St Peter-in-the-East
Encyclopedia
St Peter-in-the-East is a 12th century church on Queen's Lane
, north of the High Street
in central Oxford
, England
. It forms part of St Edmund Hall
, one of the Oxford University colleges. It is now deconsecrated and houses the college library for graduates and undergraduates. The churchyard to the north is laid out as a garden and contains a seated bronze statue depicting St Edmund as an impoverished student.
, Italy
. When the Church of St Peter-le-Bailey
was built in precincts of Oxford Castle
, this church was renamed St-Peter-in-the-East since it is located near the East Gate of the walled city of Oxford. The Norman
parts of the current church were built around 1140 by Robert D'Oilly, who was then Governor of Oxford.
There was a church of St Peter in Oxford before this one, which was mentioned in the Domesday Book
of c1085:
The church passed to the Crown from D'Oilly's heirs. In 1266, King Henry III
gave it to Walter de Merton
and thus until the 1970s, Merton College held the advowson
for the church. The churches at Wolvercote
and Holywell
were originally chapels of ease
of St Peter's.
, chancel
, and nave
, extending to just beyond the south door. In the 13th century, a north aisle was added to the nave. The church tower
was added in the 14th century, and the nave was either heightened or reconstructed to connect with the tower. The windows are mostly 14th century and the door into the tower is 16th century. At the east end of the aisle there is a small chapel dedicated to St Catharine and St Thomas, constructed in the early 16th century
The Lady Chapel (or North, Chapel) was built in the early 13th century. It was donated by Edmund Rich
, who later became Archbishop of Canterbury
, when he was a resident of the Hall that was subsequently named St Edmund Hall after him. The north window, dating from 1433, was donated by the vicar, Vincent Wyking. It contains some glass from that period and some from the 14th century. The east windows are two 13th century lancets.
Queen's Lane
Queen's Lane is an historic street in central Oxford, England, named after Queen's College, to the south and west.At the south-eastern end of Queen's Lane is a junction onto the High Street...
, north of the High Street
High Street, Oxford
The High Street in Oxford, England runs between Carfax, generally recognized as the centre of the city, and Magdalen Bridge to the east. Locally the street is often known as The High. It forms a gentle curve and is the subject of many prints, paintings, photographs, etc...
in central Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It forms part of St Edmund Hall
St Edmund Hall, Oxford
St Edmund Hall is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Better known within the University by its nickname, "Teddy Hall", the college has a claim to being "the oldest academical society for the education of undergraduates in any university"...
, one of the Oxford University colleges. It is now deconsecrated and houses the college library for graduates and undergraduates. The churchyard to the north is laid out as a garden and contains a seated bronze statue depicting St Edmund as an impoverished student.
History
St Peter-in-the-East is believed to be named after the 5th century church of S. Pietro in Vincoli, RomeRome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. When the Church of St Peter-le-Bailey
Church of St Peter-le-Bailey
The Church of St Peter-le-Bailey is a church on New Inn Hall Street in central Oxford, England. It was formerly next to Bonn Square, which was originally the churchyard...
was built in precincts of Oxford Castle
Oxford Castle
Oxford Castle is a large, partly ruined Norman medieval castle situated on the west edge of Oxford in Oxfordshire, England. The original moated, wooden motte and bailey castle was replaced with stone in the 11th century and played an important role in the conflict of the Anarchy...
, this church was renamed St-Peter-in-the-East since it is located near the East Gate of the walled city of Oxford. The Norman
Norman architecture
About|Romanesque architecture, primarily English|other buildings in Normandy|Architecture of Normandy.File:Durham Cathedral. Nave by James Valentine c.1890.jpg|thumb|200px|The nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the...
parts of the current church were built around 1140 by Robert D'Oilly, who was then Governor of Oxford.
There was a church of St Peter in Oxford before this one, which was mentioned in the Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
of c1085:
- the church of St. Peter Oxenford holds of Robert two hides in Haliwelle...It was worth twenty shillings, now it is worth forty...
The church passed to the Crown from D'Oilly's heirs. In 1266, King Henry III
Henry III of England
Henry III was the son and successor of John as King of England, reigning for 56 years from 1216 until his death. His contemporaries knew him as Henry of Winchester. He was the first child king in England since the reign of Æthelred the Unready...
gave it to Walter de Merton
Walter de Merton
Walter de Merton was Bishop of Rochester and founder of Merton College, Oxford.-Life:Walter was born probably at Merton in Surrey or educated there; hence the surname. He came of a land-owning family at Basingstoke; beyond that there is no definite information as to the date or place of birth...
and thus until the 1970s, Merton College held the advowson
Advowson
Advowson is the right in English law of a patron to present or appoint a nominee to a vacant ecclesiastical benefice or church living, a process known as presentation. In effect this means the right to nominate a person to hold a church office in a parish...
for the church. The churches at Wolvercote
Wolvercote
Wolvercote is a village that is part of the City of Oxford, England, though still retaining its own identity. It is about northwest of the centre of Oxford, on the northern edge of Wolvercote Common, which is itself north of Port Meadow.-History:The village is listed in the Domesday Book as...
and Holywell
Holywell, Oxfordshire
Holywell is a parish in Oxford, England. The toponym is derived from the well of Saint Winifred and Saint Margaret.-See also:* Holywell Cemetery* Holywell Manor* Holywell Music Room* Holywell Street...
were originally chapels of ease
Chapel of ease
A chapel of ease is a church building other than the parish church, built within the bounds of a parish for the attendance of those who cannot reach the parish church conveniently....
of St Peter's.
Church building
The 12th century church originally consisted of a cryptCrypt
In architecture, a crypt is a stone chamber or vault beneath the floor of a burial vault possibly containing sarcophagi, coffins or relics....
, chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
, and nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
, extending to just beyond the south door. In the 13th century, a north aisle was added to the nave. The church tower
Bell tower
A bell tower is a tower which contains one or more bells, or which is designed to hold bells, even if it has none. In the European tradition, such a tower most commonly serves as part of a church and contains church bells. When attached to a city hall or other civic building, especially in...
was added in the 14th century, and the nave was either heightened or reconstructed to connect with the tower. The windows are mostly 14th century and the door into the tower is 16th century. At the east end of the aisle there is a small chapel dedicated to St Catharine and St Thomas, constructed in the early 16th century
The Lady Chapel (or North, Chapel) was built in the early 13th century. It was donated by Edmund Rich
Edmund Rich
Edmund Rich was a 13th century Archbishop of Canterbury in England...
, who later became Archbishop of Canterbury
Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
, when he was a resident of the Hall that was subsequently named St Edmund Hall after him. The north window, dating from 1433, was donated by the vicar, Vincent Wyking. It contains some glass from that period and some from the 14th century. The east windows are two 13th century lancets.
See also
- Peter du MoulinPeter du MoulinPeter du Moulin was a French-English Anglican clergyman, son of the Huguenot pastor Pierre du Moulin and brother of Lewis du Moulin. He was the anonymous author of Regii sanguinis clamor ad coelum adversus paricidas Anglicanos, published at The Hague in 1652, a royalist work defending Salmasius...
(1601–1684) - St Peter-le-Bailey, now the chapel of St Peter's College, OxfordSt Peter's College, OxfordSt Peter's College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom, located in New Inn Hall Street. It occupies the site of two of the University's oldest Inns, or medieval hostels - Bishop Trellick's, later New Inn Hall, and Rose Hall - both of which were...
External links
- St-Peter-in-the-East on FlickrFlickrFlickr is an image hosting and video hosting website, web services suite, and online community that was created by Ludicorp in 2004 and acquired by Yahoo! in 2005. In addition to being a popular website for users to share and embed personal photographs, the service is widely used by bloggers to...