Editing Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford (section)

==Culture and traditions==

===Literature===
In [[Phillip Pullman]]'s ''[[The Secret Commonwealth]]'', the character [[Lyra Belacqua]] attends an Oxford college, St Sophia's, which bears many similarities to Lady Margaret Hall: from its location on the map seen in "[[Lyra's Oxford]]" to being one of the first colleges to offer women an education.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Lyra's Oxford: His Dark Materials |url=https://www.thebooktrail.com/book-trails/lyras-oxford-his-dark-materials-philip-pullman/ |access-date=2024-10-27 |website=The Book Trail |language=en}}</ref>

A thinly disguised version of the college appeared as "Lady Matilda's College" in an episode of ''[[Lewis (TV series)|Lewis]];'' portions of the episode were filmed within the hall.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Elman |first=Leslie Gilbert |date=2011-09-07 |title=Inspector Lewis: Old, Unhappy, Far Off Things |url=https://www.criminalelement.com/inspector-lewis-old-unhappy-far-off-things/ |access-date=2024-10-27 |website=Criminal Element |language=en-US}}</ref>

The grounds, along with those of [[Trinity College, Oxford]], were the basis for Fleet College in the American author [[Charles Finch]]'s novel set in Oxford University, ''[[The Last Enchantments]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thelastenchantments.tumblr.com/post/70920173517/this-is-lady-margaret-hall-oxfords-first-college|title=The Last Enchantments|publisher=Tumblr|access-date=23 June 2014}}</ref>

''Death on the Cherwell'' by [[Mavis Doriel Hay]] includes a St Simeon's College, located approximately on the site of Lady Margaret Hall.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Death on the Cherwell (British Library Crime Classics) Page 15 Read online free by Mavis Doriel Hay |url=https://bookreadfree.com/546608/13418905 |access-date=2024-10-27 |website=bookreadfree.com}}</ref>

''[[Fire and Hemlock]]'' by [[Diana Wynne Jones]] had a St Margaret's College, which is based on Lady Margaret Hall.<ref>{{Cite web |title=OXFORDSHIRE TOURIST GUIDE |url=http://www.wessex.me.uk/OxfordshireAttractions.html |access-date=2024-10-27 |website=www.wessex.me.uk}}</ref>

The fictional St Scholastika's College in [[Val McDermid]]'s 2010 novel ''Trick of the Dark'' is a formerly all-female college located in North Oxford, adjacent to the [[University Parks]], with grounds backing onto the river, and buildings of red and yellow brick; it thus appears to be inspired as much by Lady Margaret Hall as by McDermid's own [[alma mater]], [[St. Hilda's College, Oxford]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Penn |first=J. F. |date=2014-10-05 |title=Inspiration For Writing Crime Thriller The Skeleton Road With Val McDermid {{!}} J.F.Penn |url=https://jfpenn.com/val-mcdermid/amp/ |access-date=2024-10-27 |website=J.F.Penn {{!}} Thrillers, Dark Fantasy, Crime, Horror |language=en-US}}</ref>

===Royal visits===
Queen [[Elizabeth II]] visited the hall in 1961.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.lmh.ox.ac.uk/about-lmh/lmh-library|title=LMH Library|website=Lady Margaret Hall|language=en|access-date=2017-08-26}}</ref>

[[Charles, Prince of Wales]] visited the college in 2006.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/5351250.stm|title=BBC NEWS {{!}} UK {{!}} Charles tribute for Prayer Book|website=news.bbc.co.uk|date=16 September 2006|access-date=2017-08-26}}</ref>

[[Anne, Princess Royal]] visited the college in 2014.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-18-february-2014-hrh-the-princess-royal-princess-anne-at-lady-margaret-66771702.html|title=Stock Photo – 18 February 2014: HRH The Princess Royal, Princess Anne at Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford University, to present The Ockenden International Prizes. HRH Princess Anne presents Lynn|website=Alamy|language=en|access-date=2017-08-26}}</ref>

===Steam locomotive===
A [[Great Western Railway]] [[GWR 6959 Class|6959 Class]] locomotive named ''Lady Margaret Hall'', number 7911, was built in 1950. It was one of the "Modified Hall" class and it was in service in the South East until December 1963.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.greatwestern.org.uk/m_in_hal_hall7.htm|title=Great Western Railway Hall class details|website=Greatwestern.org.uk|access-date=2017-08-08}}</ref>

===Gardens===
Unusually for Oxford colleges, students are permitted to walk on the Talbot Quadrangle, the main quad of the college.{{Citation needed|date=November 2022}} In Trinity term, a spiral of wildflowers are planted, creating a grass walkway into the centre of the quad. This is the only wildflower quad in Oxford.{{Citation needed|date=November 2022}} There is a circular wooden bench dedicated to [[Iris Murdoch]] in the college gardens where she used to go walking.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cherwell.org/2016/11/27/iris-murdochs-oxford-life/|title=Iris Murdoch's Oxford Life|last1=Sheridan|first1=Benn|website=Cherwell|date=27 November 2016|publisher=OSPL|access-date=22 August 2017}}</ref>

===Formal Hall===
The college's candlelit [[Formal Hall]] is held every Friday of term.{{fact|date=August 2024}}

Lady Margaret Hall is one of nine Oxford colleges to use the "two-word" Latin grace; this grace is also used by five colleges at the [[University of Cambridge]]. The person presiding at High Table says the grace in two parts at formal meals. The first half of the grace, the ''ante cibum'', is said before the meal starts and the second, the ''post cibum'', once the meal's conclusion. It is as follows:

''Benedictus benedicat'' – "May the Blessed One give a blessing"

''Benedicto benedicatur'' – "Let praise be given to the Blessed One" or "Let a blessing be given by the Blessed One"

In contrast to some other colleges, gowns are not worn to formal hall, though they are still required at special occasions such as the Scholars' dinner and the Founders' and Benefactors' dinner.

===Poet in Residence===
The college has a poet in residence.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lmh.ox.ac.uk/news/kieron-winn-new-poet-residence-lmh|title=Kieron Winn is new Poet in Residence at LMH|website=Lady Margaret Hall|access-date=25 March 2020}}</ref>

===Chapel===
The chapel at LMH holds weekly evensong every Friday, with services led by [[Andrew Foreshew-Cain]], as well as Catholic communions and other seasonal services such as the Christmas carol service and the Ash Wednesday service. The LMH Chapel Choir is led by Paul Burke.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lmh.ox.ac.uk/about-lmh/chapel/chapel-services-and-weekly-events|title=Chapel Services and Weekly Events |website=Lady Margaret hall}}</ref>