Westcott House Cambridge

@westcotthousecam.bsky.social

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Official account of Westcott House, Cambridge. Founded in 1881, we are a theological college that prepares people for ministry in the Church of England and offers theological education, training and research opportunities to clergy and lay people.

Black and white framed photo of our Founding President, Brooke Foss Westcott sitting in a garden on a wooden bench in conversation with an unknown fellow member of clergy who is seated beside him.
The new Bishop of Brixworth, the Rt Revd Dr Alex Hughes standing beside the Archbishop of Canterbury outside Westminster Abbey.
Small group of independent students and postgraduate supervisors from the Summer Writing Retreat, enjoying an ice cream with Dr Jenny Leith and Dr Karen O'Donnell in Cambridge City Centre.
Revd Dr Will Rose-Moore at Westcott House after passing his PhD Viva, pictured holding a copy of his thesis and standing beside one of his PhD Supervisors, Dr Karen O’Donnell.
Revd Dr Naomi Wormell, Tutor for Learning Support, leading a session on neurodivergence at the Cambridge Theological Federation's Staff Development Day.
Three Westcott alumni with their stoles draped over their left arms, pictured at a previous Leavers’ service.
View from the terrace in Old Court Garden of the dining hall, lecture room and accommodation blocks at Westcott House.
Revd Rachel Rosborough, Vice Principal, Westcott House. Quote: “St Jerome apparently said: ‘The Scriptures are shallow enough for a babe to come and drink without fear of drowning, and deep enough for theologians to swim in without ever touching the bottom.’”
2026 Leavers pictured with the altar party, the Principal, Revd Dr Helen Dawes and Vice Principal, Revd Rachel Rosborough on the terrace steps at the main entrance of Westcott House.
2026 Leavers being prayed for and blessed at the Leavers' Eucharist.
Westcott House community waiting to process with our 2026 leaving ordinands from New Court Garden into the Chapel.
Revd Dr Helen Dawes, Principal, Westcott House. Quote: 'Will I be enough?'
View of Westcott House from Old Court Garden with bunting, wooden benches and picnic tables set up on the lawn ready for the Leavers’ 2026 BBQ.
The Revd Canon Professor Ben Quash, Professor of Christianity and the Arts, King's College, London and incoming Regius Professor of Divinity, Cambridge Quote: "The art historian Paul Hills, in a wonderful book called Veiled Presence, says that artists ‘think with cloth’. And so can we. If you know how to think with fabric (of various kinds), immense worlds of meaning can open up. It’s a sort of associational way of thinking that defines the Bible and both Christian and Jewish traditions of biblical interpretation; a thought-world that works with metaphors, allusions, and analogies, not just at the level of word-play, but in the belief that physical objects are eloquently interconnected in the plan of God."
Revd Dr Naomi Wormell, Lecturer in Old Testament, Westcott House. Quote: 'We are in Abraham’s story and he is in ours. We are in Jesus’ story and he is in ours. We are in Sarah’s story and she is in ours. We are in each other’s story here and in the places God sends us, to proclaim the good news of the blessing that is poured out on everyone, so that everyone can come so close to God and God can come so close to them.'
Revd Dr Andrew Todd, Senior Lecturer and Director of the Professional Doctorate in Practical Theology for the CTF, preaching at the CTF Commendation Service at Great St Mary's Church.
The Venerable James Ridge, Chaplain General (Head of Faith Services), HM Prisons & Probation Service. Quote: ‘The incarnation is not a passing phase in the life of God; it is the way God has chosen to be with us. And in the Eucharist, that incarnate presence is made available to us in the simplest and most ordinary of elements.’
Westcott House ordinands pictured inside All Saints Church, Longstanton whilst on placement with the 5folds Ministry Team.
Westcott House ordinands on placement with the Cheveley group of parishes, pictured after the services with the Vicar, Revd Dr Naomi Wormell.
Canon Clement Hutton-Mills, Westcott House Trustee and LLM at St Mary's Church, Primrose Hill. Quote: ‘I believe all of us, lay or ordained, have a common, Spirit-led mission: that is, to help open people’s eyes to the presence of the Divine in the everyday.’
Dr Karen O’Donnell, Academic Dean at Westcott House. Quote: ‘...the purpose of the doctrine of the Trinity is to offer a set of rules—a kind of grammar—for how we do various Christian things...’
Our college tortoise, Hort, foraging near green leafy plants and white flowers in one of the flowerbeds in Old Court Garden.
First-year ordinand, Nathan Brooks standing inside a college chapel with tall stained glass windows in the background.
Advert publicising an online launch for Congregational Studies, a special issue of Practical Theology on 1 July, 2026 at 4pm. Free registration with QR code.
Revd Rachel Rosborough presiding at the altar in the Chapel of Westcott House.
The Venerable Dr Alex Hughes, Archdeacon of Cambridge and Bishop of Brixworth-designate. Quote: ‘People wanted Jesus to be what they wanted him to be, rather than who he was.’
One of the brick buildings at Westcott House surrounded by greenery from Old Court Garden, inset with an image of the word love, promoting an online short course titled 'The Mystery of Love'.
A brick building at Westcott House surrounded by greenery from Old Court Garden, inset with an image of a cityscape showing a church sat next to a tall industrial chimney billowing out smoke, advertising an online short course titled ‘Christianity and Ecology'.
Alt text: The Rt Revd Rachel Treweek, Bishop of Gloucester and Anglican Bishop for HM Prisons. Quote: 'In a world longing for certainty yet yearning for mystery, we are to witness to the truth of Christ’s resurrection and the mysterious coming in of the Kingdom of God, immersed in the inexplicable love of God.’
A brick building at Westcott House surrounded by greenery from Old Court Garden, advertising an online short course titled ‘Life in Liturgy, Spiritual Traditions of the Christian East’.
Close up of pink and purple fuchsia flowers hanging from green leafy branches with one of the buildings at Westcott House (accommodation block, chapel and library) blurred in the background.
Garden view of Westcott House - historic brick buildings overlooked by the spire of All Saints Church surround the green lawn of Old Court Garden under a clear bright blue sky.
Group photo in the chapel at Westcott House of Revd Dr Naomi Wormell, members of her tutor group in the altar party for the Community Eucharist, and Canon Nick Moir.
Revd Canon Nick Moir, Chaplain at Westcott House. Quote: ‘Our modern problem is that we don’t really know how to use our bodies in worship.’
A brick building at Westcott House surrounded by greenery from Old Court Garden, inset with an image of a child praying, advertising an online short course titled ‘Children’s Spirituality.
Poster advertising an Open Day being held on Saturday 2 May at Westcott House.
Blooming pink tree peonies, tulips and green foliage in Old Court garden in front of the chapel bell at Westcott House.
A brick building at Westcott House surrounded by greenery from Old Court Garden, advertising an online short course titled ‘Christian Mysticism East and West’.
Alt text: Five ordinands sitting around a pub table with drinks and copies of a book entitled ‘Wardrobes and Rings: Through Lenten Lands with the Inklings’ by Julia Golding, Malcolm Guite and Simon Horobin that they were discussing at a meeting of their Lent book group.
Advert with circular icons depicting themes such as a Celtic cross, saints, prayer, ecology and love to publicise upcoming Christian Spirituality and Theology short courses offered at Westcott House. Courses listed are Life in Liturgy, Christian Mysticism East and West, Children's Spirituality, Christianity and Ecology, The Mystery of Love.
Poster advertising a short course titled 'Medieval Church History'.
Poster advertising an Open Day being held on Saturday 2 May at Westcott House.
A brick building at Westcott House surrounded by greenery from Old Court Garden, inset with an image of the word love, promoting an online short course titled 'The Mystery of Love'.
The Revd Ayo Audu, newly appointed Director of Contextual Training at Westcott House.
The Rt Revd Paul Ferguson holding a farewell gift from the community and pictured with the Principal, Revd Dr Helen Dawes in the dining hall at Westcott House.
Revd Jennifer Totney presiding at the Eucharist, along with members of her tutor group pictured at the altar in the chapel of Westcott House.
Revd Jennifer Totney on the terrace in Old Court Garden with the Principal and colleagues from Westcott House receiving a farewell gift from the community.
Close up of delicate pink magnolia blossoms against the backdrop of a wooden bench, daffodils and the cloisters in Old Court Garden, Westcott House. Text: Christ is Risen! May you have a Blessed and Happy Easter!
Alt text: Alumnus and artist Revd Ed Cearns pictured on the terrace at Westcott House with his pop-up art stall featuring a selection of Westcott themed artwork, cards and mugs.
Image: Dr Jenny Leith, Lecturer in Christian Ethics and Tutor for Independent Students, Westcott House. Quote: ‘To be invited into the economy of grace-upon-grace is to receive the favour of sharing in the unfolding of God’s purposes. This is not to do things on God’s behalf, but to act alongside God - and so to be drawn into the fullness of who we are called to be.’
Image: Revd Dr Julian Gotobed, Director of Practical Theology and Mission, Westcott House. Quote: “The lesson of Lazarus is that God summons life out of death through Jesus.”