History Christ Church, Oxford

hall of christ church



christ church s library in 19th century



hall of christ church



tom tower seen tom quad

in 1525, @ height of power, thomas wolsey, lord chancellor of england , cardinal archbishop of york, suppressed priory of st frideswide in oxford , founded cardinal college on lands, using funds dissolution of wallingford priory , other minor priories. planned establishment on magnificent scale, fell grace in 1529, buildings three-quarters complete, remain 140 years.

in 1531 college suppressed, refounded in 1532 king henry viii s college henry viii, whom wolsey s property had escheated. in 1546 king, had broken church of rome , acquired great wealth through dissolution of monasteries in england, refounded college christ church part of reorganisation of church of england, making partially demolished priory church cathedral of created diocese of oxford.

christ church s sister college in university of cambridge trinity college, cambridge, founded same year henry viii. since time of queen elizabeth college has been associated westminster school. dean remains day ex officio member of school s governing body.

major additions have been made buildings through centuries, , wolsey s great quadrangle crowned famous gate-tower designed sir christopher wren. day bell in tower, great tom, rung 101 times @ 9 pm @ former oxford time (9:05 pm gmt/bst) every night, 100 original scholars of college (plus 1 added in 1664). in former times done @ midnight, signalling close of college gates throughout oxford. since took 20 minutes ring 101, christ church gates, unlike of other colleges, did not close until 12:20. when ringing moved 9:00 pm, christ church gates still remained open until 12.20, 20 minutes later other college. although clock shows gmt/bst, christ church still follows oxford time in timings of services in cathedral.

king charles made deanery palace , held parliament in great hall during english civil war. in evening of 29 may 1645, during second siege of oxford, bullet of ix lb. weight shot parliamentarians warning-piece @ marston fell against wall of north side of hall.

several of christ church s deans achieved high academic distinction, notably aldrich , fell in restoration period, jackson , gaisford in 19th century , liddell in high victorian era. during commonwealth, john owen attained considerable eminence.