The Friary
Blessed Agnellus of Pisa Friary
51°44′39″N 1°14′01″W / 51.7442°N 1.2336°W / 51.7442; -1.2336
OS grid referenceSP530053
LocationCowley, Oxford
CountryEngland
DenominationRoman Catholic
Previous denominationAnglican
Religious instituteOrder of Friars Minor Conventual
Websitethegreyfriars.org/oxford
History
Former name(s)All Saints Convent
St John's Home
Founded1873 (1873)
DedicationAgnellus of Pisa
Earlier dedicationAll Saints
Events2014, Franciscan Friary
Associated peopleFrances Ritchie
Architecture
Heritage designationGrade II listed[1]
Designated28 June 1972
Architect(s)Charles Buckeridge
J. L. Pearson
Ninian Comper
StyleGothic Revival

The Friary, formally known as Blessed Agnellus of Pisa Friary, formerly All Saints Convent or St John's Home is a centre of formation for the Franciscan Order of Friars Minor Conventual in Cowley, Oxford, England. The building was constructed in 1873 as the convent of the Anglican Society of All Saints Sisters of the Poor. It is situated between St Mary's Road and Cowley Road, next to St John's Care Home and Helen & Douglas House. The friary and its chapel are Grade II listed buildings.

History

Construction

In 1869, the Society of All Saints Sisters of the Poor were invited to Oxford by the founder of the Society of St John the Evangelist, Richard Meux Benson to run the St John's Home hospital. A convent was needed to house the sisters working in the hospital. In 1873, the foundation stone was laid by Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany, for the adjacent convent to the south of the hospital.[2]

The building was designed by Charles Buckeridge. From 1882 to 1891, further work was done to the building, overseen by the architect John Loughborough Pearson.[1] In 1906, the present chapel, designed by Ninian Comper, was built.[3] In 1982, Sister Frances Ritchie of the All Saints Sisters founded Helen & Douglas House next door.[4]

Conventual Franciscans

In 2013, the Franciscan Order of Friars Minor Conventual returned to work in Oxford for the first time since the Reformation. They started a centre for formation in Holton. In July 2014, they moved to All Saints Convent after the All Saints sisters moved into a smaller residence.[5][6]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Historic England. "St Johns Home (Grade II) (1369444)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
  2. ↑ Susan Mumm All Saints Sisters of the Poor: An Anglican Sisterhood in the Nineteenth Century (Church of England Record Society) (Woodbridge, Suffolk: Boydell, 2001)
  3. ↑ Historic England. "Chapel at St Johns Home (Grade II) (1068778)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
  4. ↑ Emma Midgley, Helen House, BBC News, retrieved 22 May 2021
  5. ↑ Greyfriars are coming home after a 500-year-long exile, Oxford Mail, 17 May 2014, retrieved 22 May 2021
  6. ↑ Matt Oliver, Greyfriars ‘truly blessed’ by warm welcome at new home, Oxford Mail, 27 August 2014, retrieved 22 May 2021
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