University Church of St Mary the Virgin

The spire of the University Church of St Mary the Virgin tapers into a cluster of ornate pinnacles and statues that stand out against the Oxford skyline. This building served as the original home for the university, hosting meetings and graduations long before dedicated colleges existed. In fifteen fifty-six, the church hosted the trial of Thomas Cranmer, the Archbishop of Canterbury. He stood in the nave, famously recanted his earlier denunciation of the Protestant faith, and ran from here to his execution.