Greyfriars, Oxford

The original Greyfriars church and friary was founded by the Franciscans in 1224. The friars had a long and esteemed history in Oxford, listing many famous alumni, including the English statesman, Robert Grosseteste, also a theologian and Bishop of Lincoln, who became head of Greyfriars, Master of the School of Oxford from 1208, and the first Chancellor of the University of Oxford. In 1517, the order divided into two branches. The friars who had been living in city-convents, ministering there and teaching in universities became known as "Conventuals"; while the friars who preferred a more eremitical life became known as "Observants". (The Capuchins developed in 1528.) The friaries were suppressed during the Reformation in the 16th century.[1]

In 1905,[2] the Capuchin branch of the order established a friary, known as St Anselm's, which was recognised by the university as a house of studies in 1910. The Church of St Edmund and St Frideswide on Iffley Road was established in 1911 as a chapel of ease to the Jesuit church of St Aloysius. In 1928, the Jesuits handed it over to the Capuchins, who then built the friary.[3]

In 1919, the friars moved to the current site on the Iffley Road—first naming it Grosseteste House after the first head of the original Greyfriars—and on completion of the present building in 1930, the name of Greyfriars was adopted once more. The status of permanent private hall was conferred upon Greyfriars by the university in 1957 and surrendered in 2008.

In 2007, Greyfriars celebrated 50 years of its PPH status, with considerable flourish, and an unusually high number of first-class undergraduate grades marked the year.

In October 2007, the order announced its intention to withdraw from its ministry as a permanent private hall of the university, for financial and personnel reasons. Given the age of the building and the reduced number of friars, the cost of maintenance, rehabilitation, and staffing would be unsustainable for the province, and negatively impact other ministries elsewhere. Arrangements were made to transfer all students and prospective applicants so interested to Regent's Park College.[4] The decision aroused considerable controversy; substantial proposals by the fellows for the continuation of Greyfriars were considered by the Governing Body. The university eventually indicated that the friars' licence to run Greyfriars as a PPH would not be transferred to any other body, and the hall closed in June 2008, despite a last-minute attempt to save the hall by the Holy See.[5]

It may seem strange that the Greyfriars students did not migrate to St. Benet's Hall (the Benedictine PPH) or Blackfriars (the Dominican PPH). However, Greyfriars had some years earlier admitted female students, and at that time neither of these other Catholic PPHs had done so. Regent's Park welcomed the Greyfriars students warmly, and the migration is commemorated by a plaque at Regent's Park. The latter announced in 2018 that it would be seeking donations to fund a Greyfriars Scholarship at Regent's Park.

The Capuchin Order has stated that it will continue to exist at Greyfriars in Oxford and the premises will continue to operate as a friary; the order will maintain responsibility for the parish.[3]

At the time of Greyfriars' closure, the Visitor was Mauro Jöhri, Minister General, the Warden was Mark Elvins, and the fellows included Aidan Nichols, John Paul II Lecturer in Roman Catholic Theology. The immediate previous Warden was Nicholas Richardson (2004-2007). Honorary Fellows included Thomas G. Weinandy (Warden 1993–2004), and Vincent Nichols, RC Archbishop of Birmingham. Among earlier Wardens who were members of the Capuchin order, the highly respected musical scholar Peter Peacock (an Oxford D.Mus. who then became Professor of Music at Loyola University New Orleans) and then Cassian Reel served for long periods with distinction.