The Church of St. Cross, Holywell

During my recent trip to Oxford I visited a number of graves. One of the church yards I visited was that of the Church of St. Cross, Holywell, pictured above. Walter Hooper writes of this church in C. S. Lewis: Companion & Guide, p. 781,

Many of Lewis's friends and acquaintances lie in the cemetery adjacent to this ancient church in St Cross Road, Oxford. The earliest parts of the church date from the late 11th or early 12th century, but most of what is seen was added during the 14th-16th centuries. Charles Williams went to services here during his years in Oxford, and Dorothy L. Sayers chose it for the 'marriage' of Lord Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane in Busman's Honeymoon. The cemetery contains the graves of many notable people, among whom are : Stella Aldwinckle; Sir Maurice Bowra (1898-1971), Warden of Wadham College; H.V.D. 'Hugo' Dyson; Austin Farrer; Katherine Farrer; Kenneth Grahame (1859-1932), author of The Wind in the Willows; Lord Redcliffe-Maud (1906-82), Master of University College and Founder of UNESCO; Kenneth Tynan; Charles Williams.

Aldwinkle was the founder of The Socratic Club and Bowra is one of the famous Oxford men of the 20th century, mentioned, among other places, in Sheldon Vanauken's A Severe Mercy. Kenneth Tynan was, according to C. S. Lewis, one of his most brilliant students. Hugo Dyson was a member of the Inklings who, along with J. R. R. Tolkien, was responsible for leading C. S. Lewis back to faith in Jesus Christ. Here is his grave:

Austin Farrer was a philosopher and theologian who authored a number of books, among them: Finite and Infinite, Freedom of the Will, The Glass of Vision, Lord, I Believe, as well as commentaries on St Matthew and St Mark and The Revelation of St John the Divine. Farrer was a brilliant scholar and humble priest who often presented papers to the Socratic Club. Through this club Farrer and Lewis became friends. (I have suggested in Mere Theology: A Guide to the Thought of C. S. Lewis how Farrer may have had a profound influence upon Lewis's developing theology in Lewis's later years.)

Farrer took a double first in Classics as a student of Balliol College, Oxford. He was ordained as an Anglican priest in 1929. Farrer was catholic in doctrine and high church in style. He served as Chaplain and Tutor of St Edmund Hall from 1931-1935, Fellow and Chaplain of Trinity College from 1935-1960 and Warden of Keble College from 1960 until his death in 1968.

Austin and his wife Katharine (a writer of detective novels) were among the first of Lewis's friends to welcome Joy Gresham into their Oxford circle of friends. Austin was a witness to Jack and Joy's register office marriage and he presided at both Joy's and Jack's funeral. Lewis dedicated Reflections on the Psalms to the Farrers. Here is their grave:

Charles Williams is, of course, well-known as a member of The Inklings and as an author of both theological books and what Lewis called "supernatural thrillers" such as The Place of the Lion, Many Dimensions, The Greater Trumps and All Hallow's Eve. Here is his grave:

Comments

Sørina Higgins said…

Thank you for these photos and this report. Did you see my thoughts on visiting CW's grave?

10:55 AM

Will Vaus said…

No, I didn't see your thoughts on CW's grave. I shall have to check out your blog again. I hope you saw my comments about the Trinity and The Great Dance.

Blessings,
Will

4:50 PM

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