Interior of the Divinity School
Credit: Whitaker Studio. This image comes from Oxford University Images
Previous Vice-Chancellors
| YEAR | NAME(S) |
|---|---|
| 2016 | Professor Dame Louise Richardson |
| 2009 | Professor Andrew Hamilton |
| 2004 | Dr John Hood |
| 1997 | Sir Colin Lucas |
| 1993 | Sir Peter North |
| 1989 | Professor Sir Richard Southwood |
| 1985 | Lord Neill of Bladen |
| 1981 | Geoffrey Warnock |
| 1977 | Sir Rex Richards |
| 1973 | Sir John Habakkuk |
| 1969 | Lord Bullock of Leafield |
| 1966 | Kenneth Turpin |
| 1964 | Kenneth Clinton Wheare |
| 1962 | Walter Fraser Oakeshott |
| 1960 | Arthur Lionel Pugh Norrington |
| 1958 | Thomas Sherrer Ross Boase |
| 1957 | John Cecil Masterman |
| 1954 | Alic Halford Smith |
| 1951 | Sir Cecil Maurice Bowra |
| 1948 | Very Rev John Lowe |
| 1947 | William Teulon Swan Stallybrass |
| 1944 | Sir Richard Winn Livingstone |
| 1941 | Sir William David Ross |
| 1938 | George Stuart Gordon |
| 1935 | Alexander Dunlop Lindsay |
| 1932 | Francis John Lys |
| 1929 | Frederick Homes Dudden |
| 1926 | Francis William Pember |
| 1923 | Joseph Wells |
| 1920 | Lewis Richard Farnell |
| 1917 | Herbert Edward Douglas Blakiston |
| 1913 | Thomas Banks Strong |
| 1910 | Charles Buller Heberden |
| 1906 | Thomas Herbert Warren |
| 1904 | William Walter Merry |
| 1901 | David Binning Monro |
| 1899 | Thomas Fowler |
| 1898 | Sir William Reynell Anson |
| 1894 | John Richard Magrath |
| 1890 | Henry Boyd |
| 1886 | James Bellamy |
| 1882 | Benjamin Jowett |
| 1878 | Evan Evans |
| 1874 | James Edwards Sewell |
| 1870 | Henry George Liddell |
| 1866 | Frances Knyvett Leighton |
| 1862 | John Prideaux Lightfoot |
| 1858 | Francis Jeune |
| 1856 | David Williams |
| 1852 | Richard Lynch Cotton |
| 1848 | Frederick Charles Plumptre |
| 1844 | Benjamin Parsons Symons |
| 1840 | Philip Wynter |
| 1836 | Ashurst Turner Gilbert |
| 1832 | George Rowley |
| 1828 | John Collier Jones |
| 1824 | Richard Jenkyns |
| 1820 | George William Hall |
| 1818 | Frodsham Hodson |
| 1814 | Thomas Lee |
| 1810 | John Cole |
| 1807 | John Parsons |
| 1806 | Henry Richards |
| 1802 | Whittington Landon |
| 1798 | Michael Marlow |
| 1797 | Edmund Isham |
| 1796 | Scrope Berdmore |
| 1792 | John Wills |
| 1788 | John Cooke |
| 1784 | Joseph Chapman |
| 1780 | Samuel Dennis |
| 1776 | George Horne |
| 1772 | Thomas Fothergill |
| 1768 | Nathan Wetherell |
| 1765 | David Durell |
| 1759 | Joseph Browne |
| 1756 | Thomas Randolph |
| 1753 | George Huddesford |
| 1750 | John Browne |
| 1747 | John Purnell |
| 1744 | Euseby Isham |
| 1741 | Walter Hodges |
| 1738 | Theophilus Leigh |
| 1735 | Stephen Niblett |
| 1732 | William Holmes |
| 1728 | Edward Butler |
| 1723 | John Mather |
| 1718 | Robert Shippen |
| 1715 | John Baron |
| 1712 | Bernard Gardiner |
| 1710 | Thomas Brathwaite |
| 1706 | William Lancaster |
| 1702 | William Delaune |
| 1700 | Roger Mander |
| 1698 | William Paynter |
| 1697 | John Meare |
| 1695 | Fitzherbert Adams |
| 1692 | Henry Aldrich |
| 1689 | Jonathan Edwards |
| 1687 | Gilbert Ironside |
| 1686 | John Venn |
| 1685 | Timothy Halton |
| 1682 | John Lloyd |
| 1679 | Timothy Halton |
| 1677 | John Nicholas |
| 1676 | Henry Clerk |
| 1673 | Ralph Bathurst |
| 1669 | Peter Mews |
| 1666 | John Fell |
| 1664 | Robert Say |
| 1662 | Walter Blandford |
| 1661 | Richard Baylie |
| 1660 | Paul Hood |
| 1657 | John Conant |
| 1652 | John Owen |
| 1650 | Daniel Greenwood |
| 1648 | Edward Reynolds |
| 1645 | Samuel Fell |
| 1643 | John Tolson, Robert Pincke |
| 1642 | Dr Prideaux |
| 1641 | John Prideaux |
| 1640 | Christopher Potter |
| 1638 | Accepted Frewen |
| 1636 | Richard Baylie |
| 1634 | Robert Pincke |
| 1632 | Brian Duppa |
| 1630 | William Smyth |
| 1628 | Accepted Frewen |
| 1626 | William Juxon |
| 1624 | John Prideaux |
| 1621 | William Piers |
| 1619 | John Prideaux |
| 1617 | William Goodwyn |
| 1616 | Arthur Lake |
| 1614 | William Goodwyn |
| 1611 | Thomas Singleton |
| 1607 | John King |
| 1606 | Henry Airay |
| 1605 | George Abbot |
| 1604 | John Williams |
| 1603 | George Abbott |
| 1602 | John Howson |
| 1601 | George Ryves |
| 1600 | George Abbot |
| 1599 | Thomas Thornton |
| 1598 | Thomas Singleton |
| 1596 | Thomas Ravys |
| 1593 | Edmund Lilly |
| 1592 | Nicholas Bond |
| 1590 | William James |
| 1589 | Nicholas Bond |
| 1588 | Martin Heton |
| 1587 | Francis Wyllis |
| 1586 | Daniel Bernard |
| 1585 | Edmund Lilly |
| 1584 | John Underhill |
| 1583 | Thomas Thornton |
| 1582 | Robert Hovenden |
| 1581 | William James |
| 1580 | Arthur Yeldard |
| 1579 | Toby Mathew |
| 1578 | Martyn Colepeper |
| 1577 | William Cole |
| 1576 | Herbert Westphaling |
| 1571 | Lawrence Humphrey |
| 1570 | Thomas Cowper |
| 1567 | Thomas Cowper |
| 1564 | John Kennall |
| 1562 | Thomas Whyte |
| 1561 | Francis Babbington |
| 1560 | Francis Babbington |
| 1559 | John Warner |
| 1558 | William Tresham |
| 1557 | Thomas Raynolds, Thomas Whyte |
| 1556 | William Tresham, Thomas Raynolds |
| 1555 | Richard Smyth |
| 1554 | John Warner |
| 1553 | Richard Martiall |
| 1552 | James Brokes alias Brooks, Richard Martiall |
| 1551 | Owen Oglethorpe |
| 1550 | William Tresham |
| 1547 | Walter Wright |
| 1532 | John Cottisford, William Tresham |
| 1531 | Henry White |
| 1528 | John Cottisford |
| 1527 | Martin Lyndsey, John Cottisford |
| 1523 | Thomas Musgrave |
| 1522 | Richard Benger |
| 1521 | Richard Benger |
| 1520 | William Broke or Brook, Richard Benger |
| 1519 | Richard Barnack, Richard Duck or Doke |
| 1518 | Richard Duck or Doke |
| 1517 | Richard Duck or Doke |
| 1516 | Lawrence Stubbs |
| 1515 | Edmund Wylsford |
| 1514 | John Thornden, Lawrence Stubbs, Edmund Wylsford, Hugh Whytehead |
| 1513 | William Fauntleroy, John Kynton, John Thornden |
| 1512 | Edmund Wylsford, William Fauntleroy, John Kynton |
| 1511 | William Fauntleroy, Thomas Drax, John Roper, John Cockys, Edmund Wylsford |
| 1510 | John Thornden, John Mychell |
| 1509 | William Fauntleroy |
| 1508 | William Fauntleroy, John Thornden |
| 1507 | John Thornden or Thornton, John Avery, John Kynton |
| 1506 | John Thornden, William Fauntleroy |
| 1505 | Simon Grene, John Roper, John Adams |
| 1504 | John Kynton, Robert Tehy or Thay |
| 1503 | John Thornden or Thornton, John Kynton, Simon Grene alias Fotherby |
| 1502 | William Atwater, Thomas Banke, Hugh Saunders |
| 1501 | Thomas Banke, Hugh Saunders alias Shakspeere |
| 1500 | William Atwater |
| 1499 | David Hays, William Atwater, Thomas Chaundeler |
| 1498 | Thomas Harpur |
| 1497 | William Atwater |
| 1493 | Robert Smith |
| 1492 | John Coldale |
| 1491 | Richard Fitzjames, John Coldale |
| 1490 | John Coldale |
| 1489 | John Coldale |
| 1488 | John Coldale |
| 1487 | Richard Estmond |
| 1486 | John Taylor |
| 1485 | Richard Mayew |
| 1484 | Richard Mayew, Thomas Pawnton |
| 1482 | Robert Wrangwais, William Sutton |
| 1481 | Richard Fitzjames, William Sutton |
| 1480 | John Lane, William Sutton |
| 1470 | Thomas Stevyn |
| 1469 | Robert Tulley, Thomas Jaune |
| 1468 | Thomas Stevyn, Thomas Jaune |
| 1467 | Thomas Chaundler, Thomas Stevyn, Thomas Walton |
| 1466 | Thomas Chaundler, John Caldbeck, Thomas Stevyn, Laurence Cokkys, Thomas Hill |
| 1465 | Thomas Smith, Robert Ixworth, John Caldbeck, Thomas Chaundler |
| 1464 | Laurence Cokkys, Thomas Chaundler, Roger Bulkeley, John Caldbeck, Thomas Person |
| 1463 | John Watts, Thomas Chaundler, David Husband, John Mulcaster |
| 1462 | William Ive |
| 1461 | William Ive, Roger Bulkeley |
| 1460 | Thomas Tweyn |
| 1459 | John Danvers, Thomas Jaune or Jane |
| 1458 | Walter Wynhale, Thomas Twynge |
| 1457 | Thomas Chippenham |
| 1456 | Thomas Saunders |
| 1455 | Thomas Twynge alias Bonifaunt |
| 1454 | Thomas Tweyn, Thomas Saunders |
| 1453 | Luke Lacock, Robert Thwayts, Thomas Saunders |
| 1452 | John Beke, Thomas Tweyn or Yweyn alias Chalke, Thomas Saunders |
| 1451 | John Beke, John Van |
| 1450 | Richard Ringstede, John Beke, Roger Bulkeley, John Van |
| 1449 | John Willey, John Burneby, William Dowson |
| 1448 | John Burneby |
| 1447 | John Burneby, William Dowson |
| 1446 | William Westkarre, John Moreton, William Dowson |
| 1445 | William Dowson, John Selot |
| 1444 | William Dowson, Richard Hall, William Westkarre |
| 1443 | William Dowson, William Westkarre |
| 1442 | William Grey, William Babington, John Gorsuch, William Westkarre |
| 1441 | John Gorsuch, Robert Thwaytes, William Babington |
| 1440 | John Gorsuch |
| 1439 | John Gorsuch, John Burbach, Thomas Southam, Thomas Gascoigne |
| 1438 | John Gorsuch, William Hawtrine |
| 1437 | John Gorsuch, Thomas Greneley |
| 1436 | John Burbach, Thomas Greneley |
| 1435 | John Burbach, Thomas Bonyngworth |
| 1434 | Thomas Gascoigne, Christopher Knolles, John Burbach |
| 1433 | John Burbach, or Hurbach |
| 1431 | Richard Roderham |
| 1430 | Thomas Eglesfield |
| 1426 | Richard Roderham |
| 1422 | John Daventry |
| 1407 | John Orum |
| 1406 | John Whytehede |
| 1405 | William Farendon |
| 1404 | Griffin Kirkadam |
| 1401 | William Farendon |
| 1399 | John Snappe and others |
| 1397 | William Farendon, or Faringdon |
| 1396 | Nicholas Faux |
| 1394 | Richard Ullerston |
| 1391 | John Ashwardby |
| 1389 | John Lyndon |
| 1386 | Henry Nafford, or Yafford |
| 1382 | Fr Peter Stokes |
| 1377 | Robert Aylesham |
| 1368 | John de Codeford |
| 1367 | John de Codeford |
| 1348 | William de Hawkesworth |
| 1347 | Hugh de Willoughby |
| 1337 | John de Reigham |
| 1336 | John de Ayllesbury |
| 1333 | Richard, son of Radulph, or Fitzrauf |
| 1325 | Richard Kamshale |
| 1311 | Walter Gifford |
| 1304 | John de Oseworhd |
| 1288 | John Heigham |
| 1270 | Robert Steeton |
| 1230 | Elyas de Daneis |
NB Some individuals, particularly in the 16th and 17th centuries, held the office of Vice-Chancellor for more than one period of time. In the earliest part of the University's history records may be inexact: for example, ‘John Snappe and others’ are listed for the year 1399. It is therefore not possible to give a definitive figure for the number of people who have held the office of Vice-Chancellor. We can say, however, that Professor Andrew Hamilton is the 271st person known to have held the office.
This list is based on that included in The Encyclopaedia of the University of Oxford (Hibbert, C. & Hibbert E. (eds) 1992, Papermac, London) which ends with the period of office of Professor Richard Sir Southwood (1989-1993).