Hertford College, a constituent college of the University of Oxford, has a long and layered history. Its earliest predecessor, Hart Hall, was established around 1282 as a place where students could live and study in Oxford. Later, it gained full college status as Hertford College in 1740, but that first foundation later collapsed. The current Hertford College was refounded by an Act of Parliament in 1874, building on the legacy of its medieval forerunners and evolving into the modern college known today, famous for features such as its iconic Bridge of Sighs and inclusive academic community.