Oxford college chief who became embroiled in Rhodes Must Fall protests is made the new head of Historic England
- Lord Mendoza, provost of Oriel College, will head up the heritage organisation
- He was previously commissioner for culture in 2020 during the Covid pandemic
An Oxford college chief who became embroiled in the Rhodes Must Fall protests has been appointed chair of Historic England.
Lord Mendoza, provost of Oriel College, said it was a ‘great honour’ to head up the heritage organisation. He was previously appointed as commissioner for culture at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport in 2020, during the Covid pandemic.
Former prime minister Boris Johnson nominated him for a life peerage that same year and he was awarded a CBE in the New Year Honours list in 2022.
He said: ‘In my role as commissioner for culture, I have worked closely with Historic England and greatly appreciated the ways in which this outstanding organisation cares for the country’s astonishing breadth of historic buildings, monuments and landscapes.
‘England’s historic environment holds deep meaning for people.
Lord Mendoza, provost of Oriel College, said it was a ‘great honour’ to head up the heritage organisation
‘Over the last few years, we have witnessed its impact in regeneration, education and cultural development across the country.
‘I look forward to ensuring the ongoing protection of the nation’s heritage estate and demonstrating the importance, beauty and value of our heritage to a wider society.’
Lord Mendoza became provost of Oriel in 2018, after previously attending the college as an undergraduate.
During his tenure the college became the focus of the Rhodes Must Fall protest movement, which called for a statue of Cecil Rhodes to be removed from an Oriel building.
Rhodes, a 19th-century businessman and adventurer, supported apartheid-style measures in southern Africa.
The college ultimately declared the statue would remain put in its prominent position on the high street, prompting a backlash from some academics who declared it a ‘source of shame’ for Oxford.
Lord Mendoza said at the time that the decision ‘had been a careful, finely balanced debate and we are fully aware of the impact our decision is likely to have in the UK and further afield.
‘We understand this nuanced conclusion will be disappointing to some, but we are now focused on the delivery of practical actions aimed at improving outreach and the day-to-day experience of BME students.’
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