Wesley Memorial Church, Oxford facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Wesley Memorial Church |
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| Wesley Memorial Methodist Church | |
East front of the church, showing the steeple
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| 51°45′11″N 1°15′39″W / 51.753165°N 1.260779°W | |
| Location | New Inn Hall Street Oxford |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Methodist Church of Great Britain |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Architect(s) | Charles Bell |
| Style | English Gothic/Gothic Revival |
| Years built | 1877–78 (by Joshua Symm) |
| Administration | |
| Circuit | Oxford |
| District | Northampton |
Wesley Memorial Church is a Methodist church located in the heart of Oxford, England. It's a special place for Christian worship and many community activities. The church's history goes back to 1783 when its congregation was first formed. The famous brothers John Wesley and Charles Wesley, who started the Methodist movement, both studied in Oxford. The beautiful building you see today was finished in 1878.
Contents
A Look at the Church's History
The first place where Methodists in Oxford met for worship was a building on the east side of New Inn Hall Street. This building is now part of Brasenose College. A special plaque on its wall reminds everyone that John Wesley preached there on July 4, 1783.
The First Chapel (1818-1878)
Around 1815, the Methodists in Oxford began to plan and raise money for a new chapel. They wanted it to be right in the center of Oxford. In 1817, they bought a piece of land on New Inn Hall Street. A chapel, designed by William Jenkins, was built there and opened on February 19, 1818.
The church community later moved to the current building, which was built in front of this first chapel. The new building opened in 1878. The original chapel continued to be used for teaching until it was sold to St Peter's College in the 1930s. Sadly, that first chapel building was taken down in 1969.
The Current Church Building
The church building that stands today was started in 1877. It opened its doors in October 1878. This building is designed in the Gothic Revival style. This means it looks like the grand Gothic churches from hundreds of years ago.
The architect who designed it was Charles Bell. Joshua Symm was the builder who constructed it. Inside, you can see amazing carvings on the tops of the columns. These carvings were made by Henry Frith from Gloucester. They show twelve different kinds of English plants.
Images for kids
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The east front by night, showing the Gothic Revival tracery of the east window
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Church tower, pictured from St Michael's Street
More Information
- Wesley Memorial Church, Oxford
