Upcoming Services

at St Giles Church

Choral Evensong is one of the precious gems of the Church of England - and Oxford is one of the cities with the highest concentration of services anywhere in the world. Devised by Thomas Cranmer (1489 – 1556), Archbishop of Canterbury, as part of the Book of Common Prayer, it is a poignant part of the history and heritage of the University Church. Within months of the accession of Queen Mary to the throne, Cranmer was sent to the Tower of London, and found guilty of heresy. Cranmer’s final opportunity for a recantation occurred at the University Church, on 21 March 1556. He deviated from the prepared script, reasserting his reformed views, and was promptly taken to Broad Street, where he was burned at the stake. This is a chance to join the Choral Scholars at the University Church as a festival chorus for Evensong, singing beautiful music in the church so linked to our history and heritage. To sign up, please visit the website of the Oxford Festival of the Arts: https://artsfestivaloxford.org/ This event is a collaboration between the church and the Oxford Festival of the Arts.