St Peter-in-the-East, Oxford, Norman church in Oxford, England
St Peter-in-the-East is a Norman stone church from the 12th century in Oxford, England, with a nave, chancel, and a crypt beneath the main floor. The building now serves as the library of St Edmund Hall and is no longer used for worship.
The church was built around 1140 under Robert D'Oilly, Oxford's Norman governor, and named after S. Pietro in Vincoli in Rome. The "in-the-East" part of its name reflects its original position close to Oxford's East Gate.
The church now functions as a library for St Edmund Hall students, transforming a sacred space into an academic one. The adjoining north churchyard has become a garden with a bronze statue of St Edmund at its center.
The crypt can only be visited on scheduled tours with a college staff member, so it is worth asking in advance about availability. The adjoining north churchyard is an open garden with a bronze statue of St Edmund at its center.
The north window contains stained glass from the 14th and 15th centuries, donated by vicar Vincent Wyking in 1433. These panes are among the few surviving examples of medieval glasswork still in their original setting.
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