The story of how this church came to be built is an interesting one.? At first sight, it looks like a mediaeval church and visitors are often surprised to find that it dates from much more recent times. On June 9th 1847, Bishop Wilberforce, in St Aldate’s church, urging the need for a church in Headington Quarry, preached a sermon. Appeals for money described this place as ‘a hamlet, the peculiar circumstances of which demand the sympathy and assistance of…. Christian neighbours.” Sir Gilbert Scott designed the church in the then popular Decorated Gothic style of the 14th century and Bishop Samuel Wilberforce laid the foundation on 19+h June 1848. The stone was quarried from Quarry Farm Pit and the church came into being when Bishop Wilberforce consecrated it,, on 22nd November 1849. To mark the 150th Anniversary of the church’s consecration, a book was researched and produced. It is available at a cost of £5 from the back of the church.A new organ was installed in 1992 (built by Kenneth Tickell of Northampton). The organ previously stood in what is now the Lady Chapel. The colours and pipe shades were designed by Elias Polomski (curate 1990-1994). A great deal of refurbishment was carried out in the early 1990s, when the whole church was redecorated, the stone work cleaned, much of the floor was renewed, new lighting was installed and the bosses were regilded. Two clergy stalls were added and the roof was boarded due to the decay of the original plaster; (this had begun to fall down in an alarming manner; on one occasion narrowly missing the vicar as he knelt at his stall). Pulling the altar out from the east wall allowed for westward celebrations. Old and decaying curtains were removed and in 1994 the new altar tapestry was hung. This was also designed by Elias Polomski and is based on the? Rublev Ikon of the Holy Trinity. It depicts the three angels who visit Abraham in Genesis 18. The outer panels of the tapestry represent the rocks, oak trees, and ponds of Shotover, which lies to the east of the church. It took over 2000 hours to complete the tapestry; the work having been undertaken by skilled volunteers within the parish.