authority of Parliament, around 28 of the fellows, 21 of the demies (scholars), and all but one of the servants were also expelled. With the Royalists finally removed, the college would host Fairfax and Oliver Cromwell in 1649.

After the Restoration of the monarchy in 1660 John Oliver was reappointed to the college, followed by 17 fellows and eight demies.

Expulsion of the Fellows
During the 1680s, King James II made several moves to reintroduce Catholicism into the then Anglican university. In 1687, he attempted to install Anthony Farmer as president of Magdalen. The fellows rejected this, not just because Farmer was reputedly a Catholic and had a tarnished reputation, but also as he was not a fellow of the college, and therefore ineligible under the statutes. The fellows elected instead one of their own, John Hough. James eventually offered a compromise candidate in the form of the moderate Bishop of Oxford, Samuel Parker, but he too was rejected by the fellows as they considered the role filled.

Parker was admitted by force and the fellows and demies who had defied the king were expelled, replaced by the king's choice of Catholics or moderate Anglicans. Parker died in 1688 and was replaced by Bonaventure Giffard, a Catholic under whose tenure the Chapel converted to Catholicism.

The expulsion of the fellows marked a turning point in the university's relationship with the Crown: Brockliss writes, "the royalist and Anglican University established at the Restoration had had to make a choice and it had chosen Anglicanism." James' interference with the college fed resentment in Anglicans who used it as evidence that his rule was autocratic. On 25 October 1688, shortly before the Glorious Revolution and overthrow of James II by William of Orange, James' appointments were reversed and Hough and the expelled fellows were restored to the college. This event is marked every year at a special banquet, the Restoration Dinner, for Magdalen fellows, demies, and academic clerks.

20th–21st centuries
Magdalen's prominence since the mid-20th century owes much to such famous fellows as C. S. Lewis and A. J. P. Taylor, and its academic success to the work of such dons as Thomas Dewar Weldon. During World War II, RAF Maintenance Command was headquartered at Magdalen.

Magdalen College owns and manages the Oxford Science Park to the south of Oxford, a science and technology park home to over 100 companies. The Oxford Science Park opened in 1991, with Magdalen as part owner. The college acquired total ownership in 2016, before selling 40% of its stake in 2021 for £160 million. It was reported that this sale will more than double the size of Magdalen's endowment fund, and make it "probably the richest of Oxford's 39 colleges".

Like many of Oxford's colleges, Magdalen admitted its first mixed-sex cohort in 1979, after more than half a millennium as a men-only institution. Between 2015 and 2017, 47.2% of UK undergraduates admitted to Magdalen were from state schools; 12.2% were of BME ("black and ethnic minority") heritage and 0.7% were black. Of the 300 undergraduate offers made by Magdalen between 2017 and 2019, 25 (one in twelve) went to pupils from Eton College or Westminster School.

Buildings
The college grounds stretch north and east from the college, and include most of the area bounded by Longwall Street, the High Street (where the porter's lodge is located), and St Clement's. The college features a variety of architectural styles, and has been described as "a medieval nucleus with two incomplete additions, one from the eighteenth and one from the nineteenth century".

The college is organised around five quads. The irregularly shaped St John's Quad is the first on entering the college, and includes the Outdoor Pulpit and old Grammar Hall. It connects to the Great Quad (the Cloister) via the Perpendicular Gothic Founders Tower, which is richly decorated with carvings and pinnacles and has carved bosses in its vault. The Chaplain's Quad runs along the side of the Chapel and Hall, to the foot of the Great Tower. St Swithun's Quad and Longwall Quad (which contains the Library) date from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and make up the southwest corner of the college.

Original buildings
The college is built on the site of St John the Baptist Hospital, which was dissolved in 1457 and its property granted to William of Waynflete. Some of the hospital buildings were reused by the college, and the kitchens survive today as the college bar, the Old Kitchen Bar.

New construction began in 1470 with the erection of a wall around the site by mason William Orchard. Following this, Orchard also worked on the chapel, hall, and the cloister, including the Muniment and Founder's Towers, with work completed around 1480.

Cloister
The Cloister or Great Quad is the "medieval nucleus" of the college. It was constructed between 1474 and 1480, also by Orchard, although several modifications were made later. Access to the Cloister from St John's Quad is via the Founder's Tower or Muniment Tower. The chapel and the hall make up the southern side of the quad. It is also home to the junior, middle, and senior common rooms, and the old library.

In 1508, grotesques known as hieroglyphics were added to the Cloister. These are thought to be allegorical, and include four hieroglyphics in front of the old library that represent scholarly subjects: science, medicine, law, and theology. The other hieroglyphics have been assigned symbolism relating to virtues that should be encouraged by the college (e.g. the lion and pelican grotesques in front of the Senior Common Room representing courage and parental affection) or vices that should be avoided (the manticore, boxers, and lamia in front of the Junior Common Room, representing pride, contention, and lust). In 2017, repair work was undertaken to restore the severely damaged boxers statue.

In 1822, the north side of the Cloister was knocked down, ostensibly due to disrepair. This decision was controversial, provoking protests from the fellows and in the contemporary press, and it was rebuilt shortly afterwards.

In the early 1900s, renovations were performed, and it was returned to a more medieval character. Student rooms were installed in the (very large) roof space in the 1980s.

Chapel

The chapel is a place of worship for members of the college and others in the University of Oxford community and beyond. As a High Anglican chapel, its tradition is influenced by the Counter-Reformation in the Church of England. Said and sung services are held daily during term. The choir sings Choral Evensong or Evening Prayer every day at 6:00 pm except on Mondays. On Sundays, a Sung Eucharist is offered in the morning at 11:00 am. Compline (Night Prayer) is sung once each week, and is followed by a service of Benediction twice per term. Mass is also sung on major holy days.

The chapel itself is a grade I listed building. It was built between 1474 and 1480, although it owes its present appearance largely to neo-Gothic works carried out in the 18th and 19th centuries.

The roof, giving the impression of a stone vaulted ceiling, is in fact a facsimile made from plaster added in 1790 by neo-Gothic architect James Wyatt. Wyatt's redevelopment of the chapel included a number of modifications to make it more Gothic in character, but other than the ceiling, Wyatt's contributions were removed during a later redesign in 1828.
 * Vaulting

After 1662, a painting (or possibly a mural) of the Last Judgement by Isaac Fuller was placed at the east end. This piece of work was taken down during architect Lewis Cottingham's work in the early 1830s, and fragments of the original reredos were discovered behind it. These showed that the original reredos had had three tiers of niches, each tier containing thirteen niches. Cottingham replaced Isaac Fuller's painting at the east end with the current reredos, the layout of which was based on those remains. This reredos remained void of figures until 1864/5, when it was completed by neo-Gothic sculptor Thomas Earp.
 * Reredos

The stained glass windows facing St John's Quad feature a grisaille depiction of the Last Judgement. These windows, dating from 1792, are a reconstruction by glass painter Francis Eginton of an earlier 17th-century window that was destroyed in a storm. It had been uninstalled during World War II to protect it from damage, and was only restored in the 1990s. Much of the glass had been thought lost, until it was rediscovered in the ventilation tunnels under the New Building.
 * Stained glass windows

Magdalen Tower

Construction of Magdalen's Great Tower began in 1492 by another mason, William Raynold. It might have been intended to replace an existing belfry remaining from the hospital, and probably was originally envisioned to stand alone. By the time it was completed in 1509, additional buildings had been built either side, creating the roughly triangular Chaplain's quad between the chapel and the High.

The tower contains a peal of ten bells hung for English change ringing. They were cast at a number of different foundries and the heaviest, weighing 17 cwt, was cast in 1623.

The tower is 144 feet tall and an imposing landmark on the eastern approaches to the city centre. It has been the model for other towers, including Mitchell Tower of the University of Chicago, Manhattan's First Presbyterian Church, and All Saints' Church in Churchill, Oxfordshire. It forms the centre of the May Morning celebrations in Oxford, from which the choir sing pieces including the Hymnus Eucharisticus and the Dean of Divinity blesses the University, city, and crowds.

The New Building
During the 18th and 19th centuries, there were numerous attempts made to redesign the site to better suit the college's needs. The New Building began construction in 1733 as a part of Edward Holdsworth's designs from 1731. It is built in a Palladian style, and features a colonnade.

It was conceived as one side of a new "Great Quadrangle", and in anticipation of this the building's ends had been left unfinished. However, Holdsworth's full vision was never completed. The idea was revisited several times by later architects, including by architects James Wyatt—whose plans (never realised) included partially demolishing the existing, Medieval quad (the Cloister) and refinishing the neoclassical New Building in a Georgian Gothic style—and John Buckler. In the 19th century, John Nash and Humphrey Repton both submitted designs for new, open quadrangles that incorporated the New Building.

Ultimately, the idea of integrating the New Building into a new quad was abandoned, and the ends of the building were finally completed in 1824 with two returns designed by Thomas Harrison. Today, it stands apart from the Cloister, overlooking four croquet lawns on one side and the Grove deer park on the other. It is used for accommodation for undergraduates and fellows, including historically Edward Gibbon and C. S. Lewis, and also houses the wine cellar.

Daubeny laboratory
Opposite the main college site and overlooking the Botanic Garden is the 19th century Daubeny Laboratory.

The Garden had been established between 1622 and 1633 as a physic garden (that is, a garden to study the medicinal value of plants) on land inherited by Magdalen from St. John's Hospital. The Daubeny Laboratory, and neighbouring Professor's House, were founded by the polymath and Magdalen fellow Charles Daubeny after he was appointed to the Sherardian Chair of Botany in 1834.

Daubeny set about a number of additions to the location, erecting new glasshouses and in 1836 creating an on-site residence for the Professor of Botany. This replaced an earlier residence that had been demolished in 1795 when the road was widened. The new residence was an extension of the library, which had been created out of a glasshouse by an earlier Sherardian professor, John Sibthorp, to house the Sherard herbarium. After Daubeny's death, this was assimilated to house the growing collection. Later, it became accommodation for graduate students, the Professor's House, while the Sherard Herbarium is now part of the Fielding-Druce Herbarium held in the Department of Plant Sciences.

Daubeny, who was also the Aldrichian Professor of Chemistry, had found the chemistry laboratory in the basement of the old Ashmolean Museum, what is now the History of Science Museum, to be "notoriously unworthy of a great University" and desired a better science facility. He petitioned the college to be allowed to build one, and the Daubeny laboratory was completed in 1848. The Daubeny Laboratory was preceded by the anatomy school and laboratory at Christ Church which opened in 1767, and would be followed later in the century by other college laboratories including the Balliol-Trinity Laboratories. Daubeny's laboratory was a two-storey room with benches and cupboards encircled by a gallery, and became the principal chemistry lab for the university. In 1902, due to growing student numbers and poor ventilation, the laboratory trappings were removed and it was refitted as a lecture hall. In 1973, most of the Daubeny Laboratory building was reconfigured into graduate student accommodation. The Daubeny lab itself is now a conference space.

St Swithun's quad

In 1880–1884, the college extended westwards onto the former site of Magdalen Hall. The hall was an independent academic hall that developed from Magdalen College School, not the earlier Magdalen Hall founded by William Waynflete. Most of Magdalen Hall's buildings were destroyed by fire in 1820, though the Grammar Hall survived and was restored by Joseph Parkinson. The hall moved to Catte Street in 1822 and was incorporated as Hertford College in 1874.

The new construction, St Swithun's quad (sometimes given as St. Swithin's quad ), was designed by George Frederick Bodley and Thomas Garner in keeping with the Gothic style. They had originally designed three sides of a square, though only the south and west sides were built. In 1928, Giles Gilbert Scott extended the building north and westwards, forming the adjacent Longwall quad.

Modern buildings and acquisitions
Several new additions to the college were made in the late 20th century. The Waynflete Building, which is located across Magdalen Bridge from the main college site, was designed by Booth, Ledeboer, and Pinckheard and completed in 1964. Magdalen has a number of additional annexes near to the main site for accommodation, including in Cowley Place and Longwall Street.

The Grove Buildings, located north of Longwall quad between Longwall Street and the Grove, were built in 1994–1999 by Porphyrios Associates. They are home to accommodation, Magdalen's 160-seat auditorium, and the Denning Law Library. During term time, the auditorium hosts film screenings organised by the Magdalen Film Society.

Along Addison's Walk is the Holywell Ford site, where most of the graduate accommodation is located. Holywell Ford house was built by Clapton Crabb Rolfe in 1888 on the location of an older mill, and was acquired by Magdalen in the 1970s. Additional blocks of accommodation were built in 1994-5 by RH Partnership Ltd.

Libraries
In addition to the university's central and departmental libraries, Oxford's colleges maintain their own libraries. The original college library, the Old Library, is located in the Cloister and accessed via Founder's Tower or the President's Lodgings. It contains a large collection of manuscripts from before the 19th century. Consultation of material is typically by appointment, although the Old Library itself may be visited by the public during certain exhibitions.

In 1931, the New Library, now called the Longwall Library, was established in the former Magdalen College School building in Longwall Quad and became the college's main library for students. It was opened by Edward VIII when he was a student at Magdalen. It was renovated between 2014 and 2016 by Wright & Wright Architects and reopened by Prince William, Duke of Cambridge.

In addition, the college maintains the Denning Law Library in the Grove building, a reference library for Magdalen's law students, and the specialist Daubeny and McFarlane collections of 19th century scientific works and medieval history works respectively. Items from the Daubeny and McFarlane libraries may be brought to the Longwall Library for consultation on request.

The Grove
The Grove or deer park is a large meadow which occupies most of the north west of the college's grounds, from the New Building and the Grove Buildings to Holywell Ford. During the winter and spring, it is the home of a herd of fallow deer. It is possible to view the meadow and the deer from the path between New Buildings and Grove Quad, and also from the archway in New Buildings.

In the 16th Century, as recorded in a map from 1578, the Grove consisted of formal enclosed gardens, tree-lined avenues, an orchard, and a fish pond. By 1630, a bowling green had replaced the orchard.

During the Civil War, between 1642 and 1645, the Grove became home to the workshops, forges, and foundries of Royal Ordinance. Following this, the landscaping began to transition from formal gardens to more natural parkland, and the water walks were landscaped. Deer began being cultivated in the college by at least the 1720s, and by the early 19th century the formal gardens had completely disappeared and college Fellow Dr Bloxham noted that the entire Grove had been given over to the deer.

At one point in the 19th century it was home to three traction engines belonging to the works department of the college. By the 20th century it had become well-wooded with many large trees, but most of them were lost to Dutch elm disease in the 1970s.

Water meadow and Addison's Walk
The water meadow is a flood-meadow to the eastern side of the college, bounded on all sides by the Cherwell. In wet winters, some or all of the meadow may flood, as the meadow is lower lying than the surrounding path. All around the edge of the meadow is a tree-lined path, Addison's Walk, named for the fellow Joseph Addison (1672–1719), which connects to Holywell Ford and the Fellows' Garden.

Addison's Walk is popular with College members and visitors. C. S. Lewis wrote a poem about the walk, Chanson d'Aventure or What the Bird Said Early in the Year, which is commemorated on a plaque near the gate to Holywell Ford.

Thanks to the frequent flooding, the meadow is one of the few places in the UK that the snake's head fritillary, Fritillaria meleagris, may be seen growing wild. These flowers grow in very few places, and have been recorded growing in the meadow since around 1785. Once the flowering has finished, the deer herd is moved in for the summer and autumn.

Bat Willow meadow and the Fellows' Garden
Further east of the water meadow are Bat Willow meadow and the Fellows' Garden. They are separated from the water meadow and each other by other branches of the Cherwell, and may be accessed from Addison's Walk. Bat Willow meadow features Y, a 10 metre high sculpture of a branching tree by Mark Wallinger, commissioned for the college's 550th anniversary in 2008. Due to their age and infection with honey fungus, the willow trees were cut down in 2018 and replanted, and the wood used to make cricket bats.

The Fellows' Garden is located further north along the bank of the Cherwell than Bat Willow meadow, directly behind the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies. This long and narrow garden follows the Cherwell to the edge of the University Parks. Further north is Magdalen's sports ground.

Choir

Magdalen is one of the three choral foundations in Oxford, meaning that the formation of the choir was part of the statutes of the college, the other choral foundations being New College and Christ Church. It performs during chapel services, college gaudies and at other special events throughout the year. As part of Oxford's annual May Morning in a tradition that dates back 500 years, at 6 a.m. on 1 May, the choir perform Hymnus Eucharisticus from the top of Magdalen's Tower to crowds below on Madgalen Bridge and the High Street.

The choir consists of twelve academical clerks, or choral scholars, and two organ scholars, who are all students at the college, and sixteen choristers, all of whom have scholarships at Magdalen College School, and is led by a director of music known as the Informator Choristarum, currently Mark Williams. Mark Williams succeeded Daniel Hyde in 2017, following Hyde's appointment as Organist and Director of Music of Saint Thomas Church, New York. Among the other former directors of the choir are John Sheppard (1543–c.1552), John Varley Roberts, Sir William McKie, Haldane Campbell Stewart and the composer Bill Ives (1991–2009).

Past academical clerks include John Mark Ainsley, Harry Christophers (founder and director of The Sixteen), James Whitbourn, Peter Harvey, Robin Blaze, Paul Agnew, Roderick Williams and conductor/composer Gregory Rose. The choir has had many well-known organists, such as Daniel Purcell, Sir John Stainer (1860–1872) and Bernard Rose (1957–1981). Past organ scholars include Dudley Moore and Paul Brough.

As well as performing during chapel services, the choir tours and records music. In 2005, the choir was nominated for a Grammy Award for its CD, With a Merrie Noyse, of music by Orlando Gibbons. Other recent works include the BBC's The Blue Planet and Paul McCartney's classical piece Ecce Cor Meum.

Accommodation
Undergraduate students of the college are guaranteed accommodation during term for their entire degree, typically in the Waynflete building in their first year and "inside-walls" in the Cloister, St Swithun's Quad, the New Building and so on in subsequent years. Graduate students are guaranteed at least two years of accommodation. Unlike undergraduates, graduates are not required to move out between terms and typically live "outside walls", including in Holywell Ford, the Daubeny Laboratory, and Professor's House.

Accommodation charges are inclusive of heating, power, and internet access, and weekly cleaning by the college scouts (housekeepers), but do not include catering. Three cafeteria-style meals a day are served in the hall, and other food is available in the Old Kitchen Bar.

In addition to a dinner cafeteria service served in the hall, four Formal Halls are held a week during term time. These are three-course sit-down dinners and require college members to wear their gowns. Additional banquets commemorate special occasions, including the Restoration Dinner.

Events and societies
The body of undergraduate and graduate students are known as the junior and middle common rooms (JCR and MCR) respectively. They each elect committees of students annually to organise welfare events, socials, and banquets.

In addition to clubs and societies associated with the Oxford University Student Union operated at the university level, Magdalen members may also participate in several college societies. The Atkin Society and the Sherrington Society are two subject-specific societies, for law students and medicine students respectively. They organise talks and social events. The Atkin society is named for lawyer James Atkin, Baron Atkin, a former demy at Magdalen, and also organises annually a Christmas Dinner for its members, moot court presided over by a guest judge, and summer garden party. The Sherrington Society is named after Nobel laureate Sir Charles Scott Sherrington, former Waynflete Professor of Physiology. The college also has a poetry discussion forum called the Florio Society, named for 16th century college alumnus John Florio.

A number of other societies put on events throughout the year. These include the Magdalen Players, a drama society; the Magdalen Music Society; and the Magdalen Film Society, which screens films during term time in the Grove Auditorium. The Magdalen College Music Society is a chapter of the Oxford University Music Society and incorporates a non-auditioned mixed choir, a chamber orchestra, and a saxophone ensemble. The society performs recitals in college on Thursdays during term time.

The Magdalen College Trust is an independent charity that is funded by annual subscriptions from students and fellows. It encourages college members to engage in charity work, and funds charitable causes.

Academia
In the Norrington Table's history Magdalen has been top three times, in 2010, 2012 and 2015. When over half its finalists achieved firsts in 2010, it claimed the record for the highest ever Norrington Score. Magdalen has the second highest average Norrington Table score from 2006 to 2019, only behind Merton College.

Magdalen College students have a successful record in the University Challenge television competition, winning on four occasions (1997, 1998, 2004, and 2011). This is the joint highest number of series wins, tied with Manchester University, and at the time of Magdalen's third win no other institution had won more than twice.

Unlike at most other colleges, students awarded a scholarship at Magdalen are officially referred to as Demies.

Sports
Magdalen members have access to a variety of sports facilities. The Magdalen College Recreation Ground, accessible from the main college via Addison's Walk, include pitches for cricket, soccer, hockey, and rugby; also available on site are tennis courts and squash courts. The Recreation Ground played host to a first-class cricket match in 1912, when Oxford played the touring South Africans. The match was heavily affected by rain and ended in a draw, but did see Oxford's John Evans make scores of 56 and 107, in addition to taking a five wicket haul in the South Africans first innings. During the First World War, there were talks between the college and the local allotment association to turn the ground in allotments to aid the war effort, but both parties were unable to reach an agreement.

In addition, the college buys gym membership at the Iffley Road sports complex on behalf of all its students. The college keeps a boathouse on The Isis (the length of the Thames as it passes through Oxford) for the Magdalen College Boat Club (MCBC).

The Magdalen College Boat Club (MCBC), a rowing club, was founded in 1859. It participates in the two annual Oxford bumps races, Eights Week and Torpids. In recent history, the MCBC men's rowers won Eights Week between 2004 and 2007, and the Torpids most recently in 2008 (for the men's rowers) and 2016 (women's). As well as the MCBC, Magdalen College is represented by teams in football, hockey, rugby, netball, cricket, lacrosse, squash and pool, amongst others.

College stamp
A college stamp was issued in the 1960s and the 1970s to prepay local delivery of mail by the college porters. It was short-lived and only a few stamps exist. One on cover is known and is detailed in the Great Britain Philatelic Society Journal.

Politics
Magdalen College has taught members of several royal families. These include king Edward VIII, who attended while Prince of Wales from 1912 to 1914, after which he left without graduating; Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, the king of Bhutan, who read for an MPhil in politics in 2000; and crown prince Al-Muhtadee Billah, first in line to the throne of Brunei, who enrolled in the Foreign Service Programme (now known as the Diplomatic Studies Programme) in 1995 under an assumed name.

Among the political figures taught at Magdalen was cardinal Thomas Wolsey, who studied theology. He graduated at 15, uncommonly early even for the time, but remained in Oxford for further study and eventually became a fellow of Magdalen. Wolsey rose from humble origins to become lord chancellor and the archbishop of York, obtaining great political power and becoming adviser to king Henry VIII. Wolsey left a lasting legacy in Oxford by founding Cardinal College, which Henry VIII would complete and refound as Christ Church after Wolsey's fall from power.

More recent Magdalen alumni to become politicians include Malcolm Fraser, former prime minister of Australia, and John Turner, former prime minister of Canada. Many members of the UK Parliament have been alumni of Magdalen. In the current House of Commons sit alumni Alex Chalk, Jeremy Hunt and John Redwood. In the House of Lords sit alumni William Hague, Baron Hague of Richmond, former leader of the Conservative Party; David Lipsey, Baron Lipsey; Dido Harding, Baroness Harding of Winscombe; John Hutton, Baron Hutton of Furness; Michael Jay, Baron Jay of Ewelme; Matt Ridley, 5th Viscount Ridley; and Stewart Wood, Baron Wood of Anfield, former tutorial fellow.

The political success of Magdalen alumni was notable in 2010, when 5 out of the 22 ministers in the cabinet had attended Magdalen.

Literature
Joseph Addison, for whom Addison's walk is named, was a Fellow of Magdalen during the 17th century. He is known for his play Cato, a Tragedy based on the life of Cato the Younger at the end of the Roman Republic. Popular with the American Founding Fathers, the play may have served as a literary inspiration for the American Revolution.

The 19th-century poet, playwright, and aesthete Oscar Wilde read greats at Magdalen from 1874 to 1878. During this time, he won the university's Newdigate Prize and graduated with a double first. After his time at Magdalen, he became famous for his works including the novel The Picture of Dorian Gray and the play The Importance of Being Earnest.

Wilde began an affair in 1891 with Alfred Douglas, who was then himself a student at Magdalen. The disapproval of Douglas's father over Wilde's relationship with his son led to Wilde's prosecution and conviction in 1895 for "gross indecency", that is to say, homosexual behaviour, and a sentence to two years' hard labour. Wilde described "the two great turning-points in my life were when my father sent me to Oxford, and when society sent me to prison". After his release from prison, Wilde moved to France and spent the last three years of his life in poverty. He was posthumously pardoned in 2017 under Turing's Law.

The prolific author Compton Mackenzie, who wrote over one hundred novels, plays, and biographies, read modern history at Magdalen. He is known for his fiction, including Sinister Street—which features St. Mary's College, Oxford as a stand-in for Magdalen —and Monarch of the Glen. Compton Mackenzie co-founded the Scottish National Party and was knighted in 1952.

C. S. Lewis, writer and alumnus of University College, was a fellow and English tutor at Magdalen for 29 years, from 1925 to 1954. Lewis was one of the Inklings, an informal writing society that also included J. R. R. Tolkien and would meet in Lewis's rooms at Magdalen. Under Lewis's tutelage was the future Poet Laureate John Betjeman. Though Betjeman failed the maths portion of the entrance exams, he was offered a place to read English on the strength of his poetry, which had impressed the President of Magdalen and former Professor of Poetry Thomas Herbert Warren. Lewis and Betjeman had a difficult relationship and Betjeman struggled academically. Betjeman left having failed to obtain a degree in 1928, but was made a doctor of letters by the university in 1974.

Seamus Heaney, who received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1995, was a fellow of Magdalen from 1989 to 1994.

Theatre
The director Peter Brook is both an alumnus and honorary fellow of Magdalen. He was described in 2008 as "our greatest living theatre director". Fellow director Katie Mitchell read English at Magdalen, and is known for her collaborations with Martin Crimp. In 2017, she received the President's Medal of the British Academy for her work in contemporary theatre and opera, and she has been described as British theatre's "king in exile".

Music
In 1957, the organist and composer Bernard Rose was appointed Magdalen's Informator Choristarum, choir master. Among his students were Harry Christophers, a composer and an artistic director for the Handel and Haydn Society who was an academical clerk and later honorary Fellow at Magdalen; and Dudley Moore, comedic actor and jazz musician, who studied at Magdalen on an organ scholarship.

Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber, composer of musicals including Evita and The Phantom of the Opera, studied history at Magdalen for a term in 1965, before dropping out to pursue music at the Royal College of Music. Andrew Lloyd Webber has received a number of awards for his work, including a lifetime achievement Tony Award.

Humanities
Hormuzd Rassam, the native Assyriologist, studied at Magdalen for 18 months between accompanying archaeologist Austen Henry Layard on his first and second expeditions. When Layard retired from archaeology, the British Museum appointed Rassam to continue on his own. Rassam made several important discoveries: in 1853 at Nineveh, Rassam discovered the clay tablets that contained the Epic of Gilgamesh; in 1879 he discovered the Cyrus Cylinder in the ruins of Babylon; and in 1880–1881 he uncovered the city of Sippar. He was the first Middle Eastern archaeologist, but his contributions were dismissed by some of his contemporaries and by the end of his life, his name had been removed from plaques and visitor guides at the British Museum. Layard would describe him as "one whose services have never been acknowledged".

The economist A. Michael Spence attended Magdalen on a Rhodes Scholarship, and graduated with a BA in mathematics in 1968. In 2001, he shared the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences for his work on "analyses of markets with asymmetric information". He is an honorary fellow at Magdalen.

Novelist and Spanish anti-fascist Ralph Winston Fox studied modern languages at Magdalen College, where he graduated from in 1922 with a first class honours. Fox was best known for being the biographer of both Genghis Khan and Vladimir Lenin, and for being killed while fighting against Hitler backed fascists during the Spanish Civil War.

Philosopher A. C. Grayling read for his DPhil at Magdalen, completing his studies in 1981. In 2011, he founded the New College of the Humanities. An analytic philosopher, Grayling is known for his criticism of religion, including in his 2013 book The God Argument, and his arguments for voting reform, as in his 2017 book Democracy and Its Crises.

Niall Ferguson, a well-known historian, also studied at Magdalen.

Sciences
Magdalen counts among its alumni several recipients of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Howard Florey was an Australian pharmacologist who studied at Magdalen on a Rhodes Scholarship, graduating in 1924. He shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1945 for the development of penicillin. Peter Medawar read for a BA in zoology at Magdalen, receiving a first, and later for a DPhil, supervised by Florey. His research into tissue grafting and immune rejection led to the discover of acquired immune tolerance and became the basis of organ transplantation. For this work, he shared the 1960 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.

Like Florey before him, Australian neurophysiologist John Eccles also came to Magdalen on a Rhodes Scholarship, where he read for his DPhil. He was taught by an earlier neurophysiologist who received the Nobel in 1932, Charles Scott Sherrington, who held the Waynflete Professorship in Physiology at Magdalen. In 1963 Eccles received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his research into synapses. Eccles was also known for his contributions to philosophy, writing on the mind-body problem and becoming an honorary member of the American Philosophical Society.

Peter J. Ratcliffe held the Nuffield Professorship of Clinical Medicine between 2003 and 2006, and is still a supernumerary fellow at Magdalen. He shared the 2019 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his work on the oxygen sensing of cells. Other former Nuffield Professors of Clinical Medicine include Sir David Weatherall, who founded the Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine in 1989, and Sir John Bell, who is also an alumnus of the college. The current holder of the chair is Richard Cornall, who was appointed in 2019.

Two Fellows of Magdalen have been awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics: Erwin Schrödinger in 1933, while he was a fellow; and Anthony James Leggett KBE in 2003, who had been a Fellow from 1963 to 1967.

Due to Magdalen's close relationship with Oxford's Botanic Garden and as the home of the Sherardian Chair of Botany, Magdalen has been associated with many accomplished botanists. Historic Sherardian Professors include John Sibthorp, in whose name the Sibthorpian Professorship of Rural Economy, later known as the Sibthorpian Professorship of Plant Sciences, was founded; and Charles Daubeny, who also held the Aldrichian Chair of Chemistry and founded the Daubeny laboratory. The Sherardian Chair has been held since 2022, by Lars Østergaard, who studies how molecular signalling mechanisms evolve to affect plant development.

Likewise, many distinguished scientists have held Waynflete Professorships at Magdalen. These include the mathematician J. H. C. Whitehead, who held the Waynflete Professorship of Pure Mathematics between 1947 and 1960. During this time, he was also the president of the London Mathematical Society, which established the Whitehead and Senior Whitehead prizes in his honour. He is remembered for his fundamental contributions to topology. The chair was held from 1984 until he retired in 2006 by Daniel Quillen, who received the Fields Medal for his work in algebraic K-theory. It is currently held by Ben Green.

title: Magdalen College, Oxford


text:
Magdalen College (disambiguation)

Magdalen College is a constituent college of the University of Oxford.

Magdalen College or Magdalene College may also refer to:

 * Magdalene College, Cambridge, a constituent college of the University of Cambridge
 * Magdalen College of the Liberal Arts, formerly known simply as Magdalen College, a Catholic liberal arts college in New Hampshire, United States

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Magdalen College (disambiguation)


text:
Seaboard, North Carolina

Seaboard is a township in Northampton County, North Carolina, United States, created as a company town by the Seaboard and Roanoke Railroad, approximately 10 miles northeast of Weldon in the mid-1840s as a place for railroad employees to live.

The population was 632 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina Micropolitan Statistical Area.

History
The area was settled in about 1750. It was incorporated in 1877 and named for the Seaboard Air Line Railroad.

The Seaboard Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.0 sqmi, all land.

The town is located along North Carolina Highway 186, near the North Carolina-Virginia border, and serves as the northern terminus of North Carolina Highway 305.

2020 census
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 542 people, 295 households, and 189 families residing in the town.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 695 people, 300 households, and 183 families residing in the town. The population density was 676.6 PD/sqmi. There were 338 housing units at an average density of 329.1 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 27.48% White, 71.22% African American, 0.29% Asian, 0.14% Pacific Islander, and 0.86% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.43% of the population.

There were 300 households, out of which 28.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 32.7% were married couples living together, 23.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.7% were non-families. 36.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 23.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 3.04.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 28.8% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 20.7% from 25 to 44, 24.2% from 45 to 64, and 19.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 75.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 63.9 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $20,500, and the median income for a family was $31,719. Males had a median income of $30,938 versus $20,104 for females. The per capita income for the town was $17,973. About 24.0% of families and 27.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 35.1% of those under age 18 and 31.4% of those age 65 or over.

Notable people

 * Wilson Goode, first African-American Mayor of Philadelphia
 * Wilson Roosevelt Jerman, American butler who served eleven different U.S. presidents in the White House
 * William Ivey Long, costume designer for stage and film
 * Marshall Parker, former South Carolina politician
 * Malcolm Tann, professional boxer

title: Seaboard, North Carolina


text:
Severn, North Carolina

Severn is a town in Northampton County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 276 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina Micropolitan Statistical Area. Severn is the home of Severn Peanut Corporation, the owners of the Hampton Farms brand of roasted peanuts.

History
The community was settled in about 1833 and named Meherrin after a local Native American tribe. In 1887 a branch rail line was built through Meherrin. It was incorporated in 1919 and named for Severn Ayers, a stockholder of the Seaboard Airline Railroad.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.0 sqmi, all land.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 263 people, 103 households, and 70 families residing in the town. The population density was 261.1 PD/sqmi. There were 117 housing units at an average density of 116.2 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 59.32% White, 35.74% African American, 1.90% Native American, 2.28% from other races, and 0.76% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.28% of the population.

There were 103 households, out of which 20.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.5% were married couples living together, 13.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.0% were non-families. 30.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.19.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 20.9% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 27.8% from 25 to 44, 24.7% from 45 to 64, and 19.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.1 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $32,969, and the median income for a family was $41,458. Males had a median income of $26,607 versus $15,000 for females. The per capita income for the town was $16,227. About 11.6% of families and 13.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.3% of those under the age of eighteen and 30.0% of those 65 or over.

title: Severn, North Carolina


text:
Woodland, North Carolina

Woodland is a town in Northampton County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 809 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina Micropolitan Statistical Area.

History
The Woodland-Olney School was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.3 sqmi, all land.

2020 census
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 557 people, 325 households, and 220 families residing in the town.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 833 people, 328 households, and 211 families residing in the town. The population density was 644.6 PD/sqmi. There were 356 housing units at an average density of 275.5 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 51.02% White, 47.78% African American, 0.48% Native American, 0.60% from other races, and 0.12% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.96% of the population.

There were 328 households, out of which 28.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.6% were married couples living together, 22.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.4% were non-families. 32.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.19.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 31.5% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 21.5% from 25 to 44, 23.4% from 45 to 64, and 16.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 77.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 71.5 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $22,125, and the median income for a family was $30,804. Males had a median income of $28,438 versus $23,125 for females. The per capita income for the town was $12,682. About 21.4% of families and 28.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 40.4% of those under age 18 and 27.3% of those age 65 or over.

Politics
Woodland is in the first congressional district of North Carolina, and since 2004 has been represented in Congress by G. K. Butterfield. It is within the traditionally Democratic county of Northampton, which was one of only two counties in the state won by George McGovern in his 1972 defeat by Richard Nixon.

title: Woodland, North Carolina


text:
Half Moon, North Carolina

Half Moon is a census-designated place (CDP) in Onslow County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 6,645 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Jacksonville, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 4.3 sqmi, all land.

2020 census
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 7,543 people, 2,769 households, and 2,027 families residing in the CDP.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 6,645 people, 2,261 households, and 1,817 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 1,548.1 PD/sqmi. There were 2,398 housing units at an average density of 558.7 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the CDP was 65.13% White, 24.47% African American, 0.57% Native American, 2.59% Asian, 0.17% Pacific Islander, 2.75% from other races, and 4.32% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.71% of the population.

There were 2,261 households, out of which 47.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.0% were married couples living together, 13.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.6% were non-families. 14.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 2.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.94 and the average family size was 3.22.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 32.4% under the age of 18, 12.7% from 18 to 24, 33.8% from 25 to 44, 17.1% from 45 to 64, and 4.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 28 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.4 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $41,143, and the median income for a family was $42,357. Males had a median income of $27,730 versus $20,698 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $15,233. About 5.9% of families and 7.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.1% of those under age 18 and 8.1% of those age 65 or over.

title: Half Moon, North Carolina


text:
Holly Ridge, North Carolina

Holly Ridge is a town in Onslow County, North Carolina, United States. The 2010 population was 1,268. The 2020 census population was 4,171.

Economy
The town's largest employer is J&J Snack Foods. Industrial growth is strengthening with the growth of the Camp Davis Industrial Park which resides on the same land that Camp Davis had occupied. The industrial park's largest tenants are Gulfstream Steel and Onslow Bay Boatworks. Atlantic Seafood is planning a 63,000 square foot facility with construction slated to begin in 2021. Plans for developing an additional 60 acres (referred to Camp Davis Industrial Park Phase 2) is underway with hopes to have shovel ready lots available for purchase in 2023.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.4 sqmi, all land. It is part of the Jacksonville, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area. It is considered the gateway to Topsail Island.

Demographics
In 1940, the town had 28 residents. Just three years later in 1943, the town had ballooned to 1,000 residents due to the establishing of the Camp Davis Army post.

2020 census
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 4,171 people, 981 households, and 702 families residing in the town.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 831 people, 321 households, and 226 families residing in the town. The population density was 604.9 PD/sqmi. There were 498 housing units at an average density of 362.5 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 79.78% White, 14.56% African American, 1.32% Native American, 0.60% Asian, 0.12% Pacific Islander, 2.53% from other races, and 1.08% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.85% of the population.

There were 321 households, out of which 37.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.4% were married couples living together, 22.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.3% were non-families. 19.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 2.87.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 27.6% under the age of 18, 10.1% from 18 to 24, 27.4% from 25 to 44, 20.6% from 45 to 64, and 14.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.1 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $25,573, and the median income for a family was $26,979. Males had a median income of $27,059 versus $21,000 for females. The per capita income for the town was $12,585. About 19.0% of families and 24.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 35.1% of those under age 18 and 14.3% of those age 65 or over.

Education

 * Dixon Elementary School
 * Dixon Middle School
 * Dixon High School
 * Coastal Elementary School

title: Holly Ridge, North Carolina


text:
Jacksonville, North Carolina

Jacksonville is a city in Onslow County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 72,723, which makes Jacksonville the 14th-most populous city in North Carolina. Jacksonville is the county seat and most populous community of Onslow County, which is coterminous with the Jacksonville, NC Metropolitan Statistical Area. Demographically, Jacksonville is the youngest city in the United States, with an average age of 22.8 years old, which can be attributed to the large military presence. The low age may also be in part due to the population drastically increasing over the past 80 years, from 783 in the 1930 census to 72,723 in the 2020 census.

It is the home of the United States Marine Corps' Camp Lejeune and New River Air Station. Jacksonville is located adjacent to North Carolina's Crystal Coast area.

History
After the end of the Tuscarora wars in 1713 and the forced removal of Native American tribes was followed by permanent settlement of the regions between New Bern and Wilmington. The New River became a major production center for naval stores like turpentine. The downtown waterfront park is built on the site original site of Wantland's Ferry.

In 1752, a devastating hurricane destroyed the county seat of Johnston, and Wantlands Ferry, located further up the New River, at the present site of Jacksonville, was chosen as the site of the new county courthouse. The area was later known as Onslow Courthouse. In 1842, the town was incorporated and renamed Jacksonville in honor of former U.S. President Andrew Jackson. The town was briefly captured and occupied in November 1862 by a raiding party led by U.S. Navy Lt. William B. Cushing.

Jacksonville and Onslow County continued to rely on naval stores, lumber, and tobacco crops for industry. In 1939, Colonel George W. Gillette of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers surveyed and mapped the area from Fort Monroe, Virginia to Fort Sumter, South Carolina which included the Onslow County coastline and the New River. The map is believed to have fostered the interest of the War and Navy Departments in establishing an amphibious training base in the area. Congressman Graham Arthur Barden of New Bern lobbied Congress to appropriate funds for the purchase of about 100,000 acre along the eastern bank of the New River. The establishment in 1941 of Marine Barracks, New River, later renamed Camp Lejeune Marine Corps Base, led to the relocation of 700 families. While the landowners were compensated, many of the families displaced were sharecroppers who did not own the land on which their houses were built, and did not receive compensation for their structures. Some African American families were able to purchase property from Raymond Kellum and established the community of Kellumtown. Other displaced families established communities in Georgetown, Pickettown, Bell Fork, and Sandy Run. The latter communities have since been absorbed by Jacksonville. Colonel Gillette had planned to retire near the small village of Marine, ironically named after a local family whose surname was Marine, but lost his land to the acquisition, as well.

Construction of Camp Lejeune caused a population explosion in the small town of about 800 inhabitants, as new workers migrated to the area. Growth continued to be fueled by both young Marine families and military retirees. Today, Jacksonville's primary industry is retail sales and services. The primary migration draw continues to be the U.S. Marine Corps.

The Bank of Onslow and Jacksonville Masonic Temple, Mill Avenue Historic District, and Pelletier House and Wantland Spring are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

In 2016, Jacksonville became the first jurisdiction to adopt a paid holiday honoring the 13th Amendment to the United States Constitution, which made slavery in the United States and its territories illegal. The resolution of adoption mentions "the prevention of the modern slavery" which it describes as "human trafficking", including child labor and military service.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 56.42 sqmi, of which 48.80 sqmi is land and 7.62 sqmi (13.51%) is water. It is about 60 minutes from Wilmington and 15 minutes from the Intracoastal Waterway.

2020 census
As of the 2020 census, 72,723 people, 21,986 households, and 15,491 families resided in the city.

2000 census
At the 2000 census, there were 66,715 people, 17,175 households, and 13,533 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,500.0 PD/sqmi. The 18,312 housing units averaged 411.7 per square mile (159.0/km$2$). The racial composition of the city was 63.94% White, 23.96% African American, 2.07% Asian, 0.75% Native American, 0.19% Pacific Islander, 5.42% some other race, and 3.67% two or more races.

Of the 17,175 households, 49.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.8% were married couples living together, 12.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.2% were not families. About 16.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.83 and the average family size was 3.8

In the city, the population was distributed as 24.3% under 18, 36.3% from 18 to 24, 25.9% from 25 to 44, 8.8% from 45 to 64, and 4.8% who were 65 or older. The median age was 22 years. Jacksonville has been named the youngest city in the nation (lowest median age) on various lists. For every 100 females, there were 156.2 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 178.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $32,544, and for a family was $33,763. Males had a median income of $17,121 versus $19,931 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,237. About 12.5% of families and 14.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.0% of those under age 18 and 17.7% of those age 65 or over.

Top employers
According to the city's 2012 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:

Law and government
The mayor of Jacksonville is Sammy Phillips. The city manager is Joshua W Ray, and the deputy city manager is Ron Massey. The postmaster of Jacksonville is Jamie Thompson.

City Council
The Jacksonville City Council members (as of 2024) are:
 * Brian Jackson – Ward 1
 * Jerry Bitner – Ward 2 (mayor pro-tem)
 * Logan Sosa – Ward 3
 * Dr Angelia Washington – Ward 4
 * Cindy Edwards – At-large
 * Robert Warden – At-large

Public schools
Onslow County Schools serves the city, except for areas on U.S. military bases, including Camp Lejeune and Marine Corps Air Station New River; the military areas are served by Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) schools.

Alternative school
 * Onslow County Learning Center

Elementary schools
 * Bell Fork Elementary School
 * Blue Creek Elementary School
 * Carolina Forest Elementary School
 * Clyde Erwin Elementary School
 * Hunters Creek Elementary School
 * Jacksonville Commons Elementary School
 * MeadowView Elementary School
 * Morton Elementary School
 * Northwoods Elementary School
 * Parkwood Elementary School
 * Silverdale Elementary School
 * Southwest Elementary School
 * Stateside Elementary School
 * Summersill Elementary School
 * Thompson Elementary School
 * Dixon Elementary School

Middle schools
 * Dixon Middle School
 * Hunters Creek Middle School
 * Jacksonville Commons Middle School
 * Northwoods Park Middle School
 * New Bridge Middle School
 * Southwest Middle School

High schools
 * Dixon High School
 * Jacksonville High School
 * Northside High School
 * Richlands High School
 * Southwest High School
 * White Oak High School
 * Swansboro High School

MCAS New River is zoned to Delalio Elementary School in MCAS New River and Brewster Middle School and Lejeune High School in Camp Lejeune.

Private schools

 * Fellowship Christian Academy
 * Grace Baptist School
 * Infant Of Prague Catholic School
 * Jacksonville Christian Academy
 * Living Water Christian School
 * Montessori Children's School
 * St. Anne's Day School
 * Shiloh Institute of Learning
 * One World Montessori School

Public magnet schools

 * Clyde Erwin Elementary School (year round school)
 * New Bridge Middle School
 * Northwoods Elementary School (year round school)
 * Onslow Virtual Secondary School

Higher education

 * Coastal Carolina Community College
 * Miller-Motte Technical College - Jacksonville branch
 * University of Mount Olive - Jacksonville branch

Charter school

 * ZECA School of Arts and Technology

Transportation
In 2009, the Jacksonville metropolitan statistical area ranked as the ninth-highest in the United States for ratio of commuters who walked to work (8.1%).

The city's commercial air services are filled by Albert J. Ellis Airport in nearby Richlands.

Notable people

 * David Charles Abell, conductor (born in Jacksonville)
 * Ryan Adams, singer-songwriter, who frequently makes reference to Jacksonville in his songs
 * Jones Angell, play-by-play announcer for the North Carolina Tar Heels
 * Troy Barnett, former NFL defensive lineman
 * Art Bell, talk radio host
 * David Braxton, former NFL player
 * Levi Brown, former NFL offensive tackle
 * Joe Cannon, former MLB outfielder
 * Burke Day, Georgia state legislator and businessman
 * Edward B. Dudley, governor, congressman
 * Dave Dunaway, former NFL player
 * Jacob Evans, NBA player
 * Chad Fonville, former MLB player for the Montreal Expos, Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago White Sox, and Boston Red Sox
 * Mike Frier, former NFL player for the Cincinnati Bengals and Seattle Seahawks
 * David Green, former NFL and CFL player
 * Sara Hickman, singer
 * Marcus Jones, former NFL player for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
 * Christina Koch, engineer and NASA astronaut
 * Qasim Mitchell, former NFL player
 * Quincy Monk, former NFL player
 * Donte Paige-Moss, former AFL player
 * Michael R. Nelson, former mayor of Carrboro and first openly gay mayor in North Carolina
 * Dian Parkinson, television personality and model
 * Danielle Peck, singer
 * Andre Purvis, former NFL player for the Cincinnati Bengals
 * A.J. Styles, professional wrestler
 * Tyrone Willingham, former head football coach at University of Washington and the University of Notre Dame

title: Jacksonville, North Carolina


text:
North Topsail Beach, North Carolina

North Topsail Beach is a town in Onslow County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the population was 1,005. It is located on Topsail Island. North Topsail Beach is part of the Jacksonville, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History
In the 1940s, Ocean City was the one place in the area where African Americans could vacation or buy property. The idea came from white attorney Edgar L. Yow, who owned land in the area and talked to Black physician Samuel Gray. Wade H. Chestnut, who along with wife Caronell owned the first home there, was a leader in the community's development. In July 2022, a historical marker was planned, which will be part of the state's Civil Rights Trail.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 10.6 sqmi, of which 6.4 sqmi is land and 4.2 sqmi  (39.32%) is water.

2020 census
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 1,005 people, 482 households, and 233 families residing in the town.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 843 people, 451 households, and 242 families residing in the city. The population density was 131.4 PD/sqmi. There were 2,085 housing units at an average density of 324.9 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 92.17% White, 4.74% African American, 0.47% Native American, 0.83% Asian, 0.47% from other races, and 1.30% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.83% of the population.

There were 451 households, out of which 9.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.7% were married couples living together, 4.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 46.3% were non-families. 37.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.87 and the average family size was 2.37.

In the city the population was spread out, with 9.4% under the age of 18, 9.7% from 18 to 24, 30.7% from 25 to 44, 33.1% from 45 to 64, and 17.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females, there were 109.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 114.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $45,982, and the median income for a family was $53,125. Males had a median income of $36,522 versus $30,000 for females. The per capita income for the city was $33,972. About 5.5% of families and 8.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.0% of those under age 18 and 4.4% of those age 65 or over.

title: North Topsail Beach, North Carolina


text:
Piney Green, North Carolina

Piney Green is a census-designated place (CDP) in Onslow County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 11,658 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Jacksonville, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 13.5 sqmi, of which 13.4 sqmi is land and 0.1 sqmi  (0.37%) is water.

2020 census
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 14,386 people, 4,742 households, and 3,430 families residing in the CDP.

2000 census
At the 2000 census, there were 148,658 people, 4,202 households, and 3,193 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 868.7 PD/sqmi. There were 4,671 housing units at an average density of 348.1 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the CDP was 64.74% White, 24.56% African American, 0.75% Native American, 2.58% Asian, 0.25% Pacific Islander, 3.12% from other races, and 4.01% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.61% of the population.

There were 5,126 households, out of which 43.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.2% were married couples living together, 12.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.0% were non-families. 17.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 2.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.77 and the average family size was 3.12.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 30.2% under the age of 18, 16.0% from 18 to 24, 33.6% from 25 to 44, 15.6% from 45 to 64, and 4.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 27 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.2 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $36,636, and the median income for a family was $40,117. Males had a median income of $27,994 versus $20,278 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $15,353. About 7.3% of families and 10.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.9% of those under age 18 and 15.4% of those age 65 or over.

title: Piney Green, North Carolina


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Pumpkin Center, North Carolina

Pumpkin Center is a census-designated place (CDP) in Onslow County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 2,228 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Jacksonville, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 1.4 square miles (3.5 km$2$), all land.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,228 people, 734 households, and 609 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 1,641.0 PD/sqmi. There were 769 housing units at an average density of 566.4 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the CDP was 68.94% White, 19.08% African American, 0.49% Native American, 3.32% Asian, 1.26% Pacific Islander, 2.78% from other races, and 4.13% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.46% of the population.

There were 734 households, out of which 41.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.1% were married couples living together, 11.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 16.9% were non-families. 13.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.04 and the average family size was 3.30.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 30.7% under the age of 18, 9.4% from 18 to 24, 28.8% from 25 to 44, 23.5% from 45 to 64, and 7.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.8 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $42,730, and the median income for a family was $42,443. Males had a median income of $30,911 versus $21,122 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $16,144. About 3.0% of families and 3.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.9% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.

title: Pumpkin Center, North Carolina


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Richlands, North Carolina

Richlands is a town in Onslow County, North Carolina, United States. In the 2020 U.S. census, the population was 2,287. It is included in the Jacksonville, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area. Incorporated on March 29, 1880, it was the first town in Onslow County to have its own library and museum (home of the Onslow County Museum). Richlands was also the first town in Onslow County to have a female mayor, Annette Hargett.

Richlands is located 12 miles northwest of Jacksonville.

History
A post office called Richlands has been in operation since 1806. The town was so named on account of its rich soil.

The Avirett-Stephens Plantation, Richlands Historic District, Taylor Farm, and Venters Farm Historic District are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.2 sqmi, all land.

2020 census
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 2,287 people, 772 households, and 525 families residing in the town.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 928 people, 399 households, and 244 families residing in the town. The population density was 781.1 PD/sqmi. There were 424 housing units at an average density of 356.9 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 71.44% White, 25.11% African American, 0.43% Native American, 0.75% Asian, 0.75% from other races, and 1.51% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.16% of the population.

There were 399 households, out of which 27.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.4% were married couples living together, 16.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.6% were non-families. 35.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 20.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 3.03.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 23.3% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 26.0% from 25 to 44, 23.9% from 45 to 64, and 18.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 78.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 73.2 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $20,263, and the median income for a family was $31,667. Males had a median income of $26,875 versus $20,000 for females. The per capita income for the town was $18,615. About 23.1% of families and 24.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 30.8% of those under age 18 and 24.0% of those age 65 or over.

Schools

 * Heritage Elementary School
 * Richlands Elementary School
 * Trexler Middle School
 * Richlands High School
 * Liberty Christian Academy

Farmer's Day
Farmer's Day was an annual celebration of Richland's agrarian roots. Traditionally held on the first Saturday after Labor Day each year, the festival began in 1966 and ran for 50 years before ending in 2016. The celebration began in the morning with a parade through town and continued on the grounds of Richlands Primary School (now Heritage Elementary School). The day includes live music, local vendors, games, and food.

Notable people

 * Jeremy Hall – Army soldier, filed lawsuit against the DoD for religious discrimination
 * Tyler Matthews, NASCAR driver
 * Charlie Sanders – Pro Football Hall of Fame Inductee; 1970s NFL All-Decade Team
 * John Williams Shackelford – 19th-century U.S. Congressman
 * Mario Williams – Number one overall pick in the 2006 NFL draft, DE Buffalo Bills

title: Richlands, North Carolina


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Sneads Ferry, North Carolina

Sneads Ferry is a census-designated place (CDP) in Onslow County, North Carolina, United States. It is the second largest municipality in Onslow County, behind Jacksonville and is part of the Jacksonville, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area. Once a rural fishing village, Sneads Ferry has experienced a surge in development since 2000. Based on U.S. Census data, the study area has grown from 5,425 residents in 2000 to approximately 9,750 residents in 2014, an 80% increase. Growth primarily has been driven by accessibility to MCB Camp Lejeune from the gate on NC 172 and expansion of the United States Marine Corps Special Operations Command (MARSOC) accessed from NC 210. Sneads Ferry is expected to continue growing rapidly at 3.3% annually, adding 17,500 new residents through 2040 reaching 20,000 in total population by 2030.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 5.8 sqmi, of which 3.8 sqmi is land and 2.1 sqmi  (35.79%) is water.

2020 census
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 2,548 people, 1,087 households, and 775 families residing in the CDP.

2007-2011 ACS
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, there were 2,550 people in 1,445 households residing in the CDP. The population density was 598.2 PD/sqmi. There were 1,331 housing units at an average density of 354.2 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the CDP was 90.97% White, 5.12% African American, 0.53% Native American, 0.93% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 0.71% Ridgeweian, and 1.65% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.69% of the population.

There were 960 households, out of which 24.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.1% were married couples living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.2% were non-families. 26.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.78.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 20.7% under the age of 18, 9.4% from 18 to 24, 29.5% from 25 to 44, 25.6% from 45 to 64, and 14.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 104.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.0 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $34,509, and the median income for a family was $37,765. Males had a median income of $30,625 versus $28,542 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $16,355. About 11.7% of families and 13.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.3% of those under age 18 and 3.9% of those age 65 or over.

History
In 1728, Edmund Ennett established a ferry on the banks of the New River. Some of Ennett's descendants still reside in the area. Originally called "Ennett's Ferry," it became a key element in the Post road linking Suffolk, Virginia with Charleston, South Carolina. By 1759, two ferries operated there, one from each bank of New River. Robert Snead was the proprietor of the ferry on the north shore, so the community that developed on the banks of the crossing site became known as "Sneads Ferry." Caroline Pearson propelled the ferry until it was replaced with a bridge in 1939. The village is heavily dependent on the seafood industry. The village annually catches over 385 tons of shrimp, 25 tons of flounder, and approximately 493 tons of other seafood like clams, scallops, oysters, mullet, spot, grouper, soft shell and hard shell crabs, sea bass, and more. The town holds an annual Shrimp Festival to honor the local seafood industry.

The Yopps Meeting House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1999.

Libraries
Beginning in 1991, the original Sneads Ferry Library was housed in an old First Citizen's Bank and the new Environmental Education Center and Sneads Ferry Branch Library began construction in September 2012, with a grand opening in April 2014. Onslow County, North Carolina, in which Sneads Ferry is located, has three other libraries: the Jacksonville Main Library, the Richlands Branch Library, and the Swansboro Branch Library.

title: Sneads Ferry, North Carolina


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Swansboro, North Carolina

Swansboro is a town in Onslow County, North Carolina, United States, located along the Crystal Coast. In 2020, the population was 3,744.

History
Swansboro started as a settlement around the plantation of Theophilus Weeks. In 1783, Swansboro was incorporated as a town, taking its name from Samuel Swann, a Speaker in the North Carolina House of Commons and a resident of Onslow County. In 1818, Otway Burns built the Prometheus, the first river steamboat constructed in North Carolina.

The town, originally spelled Swannsborough, is sometimes called "The Friendly City by the Sea". M.N. Lisk, a popular Swansboro mayor, initiated the annual Mullet Festival, one of the first coastal seafood festivals in North Carolina.

The town is featured as the setting of Nicholas Sparks' novel The Guardian.

The Swansboro Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1990.

In 2018, Swansboro was among the hardest hit cities by Hurricane Florence. A record 30.58 inches (77 cm) of rain fell at Swansboro, North Carolina, breaking the previous state record of 24.06 inches (61 cm).

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.3 sqmi, of which 1.2 sqmi is land and 0.1 sqmi  (8.96%) is water.

Town government
The Town of Swansboro is governed by five Board of Commissioner members and the Mayor. The Commissioners are elected for four-year and two-year terms. The Mayor is elected for a four-year term. They are elected as Town-wide representatives. The Mayor presides at all meetings as the "Chairman" of the Board of Commissioners. The mayor votes only to break a tie, and the Mayor Pro Tem is appointed by the Commissioners and conducts the meetings in the absence of the Mayor.

2020 census
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 3,744 people, 1,360 households, and 755 families residing in the town.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,426 people, 655 households, and 419 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,168.2 PD/sqmi. There were 770 housing units at an average density of 630.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 90.18% White, 4.63% African American, 0.21% Native American, 0.77% Asian, 0.91% from other races, and 3.30% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.81% of the population.

There were 655 households, out of which 28.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.6% were married couples living together, 15.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.0% were non-families. 32.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.18 and the average family size was 2.72.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 24.4% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 28.1% from 25 to 44, 23.1% from 45 to 64, and 16.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 83.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.2 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $37,740, and the median income for a family was $45,357. Males had a median income of $32,188 versus $25,556 for females. The per capita income for the town was $19,625. About 10.3% of families and 11.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.9% of those under age 18 and 7.6% of those age 65 or over.

Education

 * Queens Creek Elementary School
 * Swansboro Elementary School
 * Swansboro Middle School
 * Swansboro High School

Tourism
Swansboro sits across the Intracoastal Waterway from Hammocks Beach State Park and is a popular destination for tourists, outdoor enthusiasts and recreational fishermen.

The Rotary Club of Swansboro is active in the community and regularly hosts events such as the annual King Mackerel Tournament and numerous fundraising gatherings. The Mullet Festival is the most notable and longest running Annual festival of 68 years that features a parade, street vendors, and live music.

Notable person

 * Otway Burns, (c. 1775–1850), privateer and North Carolina State Senator, was born at Queen's Creek near Swansboro.

title: Swansboro, North Carolina