University Church, Oxford

St Mary the Virgin’s Church is more commonly known as the University Church because it has been the official church of Oxford University since at least the 12th century. Special university occasions including the awarding of degrees would have taken place here. It was also the site of the university library until Duke Humfrey’s Library was opened.

The church is nice and airy with some interesting historical artefacts. Archbishop Cranmer (Henry VIII’s Archbishop of Canterbury) was twice tried for heresy at St Mary’s alongside Bishops Ridley and Latimer. This was part of the Catholic Queen Mary’s attempts to reverse the Reformation and make the country Catholic once again. Ridley and Latimer were burned at the stake in 1555. Cranmer recanted and was spared but in 1556 he was brought back to St Mary’s and part of this pillar was cut away for the building of a platform where he was to stand to submit to the Catholic Church once more. This time he refused and was taken outside to Broad Street and burned at the stake.

There are several stained glass windows of interest. This one is the Pugin Window, named because it was designed by Augustus Pugin who designed the interior of the Palace of Westminster.

Then there is the Great East Window which dates from the 19th century. Designed by Charles Kempe it shows the Tree of Jesse and you can actually get very close to it as there are stairs up to the gallery here and you can sit and look down at the congregation.

Take note of the blue ceiling with stars – called a celure from the Latin caelum for heaven, it depicts the constellation Pleiades and was painted in 2012.

I decided not to do the tower tour on this occasions (it costs £6.50 and is up 122 steps), instead focusing on wandering around the church itself. I did go and have a cup of tea and bite to eat from the food truck directly outside. Apparently there used to be a very popular cafe inside the church but after a falling out between the people running it and the church the cafe was closed. There are a handful of seats to enjoy your purchase and it was quite nice in the sun, if somewhat windy.

The church itself is free to visit.