Arras College

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}

Arras College was a Catholic foundation in Paris, a house of higher studies associated with the University of Paris, set up in 1611. It was intended for English priests, and had a function as a House of Writers, or apologetical college. This aspect of the college was prompted by the 1609 foundation of Chelsea College in London, designed for the production of polemical Protestant literature.Dodd's Church history of England from the commencement of the sixteenth century to the revolution in 1688 (1839), pp. 135-7.

The original Arras College had support from Thomas Sackville, third son of Thomas Sackville, 1st Earl of Dorset, and Philippe de Caverel, abbot of St. Vedast's in Arras, enlisted by Augustine Bradshaw (John White), providing its name.{{DNB Cite|wstitle= White, John (1576-1618)}}

Among those setting up the college, near Porte St Victoire, were Richard Smith, who had gained papal approval for it, Anthony Champney, Matthew Kellison, and Richard Ireland. William Bishop joined them shortly, after release from prison in England.DNB article on Bishop. Henry Holden was there in 1623 after his ordination;ODNB article on Holden. a few years later George Leyburn resided there before going on the English mission.DNB article on Leyburn.

The original foundation lasted until 1635.{{cite web|url=http://www.catholic-history.org.uk/nwchs/recushandbook.htm |title=Recusant Historian's Handbook |accessdate=2010-05-25 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100614061059/http://www.catholic-history.org.uk/nwchs/recushandbook.htm |archivedate=2010-06-14 }} At a later point, in 1667, Miles Pinkney began to revive the project, and a second house of higher studies, St. Gregory's, lasted in Paris until 1785,{{DNB Cite|wstitle=Carre, Thomas}} having had the support of John Betham, the first superior, with Bonaventure Giffard and Edward Paston.{{DNB Cite|wstitle=Betham, John}}ODNB article on Betham.