St Andrew's Dean Court
Oxford
Our story in brief
1950s Pinnocks Way Council estate built.
1956 Local churches started services in the Social Club.
About 100 children attended the Sunday school.
1958 Fund-raising started for a church building in Dean Court.
1961 Wooden panels erected on concrete base. Local residents
gave voluntary help to finish it.
New church dedicated on Saturday 9 December by Bishop of
Reading (E.H. Knell). First service held on Sunday
10 December 1961.
1980s Wooden youth hut put up.
Games court built behind the church.
2005 Hut burned down.
2007 New St Andrew’s Centre (STAC) opened to replace
youth hut.
2012 Games court totally refurbished with community grants
and reopened for all to use.
2014 Cracked roof beams in church repaired.
Building declared ‘past its use-by date’.
2018 Planning permission granted for a new church.
2021 Modified plans submitted and planning permission
received: rebuilding started in November. Last service in
old building on 7 November at 10am, followed by
tea/coffee and cake for all.
Services transferred to Dean Court Community Centre -
where they started in 1956 (though the Centre is a new
one).
2022 Rebuilding continued by APH Construction Ltd.
Official re-opening: 10 September 2022 by the Bishop of
Dorchester (Gavin Collins). Celebration Service on 11
September; preacher Sophie Jelley, Bishop of Doncaster
and former resident.
How we were: St Andrew's and its choir in 1961. Centre: Rev. Ken Cooper (Vicar), Gladys Holifield, Michael Harris (Lay Reader) .
Left: the original church building.