Church of St Peter-le-Bailey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Peter-le-Bailey |
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| Church of St Peter-le-Bailey | |
St Peter-le-Bailey, now St Peter's College chapel
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| Location | New Inn Hall, Oxford |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Website | St Peter's College: chapel |
| Architecture | |
| Style | Victorian Gothic Revival |
| Years built | 1874 |
| Administration | |
| Parish | St Ebbe with Holy Trinity and St Peter-le-Bailey |
| Diocese | Oxford |
The Church of St Peter-le-Bailey is a historic church located on New Inn Hall Street in the heart of Oxford, England. It used to be right next to Bonn Square, which was once its churchyard. Today, this beautiful building serves as the chapel for St Peter's College, Oxford, a part of the famous University of Oxford.
Contents
A Look Back: The Church's History
Early Beginnings: The First Church
The first church on this site was known as "St Peter at the Castle." It was also called "St Peter-in-the-West" or "St Peter-le-Bailey." In 1122, this church was given to St Frideswide's Priory. The name "le-Bailey" came from its location near Oxford Castle. This helped people tell it apart from another church called St Peter-in-the-East. That church was near the old east gate of the city.
The first church building was constructed in the 12th century. It had a simple, sloped roof and a small tower. This tower was located at the southwest corner of the building.
The Second Church: A New Design
A second church was built in the same spot, opening in 1740. This building had a flat roof and a rectangular shape. It also featured a tower, which was at its northwest corner. The churchyard stayed in its original place because there was no room to make it bigger.
This second church was used until the mid-1800s. By 1855, new burials were stopped in most city churchyards. This was because new cemeteries like Holywell Cemetery had opened. The second church building was taken down in 1873. This happened because the road needed to be made wider.
The Third Church: A College Chapel
The third and current church was built north of the old one. It stands about halfway along New Inn Hall Street. The famous architect Basil Champneys designed it. This new church opened in 1874. A well-known photographer, Henry Taunt, took pictures of it.
In 1928, St Peter's Hall was founded. This church then became both the local parish church and the college chapel. St Peter's Hall became a full college of Oxford University in 1961. Around the same time, fewer people lived in the church's parish area. So, it joined with St Ebbe's. From then on, the building was used only as the college chapel.
The original churchyard was kept as a special memorial garden. This happened when the church moved in 1874. Many of the old gravestones were also moved at that time.
Discoveries: What Lies Beneath
Archaeological Digs at Bonn Square
In 2008, Bonn Square was redeveloped. This project allowed experts to look at and record many gravestones. These gravestones had been buried since the old church was taken down in 1873. During the redevelopment, a group called Oxford Archaeology carried out the investigations. They did this work for the Oxford City Council. Their findings helped us learn more about the church's past.
See also
- St Peter-in-the-East at St Edmund Hall, Oxford
- Tirah Memorial, a war memorial erected in 1900
