Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Christ Church Cathedral
Cathedral Church of Christ
Crossing tower and spire from the cloisters
Christ Church Cathedral Location in Oxfordshire
51°45′00″N 1°15′17″W / 51.75°N 1.2547°W / 51.75; -1.2547
OS grid reference	SP 51547 05977
Location	Oxford, Oxfordshire
Country	England
Denomination	Church of England
Previous denomination	Roman Catholic
Website	chch.ox.ac.uk/cathedral
History
Status	Active
Architecture
Functional status	Cathedral
Heritage designation	Grade I listed
Designated	12 January 1954
Style	Romanesque, Gothic
Years built	1160–1200; 825 years ago (1200)
Administration
Diocese	Oxford (since 1546)
Province	Canterbury

Christ Church Cathedral is a famous church in Oxford, England. It is a cathedral for the Church of England. This means it is the main church for the bishop of Oxford and the whole diocese of Oxford.

What makes it special is that it's also the chapel for Christ Church. This is a college of the University of Oxford. Being both a cathedral and a college chapel is very rare in the Church of England. The cathedral is managed by the Dean of Christ Church.

The first church on this spot was a nunnery and a local church. It was burned down in 1002. Later, it became a priory for Augustinian monks by 1122. In 1524, a powerful leader named Cardinal Thomas Wolsey closed the priory. He wanted to build a new college there.

However, Wolsey lost his power in 1529. King Henry VIII then took over the project. He decided to keep the church. In 1542, the area around Oxford got its own church district, called a diocese. The first cathedral was at Osney Abbey. But in 1546, Christ Church became the new cathedral.

History of Christ Church Cathedral
People Who Lead the Cathedral
Music at the Cathedral
Beautiful Stained Glass Windows
Notable People Remembered Here
Images for kids
See also

History of Christ Church Cathedral

The cathedral began as the church of St Frideswide's Priory. People believed this was where St Frideswide, Oxford's patron saint, founded a nunnery long ago. Her shrine, a special place for her relics, is still in the Latin Chapel. People came to visit this shrine for hundreds of years, from the 1100s until the early 1500s.

In 1522, Cardinal Thomas Wolsey took control of the priory. He chose this site for his new college. But in 1529, King Henry VIII took over the project. Building work stopped for a while. In June 1532, the King officially re-established the college.

Then, in 1546, King Henry VIII moved the newly created Diocese of Oxford to Christ Church. Before this, the main church was at Osney Abbey. Henry VIII's official document gave the cathedral its name: Ecclesia Christi Cathedralis Oxoniensis.

A choir has been part of the cathedral since 1526. John Taverner was the first organist and choir master. Wolsey's original college plans included 16 young singers (choristers) and 30 singing priests.

Christ Church Cathedral is one of the smallest cathedrals in the Church of England.

The main parts of the church, like the nave, choir, and tower, were built in the late Norman style. You can see different building styles, from Norman to Perpendicular. There is also a large, beautiful rose window.

John Wesley and Charles Wesley, who started the Methodist movement, were ordained as priests at Christ Church Cathedral. They were Anglicans at the time.

Memorial to John Wesley and Charles Wesley, who were important leaders in the Methodist movement. They were ordained here when they were Anglicans.

People Who Lead the Cathedral

The cathedral is led by a group of people called the Dean and Chapter. As of October 2024, the Dean is Professor Sarah Foot. Other important leaders include the Archdeacon of Oxford and the Sub Dean.

Some professors from the University of Oxford who teach theology are also part of the cathedral's leadership. They are called canons.

There are also other clergy members who work at the cathedral and college. These include the Precentor and the College Chaplain.

In September 2023, a decision was made to separate the Dean's role as head of the college from their role as head of the cathedral.

Music at the Cathedral

The Organ

The choir area, looking towards the organ and entrance.

The cathedral has a large pipe organ. It was built in 1979 by a company from Austria called Rieger Orgelbau. It has 43 sets of pipes and four keyboards. The organ is located at the west end of the church. In April 2024, work began to put a new organ in the east end.

Organists and Choir Directors

Many famous musicians have worked at Christ Church Cathedral. The very first organist, appointed in 1526, was the Renaissance composer John Taverner. Other well-known organists have included Basil Harwood and Simon Preston. The person who plays the organ is also usually the director of the choir. The current organist is Peter Holder.

The Choirs

The main choir is called the Christ Church Cathedral Choir. As of 2024, Peter Holder directs it. This choir has 12 adult singers and 16 young boy singers, called choristers. The boys are usually aged 7 to 13 and attend Christ Church Cathedral School. Until 2019, the choir was all male. Then, Elizabeth Nurse became the first female singer. The choir sings during university terms, at Christmas, and at Easter. They also travel and make recordings. A famous former chorister is the composer William Walton.

The choir singing in the cathedral.

The Cathedral Singers are volunteers who sing when the main choir is on holiday. As of 2024, Hilary Punnett directs them.

The College Choir is made up of students and staff from Christ Church college. They sing about once or twice a week during term time.

In May 2019, a group called Frideswide Voices became a permanent part of the Cathedral's music. This group gives girls aged 7 to 14 a chance to sing in church services. They sing once a week with the adult singers of the Cathedral Choir. They also perform with the boy choristers in concerts.

The Bells

The cathedral has a set of 12 bells that can be rung in a special way called full circle ringing. The largest bell, called the tenor, weighs about 3.1 tons. It was made in 1589 and is very old and important. Two other bells, numbers 9 and 10, are also very old, made around 1410.

Besides these, there are two other bells. A small bell from around 1410, called the litany bell, is also historically important. The largest bell is called Great Tom. It was made in 1680 and weighs about 12.4 tons! Great Tom is only swung on very special occasions. However, it is rung every night.

Beautiful Stained Glass Windows

A window in the north transept showing St Michael.

The Cathedral has many beautiful stained glass windows. The oldest one is the 14th-century Becket Window in the Lucy Chapel. It is one of the few images of Thomas Becket that survived after the Reformation.

There are also two windows made by a Dutch artist from the 1600s, Abraham van Linge. One shows Jonah, and the other is for Bishop King. In 1870, the company Clayton and Bell created the dramatic St Michael Window. Around the same time, five windows were made by Morris & Co based on designs by Edward Burne-Jones.

The newest window was put in place in 2023. It is a memorial to E. H. Burn and shows Francis of Assisi. It was made by John Reyntiens.

Notable People Remembered Here

Many important people are buried or have memorials at Christ Church Cathedral. These include scholars, politicians, and bishops. For example, John Locke, a famous philosopher, has a memorial plaque on the floor.