The College Chapel, located at the heart of College, is a place where are all welcome for worship, prayer and reflection. The Chapel is also used for various non-religious purposes, such as musical concerts, meetings, lectures, plays and other cultural events.

The St Peter's College Chapel and Choir conduct a regular calendar of choral and other services throughout the academic year. Though the Chapel is a place of Christian worship, we hope that all students and staff will feel welcome to use it as a place for quiet reflection, regardless of their personal faith. We especially hope that the musical beauty of Evensong can offer a pause from the busyness of study and work for all. Visitors, tourists, families and people of all faiths and no none are very welcome to explore the Chapel or attend public services. You can learn more about the history and notable features of the Chapel below.

Upcoming Chapel Events

The Chapel holds a number of religious services throughout the academic year, and hosts free lunchtime recitals every Thursday during term.

View all Chapel events here

View the Trinity term card

A large stained glass window depicting a man (St Peter) in a robe, holding keys and a chapel, surrounded by other smaller figures

Sunday Choral Evensong at St Peter's College

26 April 2026, 6-7pm

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A singer standing in a chapel, with a pianist at a piano behind her

Free Lunchtime Music Recital

30 April 2026, 1:15pm-2pm

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A choir director standing in front of a choir

Thursday Choral Evensong at St Peter's College

30 April 2026, 6:15pm-7pm

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A large stained glass window depicting a man (St Peter) in a robe, holding keys and a chapel, surrounded by other smaller figures

Sunday Choral Evensong at St Peter's College

3 May 2026, 6-7pm

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A person with long hair holding a candle in a dark space

Compline (Sung Evening Prayer by Candlelight)

4 May 2026, 8pm-8:30pm

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A singer standing in a chapel, with a pianist at a piano behind her

Free Lunchtime Music Recital

7 May 2026, 1:15pm-2pm

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The Chapel Team

Our Chaplain is a member of the College's Health, Wellbeing and Welfare team and is always glad to chat socially or confidentially with any student or member of staff.

A headshot of Matthew Routledge

Revd Matthew Routledge

  • Chaplain
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an image of a man directing a choir

Mr Quintin Beer

  • Director of Music
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Anne Millard

  • Fellows' Secretary
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Services and support

Learn more about the services and support available from the Chaplain's office.

Chapel history and features

While the present Chapel building dates to 1874, various buildings housing the Church of St Peter-le-Bailey have stood on or near this site since the twelfth century.

An early illustration depicting the College Chapel

The College Chapel is the historic Church of St Peter-le-Bailey, where our College founder, Bishop Francis Chavasse, served as Rector from 1878 to 1889. It is from this parish that St Peter's Hall derives its name. Since the the founding of St Peter's as a Permanent Private Hall in 1929, the building has been used as the College Chapel. Parish church services continued to be held in the Chapel until 1961, when the Parish of St Peter-le-Bailey merged with the neighbouring St Ebbe's Parish and St Peter's received its College charter. Today, in addition to a regular schedule of religious services, the Chapel also hosts musical, cultural and social events for the wider community.

Our Chapel is home to some exquisite examples of 20th-century stained glass. During your visit to the Chapel, you can also visit the Chavasse Medal Display, the Francis Chavasse Memorial (a replica of the bas-relief found in Liverpool Cathedral) and a display of transparent designs by artist Ervin Bossányi (1891-1975). On occasion you will also find historical displays explaining the history of the Church, Chapel and College.

In the gallery below you will find some examples of our Chapel stained glass and other notable features of the Chapel.

Inside the Chapel

Explore highlights from inside the College Chapel in the gallery below.

The east window was designed by the noted post-war stained-glass artist John Hayward (1929-2007) in 1964 and depicts scenes from the life of St Peter, including the central figure of Peter standing on the Oxford Castle bailey mound (representing the Rock on which the Church is built) and holding the keys of the kingdom of Heaven in his right hand and the tower of the College Chapel (representing the whole Church) in his left.
Stained glass window
The east window by John Hayward (1929-2007) is also a memorial to Christopher Chavasse, the first Master of St Peter’s College. He appears kneeling in front of the tower with his crozier (14) and arms of his college Trinity above, and personal details are recreated in the glass, including the Chavasse family arms; his initials “CMC” and World War I Military Cross (6); his artificial leg which he was fitted with after a boating accident in 1939; Olympic rings marking his participation in the 1908 Summer Games with his twin brother Noel in athletics; and a scene of a World War II dogfight or aerial battle above Rochester Cathedral where he was bishop.
A five-paneled stained glass window
This window was created by artist Ervin Bossányi (1891-1975) in 1943 and installed in the south chancel in 1997 as a memorial to Bossányi and his wife Wilma. The window was produced as a personal reaction to the events of World War II to make a statement of hope in a world of despair, and is entitled “In His hands the seeds will grow”. 
A stained-glass window with three human figures
This window was created by artist Ervin Bossányi (1891-1975) in 1943 and installed in the south chancel in 1997. The Chapel also features a permanent display of a number of transparent Bossányi designs, including his designs for Canterbury Cathedral and the National Cathedral in Washington.
Stained glass
The Chavasse family coat of arms.
Stained glass window
The Chavasse Medal Display, on permanent display in the Chapel, contains originals and copies of decorations awarded to members of the Chavasse family in military and civilian life. They were unveiled by the Rt Revd James Jones, former bishop of Liverpool (1998-2013), and members of the Chavasse family on 30 Nov 2016. Their installation was made possible by the generosity of Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts. 
A box of medals
Grave cross of Noel Chavasse
Memorial cross
St Peter’s College Chapel is fortunate in that it still possesses its original ‘Father’ Willis Organ. Built in 1875 by Henry Willis, who is considered the foremost organ builder of the Victorian era. After falling into disuse the organ needed substantial repair, and in view of its considerable artistic significance, in 2003, it was completely restored by Nicholson of Worcester in an appropriate historical manner. 
Organ pipes
The Chapel reredos (ornamental screen) was commissioned by Christopher Chavasse and dedicated to his mother, Edith who died in 1927. It was designed by Oxford architect and church furnishings designer Frank Ernest Howard (1888-1934) and carved in oak and limewood by Oxford ecclesiastical furnishers A.R. Mowbray & Co. The design was inspired by the medieval art of Northern Germany and features scenes from the life of St Peter. 
Sculptural detail
The Baptismal font at St Peter's dates to the mid nineteenth-century and was presented to the church of St Peter-le-Bailey by Revd. William Beadon Heathcote (1812-1862), Fellow of New College and Precentor of Salisbury Cathedral. The design derives from the Norman font of Winchester Cathedral and features biblical scenes. 
Detail of baptismal font with relief carving of two figures
Inspired by medieval designs and produced by tile manufacturers William Godwin & Co in the late nineteenth century. They depict symbols relating to St Peter (crowing rooster and inverted cross) and St-Peter-le-Bailey Church (Oxford Castle and crossed keys of St Peter).  (c) Edmund Blok
19th-century tiles
The West Window contains tracery of the original East Window dated 1874 by English artist Henry Holiday (1839-1927) in the Heaton, Butler and Bayne stained glass studio. The ten figures depict Christ with nine Apostles. The heraldic devices added later are of the eight rectors who had served the church since its consecration. 
image of a chapel interior including a blue ceiling and a large stained glass window
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How to get to Chapel events at St Peter's College

Many of our musical, artistic and religious events take place in the College Chapel.

Enter the College through the Porters' Lodge on New Inn Hall Street, and our Porters will direct you to the Chapel. While the entrances are accessible from a step-free footpath, the doors are not automated. If you require assistance with the doors, please enquire at the Porters' Lodge.

Address

St Peter's College
New Inn Hall Street
Oxford
OX1 2DL

Enquiries

If you have general enquiries about the College or how to get here, phone the Porters' Lodge for more information:

+44 (0)1865 278900

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