James Griffith (1761–1821) was an

Oxford Oxford () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and non-metropolitan district in Oxfordshire, England, of which it is the county town. The city is home to the University of Oxford, the List of oldest universities in continuou ...

academic and

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. He was elected as a

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University College, Oxford University College, formally The Master and Fellows of the College of the Great Hall of the University commonly called University College in the University of Oxford and colloquially referred to as "Univ", is a Colleges of the University of Oxf ...

in 1784. From 22 January 1808, he was

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of the College until his death in 1821. James Griffith was Master of Univ when

Percy Bysshe Shelley Percy Bysshe Shelley ( ; 4 August 1792 – 8 July 1822) was an English writer who is considered one of the major English Romantic poets. A radical in his poetry as well as in his political and social views, Shelley did not achieve fame durin ...

was expelled as an undergraduate after writing a provocative pamphlet on ''

The Necessity of Atheism "The Necessity of Atheism" is an essay on atheism by the English poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, printed in 1811 by Charles and William Phillips in Worthing while Shelley was a student at University College, Oxford. A signed copy was sent to all ...

'' in 1811. Shelley was called in to see Griffith and a number of college fellows on 25 March 1811. When Griffith asked Shelley if the pamphlet was his, Shelley remained silent. Shelley's friend,

Thomas Jefferson Hogg Thomas Jefferson Hogg (24 May 1792 – 27 August 1862) was a British barrister and writer best known for his friendship with the Romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley. Hogg was raised in County Durham, but spent most of his life in London ...

, also appeared to support him, claiming equal culpability. Later that day, a notice appeared on the Hall door, signed by Griffith and the Dean, George Rowley (who succeeded Griffith as Master of the college), stating that Shelley and Hogg were expelled from the college. Griffith was interested in art and architecture. He was responsible for the south side of the main quadrangle at University College when it was refaced in 1802, including the dining hall and chapel. In 1811, he designed the

vestry A vestry was a committee for the local secular and ecclesiastical government of a parish in England, Wales and some English colony, English colonies. At their height, the vestries were the only form of local government in many places and spen ...

for the church in Melsonby. In 1819, he was a member of a Delegacy advising on the development of the site

Hertford College Hertford College ( ), previously known as Magdalen Hall, is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. It is located on Catte Street in the centre of Oxford, directly opposite the main gate to the Bodleian Library. The colle ...

as a replacement for

Magdalen Hall Hertford College ( ), previously known as Magdalen Hall, is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. It is located on Catte Street in the centre of Oxford, directly opposite the main gate to the Bodleian Library. The colle ...

. There is a water colour painting by him of the

Vale of Conway The River Conwy (; ) is a river in north Wales. From its source to its discharge in Conwy Bay it is long and drains an area of 678 square km. "Conwy" was formerly anglicised as "Conway." The name 'Conwy' derives from the old Welsh words ''cy ...

in the

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. He was a

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from 1816. At

Gloucester Cathedral Gloucester Cathedral, formally the Cathedral Church of St Peter and the Holy and Indivisible Trinity and formerly St Peter's Abbey, in Gloucester, England, stands in the north of the city near the River Severn. It originated with the establishme ...

, he designed the Gothic

choir screen The rood screen (also choir screen, chancel screen, or jubé) is a common feature in late medieval church architecture. It is typically an ornate partition between the chancel and nave, of more or less open tracery constructed of wood, stone, or ...

, erected in 1820. Griffith married his cousin, Mary Ironside, on his election to Master of University College. They lived together in the Master's Lodgings.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Griffith, James 1761 births 1821 deaths English theologians Fellows of University College, Oxford Masters of University College, Oxford English male non-fiction writers