▁founded ▁the ▁Community ▁of ▁St ▁Thomas ▁Mart yr , ▁which ▁was ▁devoted ▁to ▁the ▁assistance ▁of ▁the ▁poor ▁of ▁the ▁parish , ▁by ▁now ▁heavily ▁sl um land ; ▁this ▁sister hood ▁remained ▁active ▁until ▁ 1 9 5 8 . ▁The ▁convent ▁buildings ▁for ▁it ▁were ▁built ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 6 , ▁but ▁have ▁since ▁been ▁demol ished . ▁In ▁ 1 8 4 6 ▁the ▁north ▁a is le ▁and ▁vest ry ▁were ▁demol ished ▁and ▁a ▁new ▁a is le ▁of ▁five ▁b ays ▁with ▁a ▁vest ry ▁at ▁its ▁west ▁end ▁was ▁built ▁in ▁its ▁place . ▁The ▁blocked ▁tower ▁arch ▁and ▁two ▁blocked ▁windows ▁in ▁the ▁ch an cel ▁were ▁opened ▁and ▁a ▁new ▁ch an cel ▁arch ▁was ▁built . ▁ ▁The ▁vic ar ▁from ▁ 1 8 9 6 ▁to ▁ 1 9 0 8 ▁was ▁T . H . ▁Bir ley , ▁later ▁Bishop ▁of ▁Z anz ib ar . ▁In ▁ 1 8 9 7 ▁the ▁building ▁was ▁again ▁re - ro of ed ▁and ▁a ▁vest ry ▁built ▁against ▁the ▁north ▁wall ▁of ▁the ▁tower . ▁St ▁Thomas ' ▁was ▁declared ▁an ▁ancient ▁parish ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 8 . ▁ ▁Pres ent ▁day ▁In ▁September ▁ 2 0 1 5 ▁the ▁parish ▁was ▁un ited ▁with ▁the ▁neighbour ing ▁parish ▁of ▁St ▁Bar nab as , ▁Oxford , ▁to ▁form ▁the ▁new ▁parish ▁of ▁St ▁Bar nab as ▁and ▁St ▁Paul , ▁with ▁St ▁Thomas ▁the ▁Mart yr ,