Christ Church Cathedral

Faith, Fellowship, and Family

Oxford’s cathedral has a unique dual role in the Church of England. Christ Church Cathedral is the College Chapel as well as the cathedral church for the Diocese of Oxford, and welcomes worshippers from Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and beyond.

Who's who

The Cathedral Chapter is led by The Very Revd Professor Sarah Foot, The Dean. She is the first woman to be chosen for the role in Christ Church’s almost 500-year-long history.

The Dean is supported by the Chapter, comprising the Sub Dean, The Revd Canon Peter Moger, the Archdeacon of Oxford, The Venerable Jonathan Chaffey, Canon Professors Carol Harrison and the Revd Graham Ward, and Diocesan Canon The Revd Dr Canon Sally Welch.

Our choirs

The Cathedral Choir, founded in 1546 by Henry VIII, has a nearly five-hundred-year-long tradition of musical excellence. In 2014, they were joined by a Cathedral girls’ choir, Frideswide Voices.

Several other choral ensembles support the Cathedral's musical programming including the College Choir, the Cathedral Singers and visiting choirs who also take part in services during the year.

Our history

The site has been a place of worship for more than a thousand years. A monastery was founded here early in the eighth century by St. Frideswide. Records show Henry I granted a charter to an Augustinian priory in 1122. Although no evidence of the earlier buildings remains, parts of the 12th-century structure are still visible in the Cathedral today.

Wolsey suppressed the priory in 1524 and work began on the building of Cardinal's College – with part of the west end of the church removed to make space for Tom Quad. After Wolsey's fall, the college was re-designated as ‘King Henry VIII’s College'. In 1546, the priory church became both the cathedral for the newly formed Diocese of Oxford, and the chapel of the new college of Christ Church.