Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford (must see)

Christ Church Cathedral holds a unique place in Oxford as both the cathedral of the Diocese of Oxford and the college chapel of Christ Church, Oxford. Before the 20th century, it was also the smallest cathedral in the United Kingdom.

Its origins reach back to the Saxon period, when a shrine was established in honour of Saint Frideswide, a 7th-century princess and abbess who became Oxford’s patron saint. According to tradition, she fled persecution to protect her chastity from King Algar, one of the rulers of Saxon England. By 1122, the site had become part of Saint Frideswide Priory, where Augustinian canons rebuilt the church in the Romanesque style. Elements of this Norman architecture still survive today, particularly in the eastern nave, choir, and tower.

The cathedral entered a new chapter in the 16th century. In 1520, Cardinal Wolsey seized the priory buildings to create Cardinal College, demolishing five western bays of the nave to make room for what is now Tom Quad. After Wolsey’s fall, Henry VIII took control, refounded the institution as Christ Church in 1546, and elevated the remaining priory church to cathedral status. Much of the later structure reflects the Perpendicular Gothic style, creating a layered combination of Norman stonework, Gothic vaulting, medieval glass, and Victorian restoration.

Inside, visitors will find richly carved choir stalls, medieval details, and a number of notable stained-glass windows. The Botanical-style rose window, formed by ten petals around a central panel, is especially worth seeing. Other highlights include the Becket Window from around 1320, which survived the Reformation, and the Jonah Window from 1632 depicting the City of Nineveh. The restored shrine of Saint Frideswide stands before a stained-glass screen illustrating scenes from her life; one Victorian panel even includes a water closet.

The cathedral choir remains internationally respected, with regular choral services taking place. Nearby, the Cathedral Shop occupies the 12th-century Chapter House, where visitors can also admire a vaulted ceiling decorated with 13th-century medallions of saints.