AN Oxford church celebrated 100 years to the day since it was consecrated by unveiling a new £68,000 ceiling.

All Saints Church in Headington celebrated the centenary of the church’s dedication on Saturday with a special service.

Among the dignitaries who attended was Bishop of Oxford, the Right Rev John Pritchard, who dedicated the new ceiling above the chancel to leave a lasting legacy for future congregations.

Visitors from as far afield as Kent, Dorset and Hertfordshire gathered for the event at the Church of England church, in Lime Walk.

Catherine Hodgkinson, of Demesne Furze, Headington, has been worshipping at the church for six years.

She said: “It’s a lovely church and it gives one space to think about the real values of one’s life and it brings you into contact with the local community.”

The Rev James Cocke, who has been vicar there since 1957, said the church had undergone many changes since the first stone was laid on July 31, 1909.

The nave of the church was consecrated on May 29, 1910, by the then Bishop of Oxford, Francis Paget.

He said: “We built a house for the staff, which has sometimes been used by the clergy, assistant clergy and organist, and we knocked down the old church hall in New High Street and replaced it with All Saints church-house, which was opened by Princess Margaret in 1967.”

In addition, he said the church had acquired a new organ, from the church of St Philip and St James in Oxford, and to mark the Millennium, a west window was installed, costing £25,000.

The new ceiling was designed by local architect Simon Shew, of the firm Gray, Baynes and Shew.

The Rev Cocke, who has been in the post for 53 years, said: “We’ve now put in a new ceiling in the chancel and it has improved the acoustics enormously.

“It’s far from being drab now.

“It consists of green and red panels. Behind the east window there is a big lime tree and at this time of year you can see it through the window and the glass appears green.

“The green panels reflect the green of the lime tree. The other panels are a rusty red colour, the same tone as the red brick of the church.”

He added: “The church means different things to different people.

For some people it’s a place of worship, for other’s it’s there for baptisms, weddings and funerals.”

eallen@oxfordmail.co.uk