Heritage Project

Volunteer Heritage Guides Wanted!

St Mary & St John Church is looking for friendly volunteers to welcome visitors and
share the story of our beautiful historic church.
No experience needed – full training provided.
Flexible commitment.
Join us in bringing our heritage to life!
Contact: vicar@cowleystjohn.co.uk

Expression of Interest – Design Team Leader, Architect and Principal Designer Appointment (RIBA Stage 4 onwards)

St Mary & St John Church, Cowley Road, Oxford (Grade II listed), invites expressions of interest from suitably qualified and experienced conservation accredited to act as design team leader, architect and principal designer for an exciting project to repair and reorder a listed church building. The project is being supported by the National Heritage Lottery Fund.

The project includes essential tower fabric repairs, the creation of new accessible facilities, a new kitchen and servery, and internal reordering to support worship, heritage, and community use. Detailed design work has been done to date on the project and statutory approvals are in place for the proposed works under Faculty.

The appointed Architects will act as Lead Consultant to a Design Team including a Quantity Surveyor, Services and Structural Engineer, it is intended they will also act as the Principal Designer in accordance with CDM legislation. Conservation Accreditation and a strong understanding of stakeholder engagement, working with listed places of worship and compliance with Faculty Jurisdiction and National Lottery Heritage Fund requirements is essential.

Expressions of interest to tender are sought only from architects with conservation  accreditation and demonstrable and evidenced experience of listed buildings, within ecclesiastical or heritage contexts.

A formal tender process will follow receipt of Expressions of Interest, tenders received will be appraised on Quality and Cost.

Deadline: 24th May 2026
Submit expressions of interest to: vicar@cowleystjohn.co.uk

——————————–

Heritage Project: A Parish Invitation
Dear Friends, although our Heritage Project focuses on St Mary & St John’s (our Grade II listed building), it is a project for the whole Parish of Cowley St John.
Everyone is warmly invited to take part—whether you are part of SSMJ, St Alban’s, or not currently connected with our churches at all. There will be many
opportunities to volunteer, and we would love you to join in.
We are grateful to have received this grant (we can now complete all the capital tower repairs, disabled loo, new kitchen and servery etc), and it marks an exciting moment for our parish and wider community. As we begin this work, we do so not with anxiety or pressure, but with trust in God’s grace. “He who calls us is faithful.” We continue prayerfully, walking together with the Lord. The excitement has just begun!

Please join me in praying the following collect (taken from Common Worship) regularly for our life together at Cowley St John:
Holy Spirit, sent by the Father,
ignite in us your holy fire;
strengthen your children with the gift of faith,
revive your Church with the breath of love,
and renew the face of the earth;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.