Oxford Inscriptions: University College
These two queens, who were full sisters, look across the High Street towards The Queen's College (which was founded in honour of a much earlier queen, Queen Philippa of Hainault, the wife of King Edward III). The statue of Queen Anne was installed in 1709, and ten years later Queen Mary II was installed further east when the new Radcliffe Quadrangle was built. The former appears to be shaking her fist, but in fact she originally wielded a sceptre, and her other hand rests on an orb.
Queen Mary II (1662–1694)
MARIA 2da REGINA [Queen Mary II, placed here by means of Dr John Radcliffe (1650–1714), who had been an undergraduate at University College, happened to be the physician to both the above queens |
Queen Anne (1665–1714)
ANNA REGINA [Queen Anne, placed here
by means of The donor, John Ward, had in 1686 also paid for the statue of her father James II that stands back-to-back with her facing the inside the college. He was the brother of George Ward (a Fellow of the college) |
The two statues inside University College that stand back-to-back with the above two queens
John Radcliffein the Radcliffe Quadrangle, 
See page on statues of John Radcliffe for the inscription John Radcliffe (1650–1714) was physician to both sister Queens. He had been an undergraduate at University College, and left it money for the Radcliffe Quadrangle, built in 1716–19) and to endow two Fellowships in Medicine. His statue was installed in 1719 at the same time as the statue of Queen Mary II |
King James IIOver the inside of the main entrance, 
No inscription James II (1633–1701) the father of both sister Queens, stands inside University College. His statue was erected in 1686/7 about 22 years before that of his daughter Queen Anne, and shows him in Roman dress. There is more information about this statue here in Oxoniensia
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University College News: English 18th Century Portrait Sculpture: |
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