St. Mary Redcliffe Church, Bristol
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. 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. However, most parts are the work of 15th century masons. The strong vertical lines of the gothic church direct the eye upwards giving the impression of great space and height.
Much of the medieval church decoration was lost during the Reformation and the English Civil War, and little of the original stained glass remains. Most of the higher portions went untouched, but others were severely damaged. In some cases the windows were impossible to repair, and clear glass was eventually introduced to replace the missing scenes.
In the times of Queen Anne, the interior of St. Mary Redcliffe was decorated in the flamboyant 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.
The Victorian stained glass windows were created by some of the finest studios of that 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.
The American Chapel (St. John's Chapel) houses the tomb and armor of Admiral Sir William Penn, father of Pennsylvania's founder.
Quick Facts
| Names: | Church of St Mary Redcliffe |
| Type of site: | Parish church |
| Faith: | Anglican (originally Roman Catholic) |
| Status: | Active |
| Dates: | 12th and 15th centuries |
| Architecture: | Gothic with some Norman |
| Location: | 12 Colston Parade, Bristol, England BS1 6SP |
| Phone: | 01179/291 487 |
| Website: | http://www.stmaryredcliffe.co.uk/ |
| Hours: | Winter 9am-5:30pm; Summer 8am-8pm |
| Cost: | Free admission. Donations are welcome. |
Location Map
Below is a location map and aerial view of St Mary Redcliffe in Bristol. Using the buttons on the left, zoom in for a closer look or zoom out to get your bearings. Click and drag the map to move around. For a larger view, see our Bristol Map or get our free Google Earth download.
Sources
- St. Mary Redcliffe, Bristol - official site
- St. Mary Redcliffe Church - Frommer's Attraction Review
- St. Mary Redcliffe - About Bristol
- St. Mary Redcliffe Church - WCities
