Benjamin Symons was born in
Cheddar,
Somerset, the son of John Symons of Cheddar. He was educated at
Sherborne School and
matriculated at
Wadham College, Oxford, on 2 February 1802, where he was admitted as a scholar on 25 October 1803. He graduated with a
BA degree on 14 October 1805 and received an
MA degree on 7 July 1810. Symons was elected a Probationer Fellow at Wadham College on 30 June 1811 and was admitted as a
Fellow on 2 July 1812. He graduated with a
Bachelor of Divinity on 22 April 1819. He was
bursar of the College from 1814 to 1823, after which he became sub-warden. On 23 January 1831 he obtained the degree of
Doctor of Divinity and on 16 June of that year he was elected
Warden of the College. He was
Vice-Chancellor of
Oxford University from 1844 to 1848. He resigned the wardenship on 18 October 1871, but continued to reside in
Oxford until his death in 1878. Symons did not follow the
high-church Anglican
Oxford Movement prevalent at Oxford, and was regarded as the leader of the
evangelical wing in later life. He was buried in the
ante-chapel at Wadham College and bequeathed £1,000 to the College to establish an
exhibition. His portrait was hung in the College hall. ==References==