The Parishes of the High
Nineteenth century: five parishes
The "long high street of the little town", as Oscar Wilde described the High, once straddled four separate parishes. The table below shows how the street was split up in the nineteenth century. For ease of reference, the present occupants of the buildings are given in the right-hand column.
| Nos. | 19th century | Present occupants | |
|
N |
1-5 | St Martin’s | Lloyd’s Bank to Middle of Ryman’s |
| 6–27 | All Saints | Middle of Ryman’s
to Middle of Brasenose | |
| 28–32 | St Mary the Virgin | Middle of
Brasenose to All Souls College | |
| 33–60 | St Peter in the East* | No. 33 (now Links Communications) to Magdalen College | |
| [Numbering resumes on the other side of Magdalen Bridge] | |||
|
S O U T H S I D E |
61–89 | St Peter in the East* | Botanic Garden to Middle of University College |
| 90–112 | St Mary the Virgin | Middle of
University College to Middle of Shepherd & Woodward |
|
| 113–139 | All Saints | Middle
of Shepherd & Woodward to Middle of Crew Clothing Co. |
|
| 140–143 | St Martin’s | Middle of Crew Clothing Co. to Edinburgh Wool Mill | |
* Note: St Peter-in-the-East Church was temporarily closed for the period from July 1836 to November 1844, and the parishioners were transferred for eight years to St John the Baptist Church (now Merton Chapel)
Twenty-first century: two parishes
Following the closure of a number of churches in central Oxford, the High Street is now divided into just two parishes, namely:
West end of the High: now in St Michael at the Northgate Parish
- In 1896 when St Martin’s Church at Carfax was demolished, St Martin’s Parish was united with All Saints Parish
- In 1971 when All Saints Church became Lincoln College Library, St Martin & All Saints Parish was united with St Michael at the Northgate Parish
East end of the High: now St Mary the Virgin Parish
- In 1891 St Peter in the East Parish was united with St John the Baptist Parish (Merton College Chapel)
- In 1957 St Peter in the East & St John the Baptist Parish was united with St Cross Parish
- In 1966 St Peter in the East & St John the Baptist & St Cross Parish was united with St Mary the Virgin Parish
