OXFORD LIFE

St Michael's Hall

CMRS is located in St Michael’s Hall within three hundred yards of Carfax. Recent excavations opposite the Hall in Shoe Lane support a tenth-century date for the layout of the streets and lanes adjacent to the building.

The present building, built in the years between 1869 and 1875, was acquired in 1978 by Dr John Feneley, the Principal of CMRS, who planned its transformation into a residential and teaching institute. It underwent a second total refurbishment in 1992, and additional facilities have been added each year since then. The Hall is a tall rectangular building in red brick with large arched windows. From an arcade, the entrance leads upstairs to five floors on which are located the various activities of CMRS.

St Michael’s Hall contains the following facilities: a lecture hall; seminar and tutorial rooms; Library; rare book room; computer room; studio for sculpture and stained glass; accommodation for 40 students; Common Room with television and video; a fully-equipped student kitchen and dining room.

Room

A variety of accommodation is available to students: forty live in shared rooms in St Michael’s Hall and others reside in student lodgings or private homes within a mile or two of central Oxford. A Junior Dean is responsible at night for student welfare in St Michael’s Hall. All properties are carefully inspected, and considerable care is taken to ensure that they are well-equipped, comfortable and well-located in relation to CMRS and St Peter’s College.

Students are provided with a bed, bedding and linen, wardrobe, chest, desk or table, desk lamp and chair. They must supply their own towels, toiletries, and any other furnishings. Bed linen is laundered by CMRS or the landlord, but students are responsible for laundering their own clothes. St Michael’s Hall has modern laundry facilities.

St Michael’s Hall is closed outside the semesters. Students may not move into their rooms before the advertised start of the semester or stay overnight after its end. Those wishing to stay in Oxford outside the semesters - including during the Christmas vacation - are responsible for obtaining their own accommodation at their own expense. CMRS will be pleased to advise on what is available.

Board

CMRS students may eat at St Peter’s College throughout each semester. Breakfast, lunch and dinner (brunch on Sundays) are served in the College’s Hall. During the four weeks of each semester outside University term, meals will only be available from Monday to Friday.  Food at St Peter’s is excellent value for money, costing far less than comparable food in a restaurant or pub, and is one of the major financial benefits enjoyed by CMRS students. The cost of board is included in fees.

Kitchen, Dining and Common Rooms

Although board is provided at St Peter’s College, there is a fitted kitchen and dining room in St Michael’s Hall where CMRS students may prepare their own meals. It is equipped with standard and microwave ovens, ceramic hobs, and refrigerators. Adjacent to the kitchen and dining room, a Common Room provides television, video and leisure reading. The Common Room is a major social centre for CMRS students. A President and Committee are elected each term by the student body to arrange social events and activities such as the Thanksgiving Day dinner.