Magdalene College was founded as a Benedictine hostel in 1428. It was renamed Buckingham College in the 1470s under the patronage of Henry Stafford, 2nd Duke of Buckingham. It was re-founded as the College of St Mary Magdalene in 1542 by Thomas, Lord Audley (Lord Chancellor of England).
The arms of Magdalene, with the motto Garde ta foy ('Keep faith') and the crest showing the mythic wyvern, are all derived from Audley. The most beautiful building at Magdalene is the Pepys Building in Second Court. This houses Samuel Pepys own library - his bequest stated that no books were to be added to or removed from the 3,000 volumes which are indexed by size.
The original plan was for a brick building like the rest of the college buildings but the library was built in neo-classical style and faced with Ketton stone. The front was brought forward by several feet thus creating a large room or series of rooms over the loggia.