With the demolition of the Milham Ford building in 2018 to make way for our new buildings, a temporary Chapel has been established in South 45. Eventually, there will be a new College Chapel located in the new Boundary Building. Until then, we will continue to hold regular events in our temporary Chapel each term. Find out more about religious life at St Hilda's today.
Our former College Chapel in Milham Ford first came in to use in Michaelmas Term 1969. A non-conformist communion service was arranged in February 1971 and a Roman Catholic Mass in May 1977, each subsequently becoming a regular event.
St Hilda's Hall's prospectus stated that the Hall was 'conducted according to the principles of the Church of England, with liberty for the members of other religious denominations'.
When Cowley House became St Hilda's Hall in 1893, the billiard room on the top floor was fitted out as a Chapel. One student remembered it as 'barrack-like', although 'slightly redeemed by view from the window'. She recalled endeavours by the students 'to infuse spirit and devotion'. Like much of the rest of St Hilda's at this time, the Chapel had been equipped as cheaply as possible and surviving hymn books suggest that they were often acquired second hand, possibly from Cheltenham Ladies' College. School Hymns was one of the books used, perhaps not surprisingly as the Preface was written by Dorothea Beale. A surviving copy shows that one young lady, at least, did not have her mind on spiritual matters and used her hymn book as a convenient means for communication with her neighbour. A pencilled message reads 'I am going to play tennis this afternoon with Miss Poole!!'.
When the new pre-fabricated Chapel was dedicated on Saturday 31st October 1925 the Chairman of the Council commented that those who had been in the old Chapel recently 'would remember that it was so crowded that those who were present regarded those who had stayed away with feelings of gratitude. That year the Principal recorded that the new Chapel was 'already making an untold difference to us, and the students feel it to be a great boon'. Six years later, in March 1932, a booklet of hymns for use in the Chapel was produced. It contained twenty one hymns (three in Latin); barely a quarter of them would be known to today's congregations.