HMC reopens chapel following major renovation

The Chapel during the renovation

Harris Manchester College has reopened its chapel after a major renovation project. Following the generous support of benefactors from across the College community, the interior has been renewed, with new lighting and audio-visual technology installed.

A number of celebrations are being held over the term, including a public service in the chapel this Wednesday 26 February at 5.45pm, which will include a reflection by artist, potter, writer, and Visiting Fellow at HMC this academic year, Edmund de Waal.

The chapel, built in the arts and crafts style and dating back to the 1890s when the College first came to Oxford, is home to a range of historic features which the new lighting system has brought to the fore. They include its celebrated stained glass windows, designed by Edward Burne-Jones and William Morris, and organ pipes, painted by Morris & Co.

Originally designated for those who could not accept the dogma of any particular denomination, the chapel has played a key role in the College’s history, embodying its open and distinctive spirit. Today, it is one of the few Oxford college chapels able to hold and legally register same-sex marriages – as well as being the home to the weekly term-time service featuring music from the College Choir.

The chapel sits at the heart of the College’s rich programme of events, which include concerts, lectures and readings. These will be significantly enhanced by the addition of modern facilities – such as live streaming – designed to integrate seamlessly with the historic setting.

Our Chaplain, the Rev Dr Claire Macdonald, said: “The chapel sits at the heart of the college as a space for people of all faiths and none to find a connection to the peaceful beauty of its arts and crafts design. The renovation quite literally sheds light on its unique qualities and brings the imagination and hope of its founders to meet the college communities of the present and future.”

The renovation project team, led by Clerk of Works, Mark Longford, in the newly renovated Chapel with our Principal, Jane Shaw, our Chaplain, the Rev Claire MacDonald, and our Bursar, Chris Manning