Now a library, All Saints Church has quite the story. Once a place of worship, it stands on the north side of Oxford’s High Street. All Saints Church sits right on the corner of Turl Street.
Founded in 1122, the original All Saints Church suffered a devastating collapse. On March 8, 1700, its spire crumbled. This event destroyed much of the original structure. The community rallied. They launched an appeal for funds. By 1720, a new All Saints Church was completed. It could seat 350 people.
Henry Aldrich designed All Saints Church. He was the Dean of Christ Church. Besides being a theologian and philosopher, Aldrich was also an architect and composer. Nicholas Hawksmoor may have designed the tower and spire.
Queen Anne donated to the expensive repairs of All Saints Church. The Duchess of Marlborough also contributed. Most Oxford colleges pitched in too.
In 1896, All Saints Church gained a new role. St Martin’s Church at Carfax was mostly demolished. All Saints became the official City Church. The Mayor and Corporation were expected to attend services there.
A Union Jack flag found its place in All Saints Church in 1946. It had been draped over coffins of prisoners of war. These prisoners were held at Batu Lintang camp in Sarawak. Two wooden memorial plaques accompanied the flag. Later, all three were moved to Dorchester Abbey.
All Saints Church closed in 1971. It was declared redundant. The City Church moved to St Michael at the North Gate. Lincoln College, located to the north, acquired All Saints. Robert Potter converted All Saints into a library. Since 1975, it has served as Lincoln College’s library.
The conversion to a library brought changes. The original floor was raised by over four feet. This created space for lower reading rooms. The upper reading room is the Cohen Room. It features an elegant plastered ceiling. Shields of major donors decorate the space. They contributed to the 18th-century rebuilding of All Saints Church. The lower reading room is a science library. It also serves as the senior library. It holds older books.
The science section is named after Howard Florey. He was a former Lincoln College Fellow. Florey helped develop penicillin. He received the Nobel Prize for his work.
The library maintains a full peal of eight bells. The Oxford Society of Change Ringers rings them regularly. This society was founded in 1734. The bells also ring for special occasions. One such occasion is the election of a new Rector of Lincoln College.
Next time you visit All Saints Church, remember its layered past. From parish church to city church, it is now a library. All Saints Church continues to serve Oxford. It stands as a testament to time and transformation.