Oxford SS. Philip and James (popularly known as "Phil and Jim" for short) is situated in north Oxford, between St. Giles and Summertown, on the east side of Woodstock Road, to the south of
Canterbury Road. It came into existence when, in the 1850s, it was felt that a new parish was needed in north Oxford midway between Oxford St. Giles and Summertown to cater for the increased
population of this area. Land for the purpose was given by St. John's College, and work on the church itself began in 1860, The new church was consecrated in 1862, but building work was not complete until 1866. The architect was G.E. Street. The new parish officially came into existance on 24 March 1863.
The size of the parish was reduced, first in 1896, with the creation of the parish of Oxford St. Margaret (which had been intended to serve only as a chapel of ease to SS. Philip and James), and
then in 1905 with the creation of the parih of Oxford St. Andrew. In 1976, however, SS. Philip and James was united Margaret and SS. Philip and James, this was decided to close the church of SS.
Philip and James. The church itself is now the Oxford Centre for Mission Studies. As for the parish of St. Margaret and SS. Philip and James, this was united with Oxford St. Giles in 1985.
Most of the records of SS. Philip and James were originally deposited with the Bodleian Library in 1981/2; however, some additional records were deposited directly with Oxfordshire Archives in
1985 as Accession Number 2382. Appendix I lists the contents of each deposit; Appendix II provides a concordance of old and new references.
Catalogued by Robin Darwall-Smith in December 1997.