THE CATHOLIC CHAPLAINCY

Across St Aldate’s Street from the War Memorial Gardens is the Old Palace. From 1352 until the dissolution of the monasteries, it belonged to the Dominicans. Then, together with Littlemore Hall near by, it was used by Bishop Robert King – the only Catholic bishop of Oxford – from about 1549 until his death in 1557. It later came into the possession of Thomas Smith, mayor and member of parliament for Oxford, while Charles I had his court in the city. It was bought for a Catholic university chaplaincy by the Newman trustees in 1917. (From Goulder, Pilgrimage Pamphlets: Oxford & Cambridge, 1963)

In 1970/71, under the chaplaincy of Fr Michael Hollings, who was later well known for his post-conciliar liturgical experiments, buildings were erected, in neo-Stanlinist style, in the space behind the Old Palace, replacing the chapel built by Mgr. Ronald Knox and the ‘baroque Nissan hut’ chapel established by Mgr. Valentine Elwes. The Chapel of St Thomas More is to be found here, where the Blessed Sacrament is reserved. Sunday Mass is held, in term-time, in a larger room, also used for meetings, theatrical productions, and so on. See their site.

The 'Old Palace', a Jacobean rebuilding of King's episcopal 'palace', contains some fine plaster ceilings (which are also to be seen in the nearbouring book shop and restaurant). The stone facade onto St Aldates dates from the 1950s.