St Mary Redcliffe, Bristol
Aerial view of St Mary Redcliffe in Bristol. Image © Google Earth.
Spire of St Mary Redcliffe from Cabot Tower. Photo
Joe Dunckley.
Photo
Matt Redmond.
Side view of St Mary Redcliffe. Photo
Florian Knorn.
Cathedral-like nave and vault. Photo
Simon.
A better look at the beautiful vault. Photo
Synwell Liberation Front.
Location map and aerial view of St Mary Redcliffe. For a larger interactive view, see our Bristol Map.
St. Mary Redcliffe is an Anglican parish church in Bristol. The church is the second-largest parish church in England and the tallest building in Bristol. It is so grand that visitors often mistake it for Bristol Cathedral.
"The fairest, goodliest and most famous parish church in England."
-- Queen Elizabeth I, visiting in 1574
"The pride of Bristol and the western land."
-- Thomas Chatterton, poet
"One of the finest examples of Gothic architecture in England."
-- Frommer's England
History
Some parts of the church date back to the beginning of the 12th century, but most of St. Mary Redcliffe is the work of 15th-century masons.
In the time of Queen Anne, the interior of St. Mary Redcliffe was redecorated in the Baroque style. A great altarpiece by William Hogarth was commissioned to fill the east end of the chancel. The Churchwardens paid him £525 for his paintings of the Ascension flanked by The Sealing of the Sepulchre and the Three Marys at the Tomb.
In the Victorian era, stained glass windows were created by some of the finest studios of the period. In 1872 the spire was rebuilt to a height of 292 feet (90 metres).
During World War II a bomb exploded in a nearby street, throwing a rail from the tramway over the houses and into the churchyard of St Mary Redcliffe, where one end became embedded in the ground, with the other end protruding at an angle. The rail is left there as a monument.
What to See
The floor plan of St. Mary Redcliffe is a long, slender Latin cross. The walls consist almost entirely of large stained glass windows, filling the interior with light. The nave is roofed with a beautiful lierne vault with gilded ribs and roof bosses.
Sadly, most of the medieval furnishings and stained glass were lost during the Reformation and Civil War. Some of the higher portions of the windows survived, but the rest has mostly been replaced with clear glass.
The American Chapel (St. John's Chapel) houses the tomb and armor of Admiral Sir William Penn, father of Pennsylvania's founder.
Quick Facts
Site Information |
| Names: | St Mary Redcliffe |
| Dedicated to: | Virgin Mary |
| Location: | Bristol, England |
| Category: | Churches |
| Faith: | Christianity |
| Denomination: | Original/Primary: Catholic Current/Secondary: Anglican |
| Status: | active |
| Date: | 12th century, 15th century |
| Architecture: | Gothic |
Visitor Information |
| Coordinates: | 51.448297° N, 2.589523° W (view on Google Maps) |
| Address: | 12 Colston Parade, Bristol, BS1 6SP |
| Phone: | 01179/291 487 |
| Website: | http://www.stmaryredcliffe.co.uk/ |
| Hours: | Winter 9am-5:30pm Summer 8am-8pm |
| Cost: | Free |
Travel Resources
- Bristol Map - our detailed interactive map of Bristol, plus hand-picked links to more
- Bristol Hotels - check availability, maps, photos and reviews, then book at the guaranteed lowest rate
- Bristol Car Rentals - get the lowest rate by comparing multiple car companies at a glance
- Bristol Flight Search - compare multiple travel sites to find the lowest airfare to Bristol
- Bristol Restaurant Reviews - the best places to eat in town
- Bristol Travel Forum - tips, answers and advice on Bristol tourism
Article Sources
Article written by Holly Hayes with reference to the following sources:
- St. Mary Redcliffe, Bristol - official website
- St. Mary Redcliffe Church - Frommer's England
- St. Mary Redcliffe - About Bristol
- St. Mary Redcliffe Church - WCities
Article last updated: 11/15/2009.
