Welcome

East Oxford started to become a suburb of Oxford City in the mid-nineteenth century when the area was being developed by a number of new landowners. Previously the area had been orchards and fields. People were moving to live in cities as generally more opportunities for work existed in urban, rather than rural, areas. Father Benson had been appointed as the vicar of St James in Cowley in 1850 and his parish included the developing east Oxford area (some early residents from east Oxford were buried in Cowley St James churchyard). Father Benson saw the need to develop services for this increasing local population and eventually moved to live on the Iffley Road. One of his first projects was to establish the "Iron Church" in Stockmore Street in October 1859. Ten years later in 1869 he became the first vicar of the newly established Cowley St John parish.

Ss Mary & John Churchyard was consecrated on the 1st October 1878 by the Lord Bishop of the Diocese. His address is described in the parish magazine published later in the month. The following extract refers to the problems of burial space, and to the hopes vested in the churchyard that it would become a special place for local people - a place of thankfulness and remembrance.