Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford
| Christ Church Cathedral | |
|---|---|
| Cathedral Church of Christ | |
Crossing tower and spire from the cloisters | |
| 51°45′00″N 1°15′17″W / 51.75°N 1.2547°W | |
| OS grid reference | SP 51547 05977 |
| Location | Oxford, Oxfordshire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Previous denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Website | chch.ox.ac.uk/cathedral |
| History | |
| Status | Active |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Cathedral |
| Heritage designation | Grade I listed |
| Designated | 12 January 1954 |
| Style | Romanesque, Gothic |
| Years built | 1160–1200 |
| Administration | |
| Province | Canterbury |
| Diocese | Oxford (since 1546) |
| Clergy | |
| Bishop(s) | Steven Croft (diocesan), Gavin Collins (suffragan), David Bull (suffragan), Mary Gregory (suffragan) |
| Dean | Sarah Foot |
| Subdean | Peter Moger |
| Precentor | Philippa White |
| Canon(s) | 4 theology professors (ex officio) |
| Archdeacon | Jonathan Chaffey |
| Laity | |
| Organist(s) | Peter Holder |
Christ Church Cathedral is a cathedral of the Church of England in Oxford, England. It is the seat of the bishop of Oxford and the principal church of the diocese of Oxford. It is also the chapel of Christ Church, a college of the University of Oxford; this dual role is unique in the Church of England. It is administered by the dean of Christ Church, who is also the head of the college, and a governing body.
The first church on the site of the cathedral was a nunnery and parish church which was burnt during the St Brice's Day massacre in 1002; it was re-founded as a priory of Augustinian canons by 1122. The priory was suppressed in 1524 by Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, who intended to demolish the church in order to found a new college on the site. The cardinal fell from favour in 1529 and the project was taken over by Henry VIII, who preserved the church. When the diocese of Oxford was created in 1542 its cathedral was the former Osney Abbey, however it was supplanted by Christ Church in 1546.