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'{{Infobox building | name = Radcliffe Camera | native_name = | former_names = Physics Library | alternate_names = Rad Cam or [[Oxford "-er"|Radders]] (colloquial) | image = [[Image:Radcliffe Camera, Oxford - Oct 2006.jpg|250px|center]] | caption = Radcliffe Camera, viewed from the University Church | map_type = Oxford (central) | altitude = | building_type = [[Academic library]] | architectural_style = [[Palladian architecture#English Palladian revival (neo-Palladian)|English Palladian style]] | structural_system = | cost = | ren_cost = | location = [[Radcliffe Square]], [[Oxford]] | owner = [[University of Oxford]] | latitude = 51.7534 | longitude = -1.2539 | start_date = 17 May 1737 | completion_date = 1748 | inauguration_date = 13 April 1749 | renovation_date = | demolition_date = | destruction_date = | height = | diameter = | other_dimensions = | floor_count = 2 | floor_area = | main_contractor = | architect = [[James Gibbs]] | architecture_firm = | structural_engineer = | services_engineer = | civil_engineer = | other_designers = | quantity_surveyor = | awards = | ren_architect = | ren_firm = | ren_str_engineer = | ren_serv_engineer = | ren_civ_engineer = | ren_oth_designers = | ren_qty_surveyor = | ren_awards = | references = }} The '''Radcliffe Camera''' (Camera, meaning "room" in Italian) (colloquially, "Rad Cam"; "[[Oxford "-er"|Radder]]" in 1930s slang<ref>[[Eric Partridge]] [http://www.archive.org/stream/slangtodayandyes013453mbp/slangtodayandyes013453mbp_djvu.txt ''Slang To Day And Yesterday'' (1933)]</ref>) is a building in [[Oxford]], England, designed by [[James Gibbs]] in the [[Palladian architecture#English Palladian revival (neo-Palladian)|English Palladian style]] and built in 1737–1749 to house the [[Radcliffe Science Library]]. ==History== It was known that [[John Radcliffe (English physician)|John Radcliffe]], physician to [[William III of England|William III]] and [[Mary II of England]], intended to build a library in Oxford at least two years before his death in 1714. It was thought that the new building would be an extension westwards of the Selden End of the [[Bodleian Library]]. [[Francis Atterbury]], Dean of [[Christ Church, Oxford|Christ Church]] thought a 90 ft room would be built on [[Exeter College, Oxford|Exeter College]] land, and that the lower storey would be a library for Exeter College and the upper story Radcliffe's Library. Such plans were indeed prepared, by [[Nicholas Hawksmoor]] (fourteen 'Designs of Printing and Town Houses of Oxford by Mr Hawksmoor' were among the drawings offered for sale after Hawksmoor's death), the plans are now in the [[Ashmolean Museum]]. Radcliffe's will, however, proved on 8 December 1714, clearly showed his intention that the library be built in the position it now occupies, stating: <blockquote>And will that my executors pay forty thousand pounds in the terme of ten years, by yearly payments of four thousand pounds, the first payment thereof to begin and be made after the decease of my said two sisters for the building a library in Oxford and the purchaseing the house the houses {{sic}} between St Maries and the scholes in Catstreet where I intend the Library to be built, and when the said Library is built I give one hundred and fifty pounds per annum for ever to the Library Keeper thereof for the time being and one hundred pounds a year per annum for ever for buying books for the same Library.<ref name=bh>{{Cite web |url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=63870 |title=The Radcliffe Camera |accessdate=13 January 2009 |last= |first= |coauthors= |date= |work=A History of the County of Oxford: Volume 3: The University of Oxford (1954) |publisher=British History Online}}</ref></blockquote> A number of tenement houses fronting [[Catte Street]], built right up to the Schools, some gardens, [[Brasenose College, Oxford|Brasenose College]] outbuildings and Black Hall occupied the site required for the library. A number of colleges became involved in the development of the site. An added problem was that Brasenose required an equal amount of land fronting [[High Street, Oxford|High Street]] in return for the land they were being asked to give up. As a consequence, the Trustees had to negotiate with the owners and the tenants of the houses. An [[Act of Parliament]] was passed in 1720 that enabled any corporations within the University to sell ground for building a library. The negotiations dealing with Catte Street took over twenty years.<ref name=bh/> The choice of architect had been considered as early as 1720 - [[Christopher Wren]], [[John Vanbrugh]], [[Thomas Archer]], [[John James (architect)|John James]], [[Nicholas Hawksmoor]], and [[James Gibbs]] were considered. In 1734 Hawksmoor and Gibbs were invited to submit plans. Hawksmoor made a wooden model of his design which is in the Bodleian. Gibbs was eventually chosen for the building.<ref name=bh/> On 17 May 1737, the foundation stone was laid. The progress of the building and the craftsmen employed is detailed both in the Minute Books of the Trustees and the Building Book, which supplement information given by Gibbs in his ''Bibliotheca Radcliviana''. An extract states:<blockquote>Mr. William Townsend of Oxford, and Mr. [[William Smith of Warwick (1661-1724)|William Smith of Warwick]], were employed to be masons; Mr. John Philipps to be the carpenter and joiner; Mr. George Devall to be plumber; Mr. Townsend junior to be stone carver; [[William Linnell|Mr. Linel]] of Long-acre, London, to be carver in wood; Mr. Artari, an Italian, to be their plaisterer in the fret work way; Mr. [[John Michael Rysbrack|Michael Rysbrack]] to be sculptor, to cut the Doctor's figure in marble; and Mr. Blockley to be locksmith.</blockquote> Francis Smith, the father of William, was chosen as one of the masons, but died in 1738 and was succeeded by his son near the beginning of building. In 1739, John Townesend also succeeded his father on the latter's death.<ref name=bh/> The building was completed in 1748, and a librarian appointed, as was a porter. The opening ceremony took place on 13 April 1749 and soon known as 'the Physic Library'. Despite its name, its acquisitions were varied for the first sixty years, but from 1811 its intake was confined to works of a scientific nature. During the first half of the 19th century the collections included coins, marbles, candelabra, busts, plaster casts, and statues. These collections have since been moved to more specifically appropriate sites. Between 1909 and 1912 an underground book store of two floors was constructed beneath the north lawn of the library with a tunnel connecting it with the [[Bodleian Library|Bodleian]], invisibly linking the two library buildings, something envisaged by [[Henry Acland]] in 1861.<ref name=bh/> After the Radcliffe Science Library moved into another building, the Radcliffe Camera became home to additional reading rooms of the Bodleian Library. The freehold of the building and adjoining land was transferred from the Radcliffe Trustees to the University in 1927. The interior of the upper reading-room houses a six foot [[Marble sculpture|marble statue]] of John Radcliffe, carved by [[John Michael Rysbrack]].<ref name=bh/> It now holds books from the [[English literature|English]], [[history]], and [[theology]] collections, mostly [[secondary sources]] found on Undergraduate and Graduate reading lists. There is space for around 600,000 books in rooms beneath [[Radcliffe Square]]. Contemporaries found great irony in the fact that the iconoclast Radcliffe, who scorned book-learning, should bequeath a substantial sum for the founding of the Radcliffe Library. [[Samuel Garth|Sir Samuel Garth]] quipped that the endowment was “about as logical as if a eunuch should found a [[seraglio]].”<ref>Otto L. Bettmann, ''A Pictorial History of Medicine'' (Springfield, Illinois: Charles C. Thomas, 1956), 192.</ref> In November 2010, the Radcliffe Camera was occupied by students for over twenty four hours, as part of wider national protest against proposed changes to university funding and substantial increases in the cost of tuition.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-11830491 |title= Oxford students protest at university fees |author= |date= 24 November 2010 |work= |publisher= BBC News |accessdate=26 November 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url= http://www.cherwell.org/content/11131 |title= Rads cram Rad Cam in 24 hour stand-off |author= Cherwell news team |date= 26 November 2010 |work= |publisher= Cherwell |accessdate=26 November 2010}}</ref> == Architecture == [[Image:The Radcliffe Camera from the Bodleian end of Catte Street.jpg|thumb|220px|The Camera, as viewed from outside the [[Bodleian Library]] on [[Catte Street]], with [[University Church of St Mary the Virgin|St Mary's]] obscured behind left.]] [[File:1 radcliffe camera night 2012.jpg|thumb|Night view]] [[Image:Radcliffe2ndlevel.jpg|thumb|Inside Upper Camera]] The building is the earliest example in England of a circular library. It is built in three main stages externally and two stories internally, the upper one containing a gallery. The ground stage is heavily rusticated and has a series of eight pedimented projections alternating with [[Niche (architecture)|niches]]. The central stage is divided into bays by coupled [[Corinthian order|Corinthian columns]] supporting the continuous entablature. The pedimented windows stand above [[mezzanine]] openings, reflecting the interior arrangement. The top stage is a lanterned dome on an octagonal drum, with a [[balustrade]]d parapet with vases. The construction used local stone from Headington and Burford, which was then [[ashlar]] faced. The dome and cupola are covered with lead. The original plan was for a stone dome, but after building 5 ft. 8 in. of the stonework, it had to be removed and the design was changed. Inside, the original walls and dome were distempered but this was later removed, revealing the decorations to be carved in stone. Only the decorative work of the dome is plaster.<ref name=bh/> Originally, the basement was an open arched arcade with a vaulted stone ceiling, with Radcliffe's [[coat of arms]] in the centre. The arcade arches were fitted with iron grilles: three of them were gates which were closed at night, and which gave access to the library by a grand staircase. In 1863, when the building had become a reading-room of the Bodleian, the arches were glazed, a new entrance was created on the north side in place of a circular window, with stone steps leading up to the entrance.<ref name=bh/> The area around the Library was originally partly paved, partly cobbled, and partly gravelled. In 1751 stone posts and obelisks surmounted by lamps were placed around the perimeter. All but the three at the entrance to Brasenose Lane were removed around 1827 when the lawns were laid and iron railings installed.<ref name=bh/> == References in popular culture == * [[J. R. R. Tolkien]], author of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'', remarked that the building resembled [[Sauron]]'s temple to [[Morgoth]] on [[Númenor]].<ref>Simon Rose, December 9, 2001 tourist trail article [http://www.culture24.org.uk/history+%26+heritage/literature+%26+music/tra10493 Fellowship of the Ring/J.R.R. Tolkien Trail] 24 hour museum.</ref> It is also mentioned in ''[[The Notion Club Papers]]''. * [[Dorothy Sayers]]' 1936 mystery novel ''[[Gaudy Night]]'' is set in Oxford, and one of the most important concluding conversations between Lord Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane takes place on the balustraded circular rooftop of the Radcliffe Camera. [[Chapter XXIII, ''[[Gaudy Night]]''.]] * [[Elizabeth Kostova]]'s novel ''[[The Historian]]'' includes a very intense scene set in the interior of the Radcliffe Camera. * The Camera was used as a location in the films ''[[Young Sherlock Holmes]]'' (1985), ''Opium Wars'' (Yapian zhanzheng) (1997), ''[[The Saint (film)|The Saint]]'' (1997), and ''[[The Red Violin]]'' (1998).<ref>Leonard, Bill, ''The Oxford of Inspector Morse'' Location Guides, Oxford (2004) p.202 ISBN 0-9547671-1-X.</ref> * The structure is seen in the 2008 film ''[[The Golden Compass (film)|The Golden Compass]]''. It is also mentioned in [[Lyra's Oxford]], a book in the universe of [[His Dark Materials]]. * The building is also seen in the ''[[Inspector Morse (TV series)|Inspector Morse]]'', ''[[Lewis (TV series)|Inspector Lewis]]'' and ''[[Endeavour (TV series)|Endeavour]]'' television series, set in Oxford. == See also == * [[Radcliffe Infirmary]] * [[Radcliffe Observatory]] * [[Radcliffe Science Library]] * [[Radcliffe Quadrangle]] == References == {{reflist}} == External links == {{Commons category}} {{oscoor gbx|SP515063}} * [http://www.oxfordcityguide.com/TouristInfo/SightSeeing.html Photograph and short history from OxfordCityGuide.com] * [http://www.britainexpress.com/cities/oxford/radcliffe.htm Britain Express information] * [http://www.oxfordlight.co.uk/photos/radcliffe-camera-square-photos/03/ Photos of Radcliffe Camera] through different seasons * [http://www.bluffton.edu/~sullivanm/england/oxford/gibbs/radcliffe.html Images of Radcliffe Camera] * {{IoE|245749}} [[Category:Buildings and structures completed in 1749]] [[Category:Library buildings completed in the 18th century‎]] [[Category:English Baroque architecture]] [[Category:Domes]] [[Category:James Gibbs buildings]] [[Category:Libraries of the University of Oxford]] [[Category:Visitor attractions in Oxford]] [[Category:Grade I listed buildings in Oxford]] [[Category:Grade I listed library buildings]] [[bs:Radcliffe Camera]] [[de:Radcliffe Camera]] [[es:Cámara Radcliffe]] [[fa:ردکلیف کمرا]] [[fr:Radcliffe Camera]] [[ms:Radcliffe Camera]] [[ja:ラドクリフ・カメラ]] [[pl:Radcliffe Camera]] [[sv:Radcliffe Camera]]'

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