The first church on the site of the cathedral was a nunnery and parish church which was burnt during the St Brice's Day massacre in 1002; it was re-founded as a priory of Augustinian canons by 1122. The priory was suppressed in 1524 by Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, who intended to demolish the church in order to found a new college on the site. The cardinal fell from favour in 1529 and the project was taken over by Henry VIII, who preserved the church. When the diocese of Oxford was created in 1542 its cathedral was the former Osney Abbey, however it was supplanted by Christ Church in 1546.[4][5]
The cathedral was originally the church of St Frideswide's Priory. The site was historically presumed to be the location of the nunnery founded by St Frideswide, the patron saint of Oxford, and the shrine is now in the Latin Chapel; originally containing relics translated at the rebuilding in 1180, it was the focus of pilgrimage from at least the 12th until the early 16th century.[6]
In 1522, the priory was surrendered to Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, who had selected it as the site for his proposed college. However, in 1529 the foundation was taken over by Henry VIII. Work stopped, but in June 1532 the college was refounded by the King. In 1546, Henry VIII transferred to it the recently created See of Oxford from Osney. The cathedral has the name of Ecclesia Christi Cathedralis Oxoniensis, given to it by Henry VIII's foundation charter.
There has been a choir at the cathedral since 1526, when John Taverner was the organist and also master of the choristers. The statutes of Wolsey's original college, initially called Cardinal College, mentioned 16 choristers and 30 singing priests.
Christ Church Cathedral is one of the smallest cathedrals in the Church of England.[7]
The nave, choir, main tower and transepts are late Norman. There are architectural features ranging from Norman to the Perpendicular style and a large rose window of the ten-part (i.e., botanical) type.
Memorial to John Wesley and Charles Wesley, leaders of the Methodist revival in Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford, where they were ordained while they were Anglicans
There are also other full-time clergy of the Cathedral and college who are not formal members of the Cathedral chapter, including the Precentor and School Chaplain The Revd Philippa White; the College Chaplain, The Revd Dr Kirsty Borthwick; and the Priest Vicar, The Revd Dr Zachary Guiliano.
On 19 September 2023, the governing body of Christ Church voted to separate the ecclesiastical role of Dean from the position of Head of House of the College.[14]
First among the notable organists of Christ Church Cathedral is the Renaissance composer John Taverner, who was appointed as the first organist by Wolsey in 1526. Other organists (and directors of the choir) have included Basil Harwood, Thomas Armstrong, W. H. Harris, Simon Preston, Francis Grier, Nicholas Cleobury, Stephen Darlington and Steven Grahl. The post of Organist is currently held by Peter Holder. (As in many English cathedrals, the organist's primary duties are as director of the choir, with most of the organ playing delegated to the sub-organist or organ scholar.)
Choirs
The main choir, the Christ Church Cathedral Choir, as of 2024[update] is directed by Peter Holder.[16] It consists of twelve adults (six professional "lay-clerks" and six student "academical clerks") and sixteen choristers (boys aged 7–13 from Christ Church Cathedral School). The choir was all male until 2019, when they welcomed alto Elizabeth Nurse as their first female clerk.[17] They sing in university term time, at Christmas and Easter, and have an extensive touring and recording programme. Former choristers include the composer William Walton.
Choir, Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford
The Cathedral Singers consists of volunteers and as of 2024[update] is directed by Hilary Punnett.[18] They are usually in residence outside of term time when the choristers and academical clerks of the main choir are on holiday.
The College Choir sings every 1–2 weeks in term time and is made up of current undergraduates and postgraduates from the college.
Since September 2019, the cathedral has also had a choir for girls aged 7–14 called Frideswide Voices. The choristers are drawn from schools around Oxford, and sing Evensong once a week. Helen Smee was appointed director when the choir was formed.[19]
Bells
The cathedral has a ring of 12 bells hung for full circle ringing. The tenor weighs 31 long cwt 0 qr 23 lb (3,495 lb or 1,585 kg), diameter 56 inches (1,400 mm) tuned to D. It was cast in 1589 and is historically important according to the Church Buildings Council. Two other bells are also historically important, numbers 10 and 9 (16 long cwt 2 qr (1,850 lb or 840 kg) in F♯ and 12 long cwt (1,300 lb or 600 kg) in G respectively) which were both cast c.1410.[20]
As well as the bells used for ringing there are also two other bells. The litany bell of c.1410 is also historically important. It weighs 1 long cwt 2 qr (170 lb or 80 kg) and sounds the note of G.[20] The Bourdon bell is Great Tom. This dates from 1680, weighs 124 long cwt 2 qr (13,940 lb or 6,320 kg), diameter 85 inches (2,200 mm) sounding A.[20] Great Tom is only swung "on a very small number of occasions",[21] but it is sounded every night.[22]
Notable burials
John Locke memorial engraving
John Bankes (1589–1644), English lawyer and politician
George Berkeley, philosopher and Bishop of Cloyne (memorial in the nave)
^Pevsner, Nikolaus; Metcalf, Priscilla; et al. (and various hands) (1985). The Cathedrals of England: the South East. London: The Folio Society (published 2005). pp. 239–255.
^Levin, Carole (2013). The Heart and Stomach of a King. University of Pennsylvania Press. p. 20. ISBN978-0-8122-2240-1.
^"Hilary Punnett". Christ Church, University of Oxford. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
^"Helen Smee". Christ Church, University of Oxford. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
^ abcDove, Ron; Baldwin, Sid (2022). "Oxford, Oxfordshire, Cath Ch of Christ". Dove’s Guide for Church Bell Ringers. Central Council Publications. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
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