Steeped in family history, the original Chapel of the Holy Trinity was built in the late 13th Century on the site of a prehistoric Stone Circle.
Look closely at the southeast corner and you will see that it rests upon one of these mystical stones – a symbol of Christianity adopting the ancient site as its own.
Once inside, sunlight floods through the superb stained glass, lighting the chapel and allowing visitors to see Graham Greene’s great gift, a series of artworks called ‘Stations of the Cross’ by Jozef Janas, a Polish prisoner of war in World War II.
Only two other British chapels have always been catholic and we’re proud to say that mass and weddings continue to be celebrated here to this day.
Sunday 22nd December
Fourth Sunday of Advent – Morning Mass 10.30 am
Tuesday 24th December
Christmas Eve Midnight Mass – 10.30pm
Christmas Day
Christmas Morning Mass – 10.30am
Sunday 29th December
Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph – morning Mass 10.30am
Confessions are heard after each Mass
Mass is celebrated on the first Sunday of the month by one of the Jesuit Priests at Campion Hall, Oxford
Mass on all other Sundays is celebrated by Father Andrew Foster, Parish Priest of Watlington Roman Catholic Parish
The Family Mass is celebrated by a visiting Priest
Rt Revd Lord Runcie, late Archbishop of Canterbury
Simon Jenkins, England’s Thousand Best Houses.
Stonor is closely associated with St. Edmund Campion, martyred in 1581. He was a Londoner, and a leading Oxford academic of the day, ordained a Catholic Priest and Jesuit on the Continent who had answered the call of the Pope to volunteer to work on ‘The English Mission’.
Already known to the Stonor family, he was given refuge here in 1581 to print in the greatest secrecy a pamphlet describing ‘Ten Reasons’ why the historical Catholic faith should be preferred over the teachings of the newly Established Church. The rooms used to print this work can be seen, along with an exhibition describing St. Edmund Campion’s life and death.
In 2014 the Chapel received a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund to re-tile the Chapel and Clock Tower roofs, and improve the building’s rain water system.
The Chapel Restoration Fund has also gratefully received grants from The J Paul Getty Jnr Trust, The Country Houses Foundation, The Oxfordshire Historic Churches Trust, The Garfield Weston Trust, The All Churches Trust and donations from regular worshippers.
Work, carried out by traditional craftsmen, included weather proofing the Chapel, faithfully reusing or replicating existing material.
