Chancellors of the University of Cambridge

The Chancellor is the titular head of the University, elected for life by the Senate (all graduates holding an M.A. or a higher degree). The earliest known reference to a Chancellor is to Hugh de Hottun, in 1246. At that time, the role was that of an active head, elected from among the resident Heads of the Colleges of the University. According to the original 13th century University Statutes it was the responisibility of the Chancellor to "promptly execute the masters' sentences when they bring them to his notice".

John Fisher's term as Chancellor prompted a significant change in the model of the Chancellorship. He was elected in 1502, having recently served as Vice-Chancellor (1501), Master of Michaelhouse (1497-1504) and as Lady Margaret Professor of Divinity (1502-4). On his election, in 1504, to the See of Rochester, he retained the Chancellorship alongside his other roles. In 1513 he offered to resign in favour of Thomas Wolsey (himself newly appointed to the See of Lincoln), but when Wolsey declined, Fisher was re-elected and remained Chancellor until his execution in 1535. From then on, Chancellors were elected from among the magnates of the land who could represent the University's interests at court, and, with the exception of Lord Adrian (1967-76), were no longer resident in the University.

The Chancellor has the power to call congregations, to admit candidates to degrees and to titles of degrees, and to see that all officers of the University duly perform their offices.

List of Chancellors

c.1246Hugh de Hottun
1256Reginald de Gerninghall
1259William de Ludham
1260Richard de Gedney
1261Richard Dryfield
1267John de Asgarby
1270-75John Hooke
1276Roger de Fulbourn
1283-84Andrew de Gisleham
1286Thomas de Sheringham [Skeringham]
1287Stephen de Hepworth
1289Ralph de Leicester
1290-92Geoffrey de Pakenham
1293-94Henry de Bolton
1295John de Bradenham
1296Thomas de Sheringham [Skeringham] [again]
1298Thomas de Sheringham [Skeringham] [again]
1300-01Stephen de Haslingfield
1303Stephen de Haslingfield [again]
1306Stephen de Segrave
1307Stephen de Segrave [again]
1315Richard de Aston
1320Roger de Northburgh
1326Richard de Badew
1329Thomas de Foxton
c.1330Robert de Wynwyk
1331John de Langley
1334Robert de Mildenhall
1335-36Henry de Herewarden
1337Richard de Harling
1339Richard de Harling [again]
1340Robert de Claydon
1341Thomas de Northwood
1344Thomas de Northwood [again]
1345Richard de Harling [again]
1346-48John de Crakhall
1348Thomas de Grantchester
1348William de Lymbergh
1349Richard de Wetherset [Wetheringsett], alias de Cantabrigia
1349Richard de Harling [again]
1351Richard de Harling [again]
1352Anthony de Grantchester
1352-59William Tynkell
1359Thomas de Sutton
1360Richard de Wetherset [Wetheringsett] [again]
c.1361Michael de Haynton
1361-63Michael de Cawston
1366William de Gotham
1369Thomas de Stewkley
1371John de Dunwich
1373Adam de Lakynheth
1374John de Dunwich [again]
1376William de Gotham [again]
1378Richard Le Scrope
1380Guy de la Zouch
1381Sir John de Cavendish
1382John de Bromyard [Dominican]
1382Guy de la Zouch [again]
1383John de Neketon
1384John de Burgh
1388William Colvile
1390Richard de Dereham
1390William Colvile
1391William Colvile [again]
1392John de Neketon [again]
1394William Colvile [again]
1396Guy de la Zouch [again]
1400Richard de Billingford
1402Richard de Billingford [again]
1404Richard de Dereham [again]
1408Richard de Dereham [again]
1409Richard de Billingford [again]
1412Thomas Ashwell [name surmised]
1413Richard de Billingford [again]
1414Stephen Le Scrope
1415-21John de Rickingale
1422Thomas de Cobham
1424-25Robert Fitzhugh
1426William Wymbell
1427-28Marmaduke Lumley
1429-30John de Holbroke [died 1430]
1430John de Rickingale [again]
1431William Lascells
1432Richard de Billingford [again]
1433-35Richard Cawdrey
1436-43John de Langton
1445Nicholas de Kenton
1447John de Langton [again]
1447-48Robert de Ascough
1450Nicholas Close
1451, 53, 55William Percy [son of the Earl of Northumberland]
1456-58Laurence Booth
1458William Wilflett
1459-60Robert Woodlark
1461Richard Scroope
1462Robert Woodlark [again]
1463John Booth
1464William Wilflett [again]
1465John, Herrison
1466William Wilflett [again]
1468Edward Story
1469Thomas Rotherham
1470Edward Story [again]
1473, 75, 78Rotherham, Thomas [again]
1479John Boynton
1483Thomas Rotherham [again]
1485Thomas Northwood
1488Richard Badew
1490Thomas Cosyn
1494-95John Blythe
1496John Fitzhugh [perhaps George, see 1502]
1500Richard Fox
1502George Fitzhugh
1503Thomas Ruthall [Rowthall]
1504John Fisher
1514John Fisher
1535Thomas Cromwell
1539Stephen Gardiner
1547Edward, Duke of Somerset Seymour
1552John, Duke of Northumberland Dudley
1553Stephen Gardiner [again]
1556Cardinal Reginald Pole
1559William Cecil, Lord Burghley
1598Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex
1601Robert Cecil, Earl of Salisbury
1612Henry Howard, Earl of Northampton
1613Thomas Howard [2], Earl of Suffolk
1626George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham
1627Henry Rich, Earl of Holland
1648Edward Montagu, Earl of Manchester
1651St John, Oliver
1660Edward Montagu, Earl of Manchester [restored]
1671George Villiers [2], Duke of Buckingham
1674James Scott, Duke of Monmouth
1682Christopher Monck [Monk], Duke of Albemarle
1689Charles Seymour, Duke of Somerset
1748Thomas Holles Pelham, Duke of Newcastle
1768Augustus Henry Fitzroy, Duke of Grafton
1811HRH William Frederick, The Duke of Gloucester
1834John Jeffreys Pratt, Marquis of Camden
1840Hugh Percy, Duke of Northumberland
1847HRH Albert, The Prince Consort
1861William Cavendish, Duke of Devonshire
1892Spencer Compton Cavendish, Duke of Devonshire
1908John William Strutt, Baron Rayleigh
1919Arthur James Balfour, Earl Balfour
1930Stanley Baldwin, Earl Baldwin of Bewdley
1948-50Jan Christiaan Smuts, Field Marshal
1951Arthur William Tedder, Baron
1967Edgar Douglas Adrian, Baron
1976HRH Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh