History of Other Buildings: All Saints Church, Lime Walk
The postcard above shows the west and south side of All Saints Church, Lime Walk soon after it was consecrated in 1910, before the chancel was added at the eastern end. The photograph below, taken in 2007, shows the enlarged church, surrounded by mature lime trees, which were drastically pollarded in 2006
By the early twentieth century, New Headington village had outgrown its little mission chapel in Perrin Street. Mrs Morrell of Headington Hill Hall pledged £1000 towards the building of a proper church, provided the villagers raised the same amount, which they did. A large house in Lime Walk was demolished to make room for the new church of All Saints, which was consecrated on 29 May 1910, and the Parish of Highfield was formed ten days later on 9 June.
Above: the interior of the church shortly after it was opened, showing how it looked
before the
chancel was added on
in 1937; below: the same view in 2010
The church, designed by Arthur Blomfield & Son, is described by Pevsner as having “an exceptionally impressive interior” of exposed brick. It is a large church: it originally seated 400 people, and this increased to 600 after the chancel (designed by N. W. Harrison) was added in 1937.
There is a plaque inside the church to John Wesley Woodward of 24 Windmill Road, a bandsman who died on the Titanic.
Above: a tea party at Highfield Vicarage in 1915. The vicarage is at 85 Old Road (formerly numbered 27)
Above: Highfield Hall in New High Street in about 1915. This corrogated iron-clad building in New High Street served as a parish hall until the present All Saints Church House was built on the same site (opened by Princess Margaret on 24 March 1967).
Below: a Coronation Party in the old hall.
