Until the founding of University College London, there were only two universities in England: Oxford and Cambridge. In 1826, however, its founders, including James Mill and Henry Brougham, and often seen as inspired by the philosophy of Jeremy Bentham, established what they called 'London University'. Unlike Oxford and Cambridge, it was an entirely secular institution, and while adherence to the Church of England was a condition of study at those ancient univerisities, the new university accepted students including dissenters, Catholics and Jews. Its militant secularism helped to trigger the establishment of a rival institution, King's College London, three years later.

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Citation: Editors, Litencyc. "University College, London founded". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 30 August 2013 [https://staging.litencyc.com/php/stopics.php?rec=true&UID=4656, accessed 23 November 2024.]