The University Tests Act
Preserved but no longer current.
An Act passed in 1871 abolishing in the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge, and Durham subscriptions to the XXXIX Articles, all declarations and oaths concerning religious belief, and all compulsory attendance at public worship.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “The University Tests Act” mean?
An Act passed in 1871 abolishing in the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge, and Durham subscriptions to the XXXIX Articles, all declarations and oaths concerning religious belief, and all compulsory attendance at public worship.
Is “The University Tests Act” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.