There’s probably been a church on the St Peter’s site for some 1000 years. Records held at Merton College, the patron of St Peter’s, indicate that the church chancel was built in 1482. It is possible that the nave was built then as well, but of that 15th century church, only the tower now remains. The rest was pulled down to build the church as we know it today. The present church, was substantially rebuilt in 1860. However, it has retained much of its earlier character with a Saxon font and the Perpendicular square tower which houses a set of six bells and has an unusual sun-dial on two of its faces.
The choir and clergy vestries
are new additions to the church. They were built in 1935 and dedicated by the
Bishop of Oxford.
Inside the church there is a window by John
Piper and a notable 17th century
tomb, the Walter Tomb. The church also houses a fine Jennings organ, used by many local
young musicians.
A colour history of the church can be obtained from
info@stpeterswolvercote.org.
The tower has interesting relics of the past in two sundials. Between the two is the inscription ‘Redeem the Time’. The stroke marking the hour of nine is more deeply cut, perhaps to remind parishioners that High Mass – as it was before the Reformation – was celebrated at that hour. When the Oxford Movement began to influence the Church of England in the mid-19th century, it soon affected Wolvercote which became one of the first churches in Oxford to use eucharistic vestments. Quite early after the opening of the present church Choral Eucharist was celebrated at 9:00am each Sunday for nearly 50 years.
The font stands in the tower, surrounded by the six bell ropes. The font probably dates from the 12th century although is Saxon in style. Providing a continuous thread between the different church buildings on this site, it’s remarkable to think of the number of children who have been baptised in it.
The high chancel arch gives an impression of space, as does the fine arch at the west end of the nave. The latter arch may be all that’s left intact of the Norman church, although it’s also possible that the tower was built of stone from that original church.
Nearly 40 years ago, members of the Wolvercote Women's Institute surveyed all the monuments in St Peter's churchyard, using a list of inscriptions dating back to 1882. Many of these inscriptions were partly or wholly illegible, and pollution has since destroyed many more of them. Since then, this survey has been digitised, and the graveyard plan updated.