St Mary the Virgin, Oxford

St Mary the Virgin, Oxford tickets: which one to buy

The University Church of Saint Mary the Virgin stands on the High Street in the centre of Oxford, beside Radcliffe Square and the Radcliffe Camera, and entry to the church is free, while climbing the tower is ticketed. The tower's viewing gallery, reached by a narrow stair of about 127 steps, gives one of the best views in Oxford over the Radcliffe Camera, All Souls College, the Bodleian Library and the spires of the city.

Walking tours of Oxford include the church along with the Bodleian Library, the Sheldonian Theatre, the Bridge of Sighs, Christ Church and the colleges. The church also has a café, the Vaults and Garden, in the medieval vaulted room, with a garden terrace facing Radcliffe Square, which is a popular place for lunch. The church is an active parish and the university church, and visiting pauses during services. The tower ticket is sold at the church shop near the entrance.

Visiting St Mary the Virgin, Oxford: what to see

The church was the first building of the University of Oxford, used for meetings, lectures and degree ceremonies before the university had buildings of its own, and parts date from the thirteenth century. The tower, built around 1280, is the oldest part, and the spire is one of the most beautiful in England. The main body of the church was rebuilt in the Perpendicular Gothic style around 1490, and the south porch, added in 1637, has twisted columns and a statue of the Virgin and Child, which angered the Puritans. Inside, the church holds the pillar cut away to build a platform for the trial of Archbishop Thomas Cranmer in 1556, and the church was the setting for the trials of the Oxford Martyrs.

John Wesley and John Henry Newman preached here. The Old Congregation House, beside the tower, was the university's first library and meeting room. The Adam de Brome chapel, named after the founder of Oriel College, holds his tomb. The church's pulpit was the scene of John Henry Newman's sermons, which influenced the Oxford Movement. The stained glass windows include some from the nineteenth century. Memorials to university figures line the walls. The tower's bells ring for services and university events. The view from the tower includes the domes of the Sheldonian Theatre and the Bodleian Library. The church hosts concerts and lectures.

St Mary the Virgin, Oxford opening hours and the best time to go

The church and tower are open daily, with shorter hours on Sundays; the tower closes in bad weather. Oxford is busiest in summer, when tourists and language students fill the streets, and during university terms. The tower's views are best on clear mornings, before the crowds arrive. Degree ceremonies at the Sheldonian bring students in gowns to the area. Christmas brings carol services. Allow about twenty minutes for the church and thirty minutes for the tower, and have lunch in the café before visiting the Bodleian Library across the square. The Bodleian Library's Divinity School and Duke Humfrey's Library can be visited on guided tours booked in advance.