Remarkably All Saints’ Church in Oxford stands before us. A Grade I listed building it’s now Lincoln College’s library. Yet its history echoes with the sounds of worship and the clang of bells.
Founded in 1122 the original All Saints’ Church stood proudly. Then disaster struck. On March 8 1700 its spire collapsed. This devastating event destroyed most of the church. However the community rallied. An appeal for funds was successful. A new church designed by Henry Aldrich Dean of Christ Church was built. This impressive structure with a seating capacity of 350 was completed in 1720.
Aldrich a man of many talents was a theologian philosopher architect and composer. He designed many parts of Christ Church. Nicholas Hawksmoor is believed to have designed the tower and spire of All Saints’ Church. Even four of the original bells survived the collapse. The rebuilding was costly. Donations poured in from Oxford colleges Queen Anne and the Duchess of Marlborough.
Nathaniel Crew the Rector of Lincoln College and later Bishop of Durham contributed significantly. His coat of arms as Bishop of Durham is still visible on the south wall. The altar piece a stone structure colored to resemble marble was his donation.
All Saints’ Church became Oxford’s official City Church in 1896. This occurred after the demolition of St Martin’s Church at Carfax. The Mayor and Corporation attended services there. A Union flag from Batu Lintang camp in Sarawak was placed in the church in 1946. It draped the coffins of prisoners of war. Later it was moved to Dorchester Abbey.
In 1971 All Saints’ Church was declared redundant. The City Church moved to St Michael at the North Gate. All Saints was deconsecrated and given to Lincoln College. Architect Robert Potter converted it into a library. This transformation was completed in the 1970s. The original floor was raised over four feet creating space for reading rooms.
Today the upper reading room the Cohen Room boasts an elegant plastered ceiling. It displays the shields of major donors from the 18th century rebuilding. The lower reading room is a science library and a senior library housing older books. It is named after Howard Florey a Lincoln College Fellow. He was vital in the development of penicillin winning a Nobel Prize.
The library still contains a full peal of eight bells. These are regularly rung by the Oxford Society of Change Ringers founded in 1734. They chime for special occasions such as the election of a new Rector of Lincoln College. The story of All Saints’ Church is one of resilience rebirth and enduring legacy. Its transformation from a place of worship to a center of learning is a testament to its adaptability and significance in Oxford’s rich history.