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Church in Oxfordshire, England From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
St Ebbe's is a Church of England parish church in central Oxford. The church is within the conservative evangelical tradition and participates in the Anglican Reform movement.[1] It has members from many nations, many of whom are students at Oxford University. The rector is Vaughan Roberts who is also an author and conference speaker.
St Ebbe's Church | |
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Location | Pennyfarthing Place, Oxford, Oxfordshire |
Country | England |
Denomination | Church of England |
Churchmanship | Conservative Evangelical |
Website | stebbes.org |
History | |
Status | Active |
Dedication | St Ebbe |
Architecture | |
Functional status | Parish church |
Administration | |
Diocese | Diocese of Oxford |
Archdeaconry | Archdeaconry of Oxford |
Deanery | Deanery of Oxford |
Parish | Oxford, St. Ebbe with Holy Trinity and St. Peter-le-Bailey |
Clergy | |
Bishop(s) | The Rt Revd Rob Munro (AEO) |
Rector | The Revd Canon Vaughan Roberts |
Laity | |
Churchwarden(s) | Alistair Cory and Suzanne Wilson-Higgins |
The church stands on the site of one dedicated to St Æbbe before 1005. Most sources suggest that this was the Northumbrian St Æbbe of Coldingham,[2] but it has been suggested that Æbbe of Oxford was a different saint. The name was first recorded in about 1005 when the church was granted to Eynsham Abbey by Ealdorman Æthelmær the Stout, when it was already recorded as the "ancient St Ebbe's".[3]
The present church was built in 1814–16. It was restored between 1862 and 1868, and again in 1904. A Norman doorway of the 12th century has been restored and placed at the west end.[4] The church is the parish church for the parish of St Ebbes, a portion of which was demolished to make way for the nearby Westgate Shopping Centre in the 1970s.[5][6] The church underwent further restoration in 2017 under the direction of Quinlan Terry.[7] During this restoration some internal fittings were sold as architectural antiques.[8] The organ was transferred to St Denys, York.[9]
In 1957, the church of Holy Trinity, Blackfriars Road, was demolished having been deemed unsafe. This was merged into the present parish.[10] In 1961, the parish of St Peter-le-Bailey merged with St Ebbe upon the foundation of St Peter's College (formerly St Peter's Hall) and its use of the church as its college chapel.[11]
St Ebbe's continues to be highly active, with three meetings each Sunday at 10:00, 4:30 and 6:30. There are also a range of mid-week groups and youth work.
St Ebbe's is within the Conservative Evangelical tradition of the Church of England, and it has passed resolutions to reject the ordination of women and/or female leadership.[12] It receives alternative episcopal oversight from the Bishop of Ebbsfleet (currently Rob Munro).
The church has a ministry among the remaining part of the parish, although most of its members live outside the parish. The church is a partner church of St Ebbe's Primary School, a school within the parish.[13]