Upon this very spot once stood Trilleck’s Inn a medieval establishment. It’s hard to imagine bustling activity where now stands Saint Peter’s College. This Oxford institution wasn’t always a college. Its story begins long before its 1929 founding.
Saint Peter’s College occupies a site steeped in history. For centuries before its modern incarnation it housed Trilleck’s Inn and Rose Hall. These medieval halls date back to at least the 14th century. Bishop Trilleck founded Trilleck’s Inn. Later it became known as New Inn Hall. It merged with Balliol College in 1887. Rose Hall was gifted to New College by William of Wykeham. The land eventually became the property of the rector of St Peter-le-Bailey. A new church was built there. That church is now Saint Peter’s College chapel.
The college’s modern history began with Francis James Chavasse. He was the former Bishop of Liverpool. He envisioned a college providing affordable Oxford educations. His son Christopher raised funds. The college opened as St Peter’s Hall in 1929. It had only thirteen residents. The college grew to forty students by the following year. A key benefactor was William Richard Morris who also founded Nuffield College. The college even had a nickname: Pot Hall.
During World War II St Peter’s Hall sheltered evacuated students from Westfield College. A women’s college in London. Its own students lived elsewhere. Saint Peter’s became a fully recognized college in 1961. It received a Royal Charter. In 1979 the college became co-educational admitting women.
The college’s architecture reflects this layered history. Linton House a Georgian rectory stands proudly. It once served as offices for the Oxford Canal Company. Canon Henry Linton transformed it. Now it houses the college library and serves as the porter’s lodge. The college chapel stands on the south side. It’s the third church of St Peter-le-Bailey on that site. The chapel features memorials to the Chavasse family. Captain Noel Chavasse’s grave cross remains there. A bas-relief of Bishop Francis Chavasse is another poignant tribute.
Saint Peter’s College stands as a testament to its rich and varied past. It is a vibrant community. It has evolved from medieval inns to a modern Oxford college. The story of Saint Peter’s is a journey through time. It is one woven with education faith and community. It’s a legacy you can feel in every stone.