Oxford inogona kunge iri nzvimbo yakanaka kune vashanyi vanoshanya England, sezvo iri 'guta reroto spiers' ingori ipfupi chitima kana mota kukwira kubva kuLondon. Izvo zvinofanirwa kucherechedzwa kuti Oxford inozivikanwa nekuve neyunivhesiti yekare kwazvo munyika inotaura Chirungu.
Nhasi zvinenge zvisingaite kufunga nezveOxford pasina mayunivhesiti mazhinji ane nzvimbo, asi kutanga kwedzidzo netsika nemagariro zvinodzokera kunguva yeSaxon.
Ivo vanojekesa, nenzira, nhoroondo ye University of Oxford uye iyo University yeChechi yeSanta María de La Virgen iyo yakabatana kubvira pakatangira iyi imba yezvidzidzo. Pamusoro pekushanda senzvimbo yekunamatira, Santa Maria la Virgen yaive nzvimbo yemisangano yekutanga yeyunivhesiti, imba yemusangano, uye raibhurari.
Uye sezvo vadzidzisi nevadzidzi vakawanda vakapinda musangano, yunivhesiti yakapfuura chivakwa chechechi saka dzimba nyowani uye zvikoro zvakavakwa zvakapoteredza Santa Maria la Virgen Church. Chikamu chekare chechechi yazvino ndiyo shongwe, iyo yakavakwa muna 1280, uye shongwe yaro yakashongedzwa yakawedzerwa pakati pa1315 na1325. Nenzira, vashanyi vanokwira shongwe vanowana maonero anoshamisa eOxford.
Nhoroondo inorondedzera kuti St Mary weVirgin Church yaive nzvimbo yekutongwa kwevatatu vakakurumbira vePurotesitendi vafundisi vanozivikanwa seOxford Martyrs - Bhishopi Hugh Latimer, Bhishopi Nicholas Ridley, uye Archbishop Thomas Cranmer. Akapomerwa kupanduka, Latimer naRidley vakapiswa muna Gumiguru 1555; Cranmer akasangana nerufu iye munaKurume 1556. Muchinjikwa mumugwagwa padyo neBalliol College unoratidzira kwavakafira.
Imwe nhoroondo yezvakaitika ndeyekuti John Henry Newman akave gavhuna weSanta Maria Mhandara muna 1828 uko mharidzo dzake dzaive neshevedzano. Newman akapinda muOxford Movement, boka rakaedza kudzorera Chechi yeAnglican kune dzidziso dzechitendero. Newman akatendeukira kuKaturike muna 1845 uye akazova cardinal muna 1879.