Chapel | New College

The Chapel and Chapel Services

Welcome to New College Chapel! Most of our services are open to the public and we host special college occasions through the year.

You can find general information and New College Chapel FAQs here.

The Music List with details of music at services for the new term will be available soon. Here is the Music List for Michaelmas term 2025.

The Choir of New College are on tour in China over the New Year period and will then take a short break.

Regular chapel services resume for Hilary Term on Friday 16 January 2026.

Details of special services will be available soon.

The termtime service schedule is:

Sunday 17.45 Choral Evensong

Monday 18.15 Choral Evensong (Clerks' Voices) or Vespers

Tuesday 18.15 Choral Evensong

Thursday 18.15 Choral Evensong, Choral Vespers (Boys' Voices; no service 19 Feb or 12 Mar)

Friday 18.15 Choral Evensong

Saturday 17.45 Choral Evensong or Choral Eucharist

Sunday evensong and special services will also be livestreamed on the New College Choir YouTube channel.

For all chapel services, please enter the college via the Holywell St. entrance.

The chapel is a place of sanctuary, of ancient words and music, of peace and contemplation, and is open to everyone. There is no need to be a member of the college or even of the university. There is no dress code, no entry requirement, and no need to be part of any religious tradition. May you find peace and light in this place where prayer has been valid for more than 600 years.

Groups of more than 10 must book by emailing chapel.administrator@new.ox.ac.uk

Safeguarding: The choristers of the Choir of New College, Oxford, are pupils at New College School. The College adheres to the School's safeguarding policy in all matters concerning children. Full safeguarding contact details are available in hard copy in New College Chapel and in digital copy within the above safeguarding policy.

Bookings: We welcome requests from current and former New College staff, students and choir members to use the chapel for a concert or rehearsal. Please contact concerts@new.ox.ac.uk as early as possible to discuss your event. Please note the chapel is very busy and we are often unable to accommodate requests. We are not usually able to host concerts by outside organisations except at the request of the University of Oxford Music Faculty.

Weddings: We are not currently taking wedding bookings. We are fully booked for 2026 and have paused bookings for the following years. If you are a current or former student or staff member interested in getting married at New College, please contact chapel.administrator@new.ox.ac.uk, who can send you the wedding guidelines. Please note weddings only take place on specific dates in July and August, and members of the public cannot be married at New College.

Baptism: Current students, staff or fellows interested in baptism for themselves are encouraged to speak to one of the chaplains. Baptisms of children are only possible a few times a year, and are reserved for families of current staff, students and fellows, current NCS pupils, and others with a close ongoing connection to the chapel, at the discretion of the chaplains.

History

When William of Wykeham, Bishop of Winchester, founded New College at the end of the fourteenth century, he placed the service of God at the heart of College life. The Chapel was made the most inspiring of the College buildings and was provided with a permanent choir to support and enliven its worship.

The Chapel community today seeks to carry forward this same tradition of praise and thanksgiving, petition and intercession, as part of its local witness to the universal presence and power of God's love. We are an inclusive community, and hope that all who come here will find themselves welcome.

Together, the Chapel and Ante-Chapel form the first T-shaped plan, a form which has since become familiar in a number of Oxford and Cambridge college chapels.

There are many items of interest housed within, including: