| Christ Church Cathedral | |
| Fullname: | Cathedral Church of Christ |
| Imagealt: | Christ Church Cathedral |
| Coordinates: | 51.75°N -1.2547°W |
| Location: | Oxford, Oxfordshire |
| Pushpin Map: | Oxfordshire |
| Country: | United Kingdom |
| Denomination: | Church of England |
| Previous Denomination: | Roman Catholic |
| Website: | chch.ox.ac.uk/cathedral |
| Status: | Active |
| Functional Status: | Cathedral |
| Heritage Designation: | Grade I listed |
| Designated Date: | 12 January 1954 |
| Style: | Romanesque, Gothic |
| Years Built: | 1160– |
| Diocese: | Oxford |
| Diocese Start: | 1546 |
| Province: | Canterbury |
| Bishop: | Steven Croft (diocesan), Gavin Collins (suffragan), David Bull (suffragan), Mary Gregory (suffragan) |
| Dean: | Sarah Foot |
| Subdean: | Peter Moger |
| Canon: | 4 theology professors (ex officio) |
| Precentor: | Philippa White |
| Archdeacon: | Jonathan Chaffey |
| Organist: | Peter Holder |
Christ Church Cathedral is a cathedral of the Church of England in Oxford, England. It is the seat of the bishop of Oxford and the principal church of the diocese of Oxford. It is also the chapel of Christ Church, a college of the University of Oxford; this dual role is unique in the Church of England.[1] It is administered by the dean of Christ Church, who is also the head of the college, and a governing body.[2]
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.[3] [4]
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.[5]
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.[6]
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.
John Wesley and Charles Wesley, leaders of the Methodist revival, were ordained at Christ Church Cathedral when they were Anglicans.[7]
As of October 2024:[8]
Diocesan Canon - Vacant
The University's four senior theology professors are also ex officio canons residentiary and members of the Cathedral chapter:
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.[12]
The organ is a 43-rank, four-manual and pedal instrument built in 1979 by Austrian firm Rieger Orgelbau.[13]
See also: List of musicians at English cathedrals. 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.)
The main choir, the Christ Church Cathedral Choir, is directed by Peter Holder.[14] 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.[15] 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.
The Cathedral Singers consists of volunteers and is directed by Hilary Punnett.[16] 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.[17]
The cathedral has a ring of 12 bells hung for full circle ringing. The tenor weighs, diameter 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 (in F and in G respectively) which were both cast 1410.[18]
As well as the bells used for ringing there are also two other bells. The litany bell of 1410 is also historically important. It weighs and sounds the note of G. The Bourdon bell is Great Tom. This dates from 1680, weighs, diameter sounding A. Great Tom is only swung "on a very small number of occasions",[19] but it is sounded every night.[20]
more information on the college and the cathedral