St Peter-in-the-East, Oxford, Norman church in Oxford, England
St Peter-in-the-East is a 12th-century church built from stone, featuring a nave, chancel, and crypt beneath the main structure. The building displays typical Romanesque design elements characteristic of Norman architecture from that era.
The church was constructed around 1140 under Robert D'Oilly, Oxford's Norman governor, and named after S. Pietro in Vincoli in Rome. Its name also references its original position near 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 is accessible through scheduled visits accompanied by a college staff member, allowing visitors to see the fifteen groin vaults and Romanesque details. It's worth asking in advance about availability, as this is the primary way to experience the underground chambers.
The north window holds stained glass from both the 14th and 15th centuries, donated by vicar Vincent Wyking in 1433. These panes represent surviving examples of medieval glasswork that have endured through the centuries.
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