History

The Trust was formed in 2012, bringing together two former Trusts, the Culham Educational Foundation and St Gabriel’s Trust. The former Trusts were established in the late 1970s after the closure of two Church of England teacher training colleges, Culham College in Oxfordshire and St Gabriel’s College in Southwark, London.

Culham College

Culham College in Oxfordshire was founded in 1852 by Bishop Samuel Wilberforce, and trained teachers to work mainly in the Oxford diocese. It closed in 1979. The Foundation, and the Culham Institute, were born as a result, and worked closely with St Gabriel’s Trust on a shared programme supporting RE.

St. Gabriel’s College

St. Gabriel’s College was set up in 1899 by Canon Charles Edward Brooke, a pioneer of Church schools south of the Thames. The first Principal was Miss Mathilda E. Bishop. She became the first of the six women Principals of the College. Since the closure of the college in 1978, its work lived on in the St. Gabriel’s Programme, shared with the Culham Institute.

Both trusts have deep roots in the history of the Church of England’s commitment to supporting education for all and promoting religious education. Culham St Gabriel’s enshrines those values and builds on them today.

Culham St Gabriel’s Chairs of Trustees

Dr Linda Whitworth 2022 –

Mr John Keast OBE 2018 – 2022

Dr Priscilla Chadwick 2012 – 2018

Directors/Chief Executives

Dr Kathryn Wright, CEO 2019 –

Dr Mark Chater, Director 2011-2019

Archive

Over the years Culham Educational Foundation, St Gabriel’s Trust and latterly Culham St Gabriel’s Trust have produced their own resources and publications, as well as funding research and projects which further the development of an education in religion and worldviews. Our archive includes important historical documents, which may be of use to those interested in the history of religious education and/or the charitable sector. If you would like further information about our archive please email enquiries@cstg.org.uk

John Gay, Director of the Culham Institute 1980 – 2011 has authored a paper listing publications relating to RE, collective worship, church schools and church colleges/universities produced largely through the Culham Institute between 1980 and 2011, along with more recent ones relating to the church’s involvement in higher education. Having been deposited in the Oxford Research Archive, they are now freely available on-line and the open access url for each one is given in the paper. Download the paper here.