Parish boundaries: St Mary-the-Virgin
The original parish boundary of the University Church of St Mary the Virgin remained unchanged until 2009, when it took in the parish of St Cross with St Peter-in-the East, making the parish about three times as big as it was before.
The stones mark the following parish boundaries of St Mary-the-Virgin Church:
- With St John the Baptist parish, whose church is now Merton College Chapel: its parish was incorporated into that of St Peter-in-the-East in 1891
- With St Peter-in-the-East parish, whose church is now deconsecrated and used as St Edmund Hall Library. The parish of St Peter-in-the-East was first incorporated into that of St Cross, but that church too has now been deconsecrated, and its enlarged parish has been taken into that of St Mary-the Virgin, making some of the boundary stones quite redundant.
- With All Saints parish, whose church closed in 1971 and is now Lincoln College Library
- With St Michael-at-the-Northgate parish, whose church is now the City Church
Most of the boundary stones below are inscribed with a St Andrew’s (diagonal) cross which shows that they were put up by St Mary-the-Virgin Church, but some are chalked SMNG (St Michael-at-the-Northgate), as both these churches beat their bounds on the same day.
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East end of All Souls College At the end of the wall of the Warden's house. Originally the parish boundary of St Mary-the-Virgin with St Peter-in-the-East, and later with St Cross (Holywell) |
5 Bear Lane Originally the parish boundary of St Mary-the-Virgin with All Saints, and later with St Michael-at-the-Northgate |
Brasenose Lane The point where St Mary-the-Virgin, All Saints, and St Michael-at-the-Northgate parish once met. Now the boundary of St Mary-the-Virgin and St Michael-at-the-Northgate |
Between 5 & 6 Magpie Lane Dated 1818, this originally marked the parish boundary of St Mary-the-Virgin with St John the Baptist. Inscribed G JB W. Later its boundary with St Cross |
Between 5 & 6 Magpie Lane Dated 1818, this is a drawing of the last marker is taken from an 1840s engraving by Orlando Jewitt and shows the lettering more clearly |
Opposite 6 Magpie Lane Originally the parish boundary of St Mary-the-Virgin with St John the Baptist, and later with St Cross |
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Opposite 7 Magpie Lane Originally the parish boundary of St Mary-the-Virgin with St John the Baptist (“SJB”), and later with St Cross |
Behind Old Bank Hotel Possible parish marker in car park off Magpie Lanes |
SW corner of Bodleian Library Originally the parish boundary of St Mary-the-Virgin with All Saints, and later with St Michael |
Opp. S. side of Clarendon Building The parish boundary of St Mary-the-Virgin with St Michael-at-the-Northgate, and duly chalked by the latter |
The Church of St Mary the Virgin also has other boundary markers inside University, Brasenose, All Souls, Hertford, and Oriel Colleges: these are not on the public highway and so are not shown here. As can be seen from the chalked “SMNG” on three of these stones, the Church of St Michael-at-the-Northgate also marks some of the boundary stones with a diagonal cross put up by St Mary-the-Virgin where the two parishes are contiguous. |
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The beating of the bounds of St Mary the Virgin Church
Following Ascension Day Communion at 8.30am, the Vicar sets out from St Mary-the-Virgin Church with the congregation and some boys from New College School. The procession first stops at the cross on the outside wall of Brasenose College on the High: that happens to be a St Michael’s cross, but all the rest are the diagonal ones of St Mary-the-Virgin, starting with two inside Brasenose College. The procession then moves up to the marker at the south-west corner of the Bodleian Library, and on to Broad Street to the one on a pillar of the Clarendon Building. It then goes back down Catte Street to All Souls College, and beats the markers inside. It then goes on to beat the two markers in University College, and the boys are rewarded with sweets thrown from an upstairs window (it used to be burning-hot coins). One marker gets beaten in Magpie Lane, and two inside Oriel College; and the job is then done.