Chapel & faith
Hertford Chapel is an inclusive place in the heart of the college and the city, where all are welcome to join our spiritual and musical events.
We welcome those of all faiths and none to celebrate, meditate, muse and pray in the Chapel. We also have a separate prayer room for those who wish to practice individual worship in a non-denominational space. Built in 1908 by the celebrated architect T.G. Jackson (who also designed our famous ‘Bridge of Sighs’), Hertford’s Chapel is always open for students, fellows, staff and visitors to come in and explore. See if you can spot a famous Hertford deer on the beautifully carved woodwork!
Although the Chapel is in the centre of a bustling city, it is a quiet and serene place. It has a wonderful acoustic too, and is home to the musical life of the college. Our student-run Hertford College Music Society organises regular rehearsals and concerts in the chapel and our Chapel Choir sings Evensong every Sunday in term-time, meaning that you can get involved in choral singing even if you have no experience.
Our Chaplain, The Rev. Mia Smith, is responsible for the life of the Chapel and also has a pastoral role in our Wellbeing & Welfare team. She’s always happy to meet with students and provide a safe and confidential space to talk through problems. She can refer you to further sources of support or just offer a friendly cup of tea and won’t talk about faith unless you do. Before joining the priesthood, Mia had a career in management, nursing, and midwifery.
For details about arranging special services in the Chapel – such as marriages or commemorations – see our page about Chapel services.
-
Read more about Hertford Christian Union
The student-run Christian Union is a small but welcoming part of Hertford, running in partnership with other college CU’s as part of OICCU (Oxford Intercollegiate Christian Union). There are plenty of churches in Oxford to suit Christians of every background, with services at a range of times.
At the CU in Hertford we meet once a week to share a meal together and do a Bible study, and once a fortnight we also meet up with the other CUs at an event called ‘Central’ for worship, a talk and prayer. As a CU we aim to help each other grow in faith as a community, as well as acting as a point of reference for people in college who maybe don’t know much, or have questions, about Christianity. We welcome people of any background or stage in their faith, and love to serve Hertford and the wider Oxford community as best we can.