St Clement's Church is an evangelical Church of England parish church situated just to the east of central Oxford, England.
History The present church dates from the 1820s, but replaced a much older building, which was demolished in 1829.
The old church
St Clement's Church originally stood at what is now The Plain roundabout, where the roads from London and Henley cross the River Cherwell at Magdalen Bridge.St Clement's Church, Oxford: Some History, UK. It served both the small community of Bruggeset ("Bridge Settlement") that surrounded it as well as the largely rural area that eventually became East Oxford.
The first written record mentioning the church was in 1122 when it was one of the royal chapels given to St Frideswide's Priory by King Henry I. One scholar suggests that there is a circumstantial case for the church being built in connection with a Danish garrison sometime between 1016 and the 1050s; this would explain its location close to a bridge and the dedication to St Clement which was unusual at inland sites at this time.
Almost nothing is known of the appearance of the earliest church building, but recent scholarship suggests that a stone head now in the Ashmolean Museum may have originally been a brightly painted stone corbel from the 13th century church, suggesting that the earliest parishioners would have worshipped in a space rich in colour and carved stonework .
In 1323, money was granted for the rebuilding of "the Church of St Clement beyond Petty Pont" (Magdalen Bridge) Most of the building demolished in 1829 dated from this time.
John Peshall, writing in 1773 describes a church "composed of one isle thirteen yards long (exclusive of a chancel) and six yards and twenty inches broad. On the north-east and west side are galleries. Over the latter is a small capp’d tiled tower containing three bells".
The churchyard was extended in 1781Dawson's Charity, Parish Estates and Minute Book Of Trustees, 1680-1831 in Oxfordshire History Centre
The capped tower was replaced by a square one in 1816. John Henry Newman added a gallery to accommodate a new Sunday school in 1825, with Newman's friend Edward Pusey providing a stove for the children.
Civil War An extract from St Clement's parish register for 1643 (OS) records "Capt. Slade, shot to death buried 12th Sept." and "Jan (9) Francis Cole executed for a spie & buried beside ye church privately without any ceremonie".Anthony Wood, noted in St Clement's, Oxford Parish Register 1666-1745, transcribed from St Clement's Parish Register 1597- During the Siege of Oxford (1644–1646) the church and parish were literally on the front line between the Parliamentary forces on Headington Hill and the Royalists in the city. It was reported that, as a consequence, "no parish suffered more severely" with whole streets being demolished to facilitate the building of fortifications or to prevent the enemy from taking cover.'Parishes: St. Clement's', in A History of the County of Oxford: Volume 5, Bullingdon Hundred, ed. Mary D Lobel (London, 1957), pp. 258-266. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/oxon/vol5/pp258-266 [accessed 10 March 2021]. The 17th century Black Horse Inn and the church were among the few buildings to survive.
Growth and change In the early 1800s, slum clearances in Oxford saw St Clement's expand rapidly, with over three hundred new "houses being built between 1821 and 1824". The old church was small, seating 250, and services were "… very much interrupted and annoyed by the continued noise of carriages passing to and fro …",Diocese of Oxford Faculty & Consecration Register 1827-1844 so a plan was formed to build a new church on a new site to accommodate the growing population.
As the then rector, Revd John Gutch, was in his 80s, the decision was made to appoint a curate to assist him and to raise money for the new church.
John Henry Newman, later Cardinal Newman and then St John Henry Newman, became curate in 1824. Although he was only at St Clement's for two years, Newman had an enormous impact on the parish, becoming widely respected as "a proper minister". He visited every home in the parish, started a Sunday school and preached regularly to a packed church.
The new church
Thanks to Newman's fundraising, the present church was constructed in 1825–28. It was built by John Hudson of Oxford at a cost of £6,032 19s 5d on land in Hacklingcroft Meadow, given by Sir Joseph Lock (1760–1844), a local banker and goldsmith. The church had originally invited designs along the lines of Salisbury Cathedral or a Grecian temple but settled on an Anglo-Norman design on the grounds of cost.
The architect was Daniel Robertson, who went on to design the Clarendon Press buildings in Walton Street. St Clement's is an early example of the Anglo-Norman or Romanesque Revival style, although Pevsner describes it as "patently Georgian Norman". The architect estimated that the new church could seat up to 1024 people.Handwritten note on the architects's floor plan, St Clement's Parish Records, Oxfordshire History Centre
The site was chosen in the expectation that new housing would expand along Marston Lane (now Marston Road). The original plan would have placed the church on Marston Lane, but it was moved to its current position as part of a revised plan, subsequently abandoned, to build streets and houses in the form of a square.St Clement's Parish Records, Oxfordshire History Centre
Legality of marriages in the new church St Clement's was the first church in Oxford to be built on a new site since the Middle Ages. An unforeseen consequence of the new location was that it did not automatically become the parish church when it was consecrated in 1828. Unfortunately, this was not realised at the time, necessitating a special Act of Parliament in 1836 to ensure the legality of all the marriages that had taken place in the new church.Marriages in St. Clements, Oxford Act 1836 (c.92. 6 & 7 Will. 4)
Development of the church building 19th-21st centuries The interior underwent a major refurbishment in the 1870s. In 1871 the original Georgian box-pews and benches were replaced by the present ‘Neo-Norman’ pews, arranged in four blocks divided by a newly tiled nave and two newly positioned side aisles. The West Gallery was taken down in 1876. The refurbishments were the work of Edward George Bruton (1826–1899), an Oxford-based architect who specialised in ecclesiastical commissions in Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire and were largely paid for by members of the wealthy Morrell brewing familyAllen, Brigid. "Morrell family (per. c. 1790–1965), brewers." Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. 23 Sep. 2004; Accessed 7 Mar. 2021 of Headington Hill Hall.Philip Lockley DPhil (Oxon), The Pews of St Clement's Church, Oxford, An advisory Report for Oxford DAC, February 2019 The Morrells were closely associated with St Clement's for much of the 19th and early 20th centuries and were significant benefactors to the church and parish.
The late 20th and early 21st centuries saw several reordering exercises in the church building including the creation of a crèche and kitchen (1973), creating a dais in the chancel area (1984) and the installation of disabled access (2005).Diocese of Oxford, Faculties, St Clement's Church Oxford 1867-
In 2020-22 the organ and several pews were removed to create a more flexible space and the kitchen was upgraded to allow for the preparation of hot food.
The present The current congregation is drawn from all around the Oxford area and reflects a wide diversity of ages and backgrounds.
In addition to the church building, many church and community activities take place at St Clement's Centre on Cross Street.
St Clement's normally holds Sunday services at 10:30 and 18:30 with children and young people either attending the morning service with their families or having their own activities nearby. Mid-week activities include:
Home groups Youth activities A popular Baby and Toddler Group Café Club - for older people and others who are around during the day
St Clement's is a partner church in the Oxford Churches Debt Centre
The church's professional staff consists of the Rector, Revd Mark Hay (from April 2024), a Parish Administration Manager, a Youth Worker, and a Children and Families Worker. There is a Leadership Team and many day-to-day activities are supported or led by a body of active volunteers.
Bells St Clement's has three bells, all brought from the old church in the 1820s. The two larger bells were later removed from the tower and are now on display in the church entrance.
The largest bell is 21½ inches (55.6 cm) in diameter and was made at the Woodstock foundry. The inscription reads RICHARD SHVRLY ROBERT GRIFFIN C W 1636 The second bell is 20½ inches (52 cm) in diameter. Based on its shape, it has been identified as dating from the late 13th century making it the oldest bell in Oxford The small suance bell is the only one still in the tower, although it is not rung. It was made by Edward Hemins at his foundry in Bicester. The inscription reads: + W: HACKINS. E:HARRIS CHURCH-WARDENS E: HEMINS. BISSITER. FECIT. 1731
Music The first professional musician mentioned in the church records is a Mr H Pitts who was appointed as clarinetist in 1843 at an annual salary of £3 3s; the clarinet cost £3 15s.St Clement's Churchwardens' Accounts, 1843, Oxford History Centre
St Clement's first organ was purchased at a cost of about £200 in 1846 and installed in the west gallery. In 1876 it was moved to the south-east corner of the church next to the chancel when the gallery was demolished.
In 1897-99 a new organ was built by Messrs Martin & Coate of 54-55 Pembroke Street, St Clement's (now Rectory Road) from a specification drawn up by Dr TW Dodd, the organist, who was also organist of The Queen's College. The old organ was sold to St Paul's Church, Walton Street, Oxford (now Freud's nightclub). The new organ was first used at the special service for Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee in 1897. An electric blower was installed in 1931 and the organ was rebuilt in 1952 by Nicholson's of Worcester who also installed a modern detached console. The cost of maintenance and changes in worship styles since the late 20th century led to the organ falling into disuse and it was removed in early 2020 by Michael Farley of Sidmouth. In 2025 many of the flue pipes were installed at the Basilica of St Dominic in Valletta, Malta.Email from Michael Farley, organ builder, 27 March 2025
Since the late 20th century, music for worship has been increasingly provided by a worship group using a range of traditional and electronic instruments. This has been accompanied by the increased use of contemporary worship songs alongside traditional hymns.
During the pandemic of 2020–21, when public worship, including singing and music, was curtailed, St Clement's musicians responded by recording music in their homes for use during online services.
Windows
The striking east window (geographical north) at the front of the church shows ten scenes from the life of Christ. It is made of painted glass and is the work of Isaac Hugh Russell, a "poor but talented" artist Oxford University, City and County Herald, Sat.Nov.27th, 1847 who lived and worked in Caroline Street, St Clement's. It was commissioned in 1846 and installed in 1847.
The four north windows (geographical west) depict scenes on the theme of faith. They were made in memory of James Morrell the Younger (1810–1863) by A and WH O’Connor for St Martin's Church, Carfax in 1865"Memorial Window at St Martin's Church", Oxford and County Herald, 4 March 1865 and moved to St Clement's in 1896, when St Martin's was demolished.