Church of St John the Baptist, Bristol
Encyclopedia
The Church of St John the Baptist, Bristol is a former
Church of England
parish church
at the lower end of Broad Street
Bristol
, England.
, which was dedicated to the Holy Cross
. A conduit has supplied water from Brandon Hill
since 1374, and the course of the pipe is marked in places by small plaques set into the pavements.
as a pseudonym under which to write his forgeries of medieval poetry.
On the south side of the gate, there are statues of the legendary founders of Bristol, Brennus
and Belinus
, facing up Broad Street; it is possible that they are actually older than the fabric of the gate.
The interiors of the two arches either side of the main gateway are now covered in commissioned graffiti
murals.
The churchyard
of St John's survives; it is in St John's Street, and is visible from Broad Street, at the end of Tailors' Court.
as a grade I listed building.
The building is now a redundant church
in the care of the Churches Conservation Trust
. It was declared redundant on 1 April 1984, and was vested
in the Trust on 25 June 1985.
in 1940 the congregation of this historically evangelical, Protestant and Calvinist church, and their rector, William Dodgson-Sykes, moved to St John on the Wall Church, where the congregation remained, in gradually declining numbers, until the building was closed for worship by the Church Commissioners
in 1984 (after a protracted struggle by the congregation). The remaining congregation then moved to the Chapel of Foster's Almshouses
, and joined the Church of England (Continuing)
in 1995. The C of E (Continuing) no longer lists a congregation in Bristol - some of the congregation joined with the new Free Presbyterian Church
(Ulster) congregation in Horfield
, Bristol.
Redundant church
A redundant church is a church building that is no longer required for regular public worship. The phrase is particularly used to refer to former Anglican buildings in the United Kingdom, but may refer to any disused church building around the world...
Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
parish church
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
at the lower end of Broad Street
Broad Street, Bristol
Broad Street, along with High Street, Wine Street and Corn Street, is one of the four original streets that have made up the city of Bristol since Saxon times, when it was the burgh of Brycgstow....
Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
, England.
Design and construction
The church was built in the 14th century (and heavily modified in the 19th century) with the tower and steeple over St John's Gate, the last remaining city gateway. The church is very narrow as it is built into and alongside the city walls. Consequently it is also known as St John's on the Wall. Beneath the church is a vaulted cryptCrypt
In architecture, a crypt is a stone chamber or vault beneath the floor of a burial vault possibly containing sarcophagi, coffins or relics....
, which was dedicated to the Holy Cross
Christian cross
The Christian cross, seen as a representation of the instrument of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, is the best-known religious symbol of Christianity...
. A conduit has supplied water from Brandon Hill
Brandon Hill, Bristol
Brandon Hill, also known as St Brandon's Hill, is a hill close to Bristol city centre, between the districts of Clifton and Hotwells, in south west England....
since 1374, and the course of the pipe is marked in places by small plaques set into the pavements.
Monuments and artwork
Among the monuments in the church are those of Walter Frampton (died 1357), thrice Mayor of Bristol and a great benefactor of the church, and a brass commemorating Thomas Rowley (died c. 1478), whose name was used by the 18th century poet Thomas ChattertonThomas Chatterton
Thomas Chatterton was an English poet and forger of pseudo-medieval poetry. He died of arsenic poisoning, either from a suicide attempt or self-medication for a venereal disease.-Childhood:...
as a pseudonym under which to write his forgeries of medieval poetry.
On the south side of the gate, there are statues of the legendary founders of Bristol, Brennus
Brennus
Brennus is the name of two Gaulish chieftains famous in ancient history:* Brennus , chieftain of the Senones, a Gallic tribe originating from the modern areas of France known as Seine-et-Marne, Loiret, and Yonne; in 387 BC, in the Battle of the Allia, he led an army of Cisalpine Gauls in their...
and Belinus
Belinus
Belinus the Great was a legendary king of the Britons, as recounted by Geoffrey of Monmouth. He was the son of Dunvallo Molmutius and brother of Brennius. He was probably named after the ancient god Belenus.- Earning the crown :...
, facing up Broad Street; it is possible that they are actually older than the fabric of the gate.
The interiors of the two arches either side of the main gateway are now covered in commissioned graffiti
Graffiti
Graffiti is the name for images or lettering scratched, scrawled, painted or marked in any manner on property....
murals.
The churchyard
Churchyard
A churchyard is a patch of land adjoining or surrounding a church which is usually owned by the relevant church or local parish itself. In the Scots language or Northern English language this can also be known as a kirkyard or kirkyaird....
of St John's survives; it is in St John's Street, and is visible from Broad Street, at the end of Tailors' Court.
Current usage
St. John's on the Wall has been designated by English HeritageEnglish Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
as a grade I listed building.
The building is now a redundant church
Redundant church
A redundant church is a church building that is no longer required for regular public worship. The phrase is particularly used to refer to former Anglican buildings in the United Kingdom, but may refer to any disused church building around the world...
in the care of the Churches Conservation Trust
Churches Conservation Trust
The Churches Conservation Trust, which was initially known as the Redundant Churches Fund, is a charity whose purpose is to protect historic churches at risk, those that have been made redundant by the Church of England. The Trust was established by the Pastoral Measure of 1968...
. It was declared redundant on 1 April 1984, and was vested
Vesting
In law, vesting is to give an immediately secured right of present or future enjoyment. One has a vested right to an asset that cannot be taken away by any third party, even though one may not yet possess the asset. When the right, interest or title to the present or future possession of a legal...
in the Trust on 25 June 1985.
Congregation
After the bombing of St Mary le Port ChurchSt Mary le Port Church, Bristol
St Mary le Port is a ruined parish church in the centre of Bristol, England. It is said to have been founded in Saxon times, and rebuilt and enlarged between the 11th and 16th centuries....
in 1940 the congregation of this historically evangelical, Protestant and Calvinist church, and their rector, William Dodgson-Sykes, moved to St John on the Wall Church, where the congregation remained, in gradually declining numbers, until the building was closed for worship by the Church Commissioners
Church Commissioners
The Church Commissioners is a body managing the historic property assets of the Church of England. It was set up in 1948 combining the assets of Queen Anne's Bounty, a fund dating from 1704 for the relief of poor clergy, and of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners formed in 1836...
in 1984 (after a protracted struggle by the congregation). The remaining congregation then moved to the Chapel of Foster's Almshouses
Chapel of the Three Kings of Cologne
The Chapel of the Three Kings of Cologne is a church in Colston Street, near the top of Christmas Steps, Bristol, England.The chapel was built in 1504 and refaced and roofed in 1861 by Foster and Wood, with further restoration in 1865...
, and joined the Church of England (Continuing)
Church of England (Continuing)
The Church of England is part of the Continuing Anglican Movement. It was founded in England on 10 February 1994 at a meeting chaired by Dr. David N. Samuel held at St. Mary's, Castle Street, Reading, in reaction to the use of Common Worship and to the ordination of women...
in 1995. The C of E (Continuing) no longer lists a congregation in Bristol - some of the congregation joined with the new Free Presbyterian Church
Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster
The Free Presbyterian Church is a Presbyterian denomination founded by the Rev. Ian Paisley in 1951. Most of its members live in Northern Ireland...
(Ulster) congregation in Horfield
Horfield
Horfield is a suburb of the city of Bristol, in southwest England. It lies on Bristol's northern edge, its border with Filton marking part of the boundary between Bristol and South Gloucestershire. Bishopston lies directly to the south. Monks Park and Golden Hill are to the west. Lockleaze and...
, Bristol.
See also
- Churches in BristolChurches in BristolThe English city of Bristol has a number of churches.The churches listed are Anglican except when otherwise noted.- External links :*...
- Grade I listed buildings in BristolGrade I listed buildings in BristolThere are 100 Grade I listed buildings in Bristol, England according to Bristol City Council. The register includes many structures which for convenience are grouped together in the list below....
- List of churches preserved by the Churches Conservation Trust in South West England