Royal English College, Valladolid

IDENTITY
 
 
Name
 
ARCHIVES OF THE ROYAL AND PONTIFICAL COLLEGE OF ST ALBAN - ACSA
Identifier
 
 
 
 
 
CONTACT
 
 
Address
 
SPAIN             Calle Don Sancho 22, 47005 Valladolid, Spain
U.K.                 St Edmund’s Church. 297 Westferry Rd., London E14 3RS
Telephone
 
SPAIN             [+34] (0) 983 293 102
U.K.                 [+44] (0) 207 987 5187
Fax
 
 
Email
 
Website
 
Head of repository
 
 
 
 
DESCRIPTION
 
 
Institutional context
 
 
Institutional history
 
The English College at Valladolid was opened in 1589. In 1768, following the expulsion of the Jesuits, the Colleges at Seville and Madrid were joined with Valladolid on the site of St Albans. The College still prepares students from the Dioceses of England and Wales for the priesthood.
The College holds the archives of St Alban’s College, Valladolid, 1589; St Gregory’s College, Seville, 1592; St George’s College, Madrid, 1610. The College at St Alban’s also became responsible for the English Hospice at San Lucar de Barrameda.
 
Administrative structure
 
The College is Royal and Pontifical. The property of the English College is vested in the Rector of the College, who is appointed by Cedula Real of the King of Spain. He is nominated by the Bishops of England and Wales in a terna, approved by the Vatican and then sent to the King who makes the final choice. The Rector is responsible to a group of three Bishops of England and Wales, who are the Episcopal Visitors. 
 
Collecting policy
 
The College has an active acquisitions policy. Its priorities are items with a connection to the Colleges’ history; items that reflect the relations between the city of Valladolid and the College; items that reflect the historic relations between England and Spain. The College also acquires material concerning the English or Irish colleges in the Iberian peninsula.
 
Buildings
 
The Archives are housed in the main College buildings in the city of Valladolid.
 
Archival and other holdings
 
The College holds the archives of the three colleges from the dates of their foundations to 1767 in the case of Seville and Madrid, and to the present in the case of Valladolid and San Lucar de Barrameda. It also holds some archives from various Spanish institutions in the city, e.g. the Mercedarian house; the College of San Ambrosio; San Ignacio, the Casa Professa of the Society of Jesus. As well as the papers of the colleges, the archives contain 18th , 19th and 20th century papers etc., of the students of the College at Valladolid.
 
Finding aids and publications
 
The catalogue of the archives can be searched at www.catholic-heritage.net . The lists of students etc can be found in CRS Vols. 29, 30 and 73. Michael E Williams, St Alban’s College Valladolid. Four centuries of English Catholic Presence in Spain, London, 1986.
 
 
 
 
ACCESS
 
 
Opening times
 
By arrangement with the Honorary Archivist. Usually 6 months notice is required since the Hon Archivist only travels to Spain at certain times.
 
Conditions and requirements
 
An academic reference and notice of the area of interest must be sent before a researcher will be considered for access. On arrival a registration form must be completed.
The College does not offer accommodation to researchers.
 
Disabled access
 
The College is accessible, however, currently the Archive can only be accessed down 5 steps. Arrangements can be made for a student to research in a nearby accessible room. Please let us know in advance if this will be required.
 
Transport
 
The College is a 15 minute walk from the main railway station – Valladolid Campo Grande. It is also a 25 minute taxi ride from Valladolid airport. Valladolid is accessible by Ave train from Madrid in 55 minutes.
 
 
 
 
SERVICES
 
 
Research services
 
The College is unable to respond to any but the most basic research enquiries.
 
Reproduction services
 
Copies can be requested if any items in the archives subject to preservation and copyright regulations. A full list of reprographic fees is available upon request.
 
Public facilities
 
The College is very close to shops and hotels in the centre of the city.
 
 
 
 
CONTROL
 
 
Date of creation
 
Last updated 8 May 2015