BATHING Oxford's oldest building in light in a scheme to transform the city at night has been praised.

At the flick of a switch on Sunday, St Michael at the Northgate, in Cornmarket, became the first building to be illuminated in an ambitious plan to create "a cross of light" across Oxford.

Ian Laing, whose term as High Sheriff of Oxfordshire recently ended, is funding the scheme to introduce architectural lighting at historic buildings in the city centre.

He led the switch-on celebrations on Sunday attended by the Lord Lieutenant of Oxfordshire, Hugo Brunner, and the Archdeacon of Oxford, the Venerable Julian Hubbard.

The tower of St Michael at Northgate was built just before the Norman Conquest.

Supporters of the plan hope it will see Oxford following cities such as Edinburgh and Bath in using lighting to enhance its most famous buildings after nightfall.

Similar lighting is shortly to be introduced at Mary Magdalen Church in Magdalen Street; Exeter College Chapel, Turl Street; and the Wesley Memorial Chapel.

The Rev Hugh Lee, Priest in charge at St Michael at the Northgate, said: "It looks absolutely marvellous.

"The lighting highlights the tower's architectural features. It does not throw light into the sky and certainly does not add to lighting pollution."

The church was so pleased with Mr Laing's offer to light up the ancient tower that it has itself paid £2,000 for lighting on the southern side of the church, on Ship Street.

It is hoped the four buildings will be only a beginning, with the 13th-century Carfax Tower following in the second wave of buildings.

Mr Laing decided to intervene in the hope that the results would encourage colleges, churches and others to follow.

He said that the lighting would greatly increase the pleasure of being in Oxford in the evening.

Mr Laing said that he had always been impressed by the care taken by even small towns across Europe to light up their buildings to create atmosphere.

After a short service of dedication, in which Father Richard Duffield of the Catholic St Aloysius church took part, about 100 people gathered in Cornmarket to witness the switch-on.

Maureen Christian, city council cabinet member for tourism and culture, who has been pressing for the introduction of architectural lighting over five years, said the lighting would make the city centre seem a safer, as well as a more attractive, place.

She thanked the formerHigh Sheriff for putting money into the scheme. Mr Laing declined to reveal the size of his donation.

Talks are already under way between the city council and Oxford University about lighting Radcliffe Square.

Some of the medieval university buildings on High Street are also viewed as future candidates for architectural lighting.

Three years ago, Mrs Christian persuaded a number of colleges to contribute to a report by specialists Equation Lighting Design, which found that the lighting of a few key buildings could improve the atmosphere of the whole city centre.

The report said such buildings as Martyrs' Memorial, Trinity Tower, Balliol College and the Lincoln College library could serve as impressive "city markers at night".