Balliol College Chapel
Broad Street, Oxford, OX1 3BJ, GB
Rating: 4.5 ★ (210 ratings)
Details
The striking red and white bands of stone on Balliol College Chapel, designed by William Butterfield in 1857, make it an unmissable Broad Street landmark. This is the third chapel to stand on this historic site, with the first consecrated in the early 14th century. Though Butterfield's Victorian Gothic design was controversial at the time, even prompting a serious offer to fund its demolition and rebuilding, the College wisely chose to retain it. Inside, much of Butterfield’s original interior has since been altered, but significant features from the earlier chapels he replaced have been preserved. Among these treasures are a magnificent crowned brazen eagle lectern dating from around 1630 and a Jacobean pulpit. The chapel also houses remarkable stained glass, predominantly from the 16th and 17th centuries, which was carefully reset in 1912.
Within the chapel, the intricate stained glass windows tell fascinating stories. The east window, a 1529 gift from Laurence Stubbs, then President of Magdalen College, commemorates his brother Richard, a former Master of Balliol. While the main panel depicting Christ's suffering and resurrection is a Victorian replacement, the lower section still features portraits of the Stubbs brothers. Other windows contain vibrant panels by Abraham van Linge from 1637, including depictions of Hezekiah's sickness and recovery, and the story of St Philip preaching to the Ethiopian eunuch. Look for the window telling the legend of St Catherine of Alexandria, the College's patron saint, whose festival is still celebrated annually. The chapel also contains memorial tablets, mostly post-1860, and in the entrance passage, poignant war memorials list Balliol members lost in the World Wars.
Location
Opening Hours
Monday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM; Tuesday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM; Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM; Thursday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM; Friday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM; Saturday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM; Sunday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Contact
+44 1865 277777
Comments
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Nearby is the recommended hot chocolate shop Knoop.