St Barnabas Church

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Its striking Italianate campanile, a rare sight in Oxford, makes St Barnabas Church a distinctive landmark in the Jericho district, visible from across the Oxford Canal. Consecrated in 1869, this Grade I listed building was designed by Sir Arthur Blomfield, unusually opting for a Romanesque basilica style, possibly inspired by churches like San Clemente in Rome or Santa Maria Assunta in Torcello. Founded by Thomas Combe, then Superintendent of the Oxford University Press, and his wife Martha, supporters of the Oxford Movement, the church was intended to serve the spiritual and practical needs of Jericho's working-class community. This historical commitment to social well-being continues today, with the church hosting various community events and remaining a place of refuge and solace.

Step inside St Barnabas to appreciate the remarkable breadth and height of its interior, leading to a majestic mosaic of Christ the King above the High Altar, itself adorned with an elaborate gilded baldacchino. The church also features beautiful cut-glass murals on the north wall of the nave, created using the "opus sectile" technique, though a lack of funds meant the southern wall was never completed. Another notable feature is the great openwork iron cross suspended above the nave, a design famously referenced by Thomas Hardy in *Jude the Obscure*. The church is typically open daily for visitors to explore its unique architecture and peaceful atmosphere, and also hosts concerts, lectures, and exhibitions throughout the year.

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Opening Hours

Monday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM; Tuesday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM; Wednesday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM; Thursday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM; Friday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM; Saturday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM; Sunday: 7:30 AM – 7:00 PM