William of Durham

William of Durham (died 1249) is said to have founded University College, Oxford, England.

[1][2] He most likely came from Sedgefield, County Durham and was educated at Wearmouth monastery and in Paris, France.

William of Durham was archdeacon of Caux and (in 1235, for a few months) archbishop-elect of Rouen in Normandy, France.

[1] When, in 1229, riots broke out in Paris, he may have been the leader of a group of students who migrated from that city to Oxford, but this tradition is not attested to by contemporary sources.

He left 310 marks,[1] a large amount of money, in his will to be invested in rents that would support scholars in Oxford.