St Bartholomew's Chapel, Oxford

St Bartholomew’s Chapel stands beside the remains of a medieval leper hospital in Oxford. Built in the early 14th century, it is a small chapel with nave and chancel in one, its north doorway still original. The west doorway and roof were altered in the 15th century, while the large two-light windows show later tracery. Inside, a plain wooden screen dated 1651 divides the space, designed by Ninian Comper. The chapel is Grade I listed and holds traces of painted crosses on its west wall. The chapel’s relics once drew scholars and choirs from New College. They walked in procession on May Day and Ascension Day to sing hymns and pray, enjoying woodland merriment afterwards. The relics included Edward the Confessor’s comb, a piece of St Bartholomew’s skin, and bones of St Andrew and St Philip. In 2009 the custom was revived after four centuries when New College choristers performed a ceremony and sang madrigals. Visitors find a quiet chapel with simple fittings and historic details. The original north doorway opens into a single space where light falls through the large windows. The 1651 screen and Comper’s fittings frame the altar area, while the painted crosses hint at older decoration. Outside, the ruined hospital walls stand near the chapel, linking past and present.