St Mary Redcliffe Church — Attraction in Bristol

The Church of St Mary Redcliffe in Bristol is a large, perpendicular Gothic structure built from the 12th to the 15th century. It is one of the largest parish churches in Britain. The first church on the site was Saxon. Like the Dome of Home in New Brighton near Liverpool, the red cliffs of the River Avon were a welcome sight to the medieval sailors. They would pray at St Mary's before and after voyages. Many wealthy medieval merchants helped fund the church's construction and their memorials and tombs can be found within, particularly William Canynges. On 1446, the spire was struck by lighting and fell, not to be replaced until 1872. Almost all the medieval stained glass was destroyed in the Reformation and was replaced in the Victorian era. There is some more modern glass in the lady chapel. The organ is by Harrison and Harrison, dating from 1911. The instrument has 4300 pipes. Many of the larger pipes were reused from earlier organs and can be seen easily around the chancel. The church escaped damage during the Bristol Blitz. A bomb, exploding nearby, threw a length of tram rail over several houses before embedding it into the church yard. It has been left as a memorial. In the South transept is the Chaotic Pendulum. A play on the usual predictability of a pendulum, the Chaotic Pendulum is a unique design. Water flows continuously into the middle of the crossbeam causing unpredictable oscillations and a mesmerising effect. Whilst intended to highlight the beauty of the world, it is also very...

Although I have visited deliberately once before, I was surprised to run into this via the back door, after a wander through the less-trendy parts of the city centre, to kill time between meetings.

The back part has a churchyard with grassy areas, raised on the hillside. The interior of the church is noticeably warmer in Winter, and this is one of the reasons I stayed for a while.

I'm quite interested in "monumental architecture", so I took one of the laminated walk leaflets (available in a multitude of languages, from a stand between the front & back doors), and took my time going round.

The building is more extensive than it looks, with what is effectively a separate building in the middle, surrounded by two "ambulatories". There are lots of explanatory notices, and various exhibits including models & plans of the building, effectively doubling it as a museum of sorts.

There was also a mini-exhibtion devotes to Thomas Chatterton as a prolific local poet and "early abolitionist", which is absolute nonsense in the 18th century, where there was no alternative to slavery. (Very similar to the 21st century, where the majority had no alternative to employment, and it was even considered moral at the time - bizarre.) Tragically, Chatterton died aged only 17.

Some people setting up some sort of installation, told me the church will be taking part in the Bristol Light Festival 2023, so that'll be worth...

ST MARY REDCLIFFE, BRISTOL.

This large church is often called the city's second cathedral, and though it immediately appears high Victorian gothic, its origins lie in the 14th century.

The north porch is famed for its sculptures, 19th century on the outside and ancient within, including many showing a range of strange beasts, and it also has a 15th century roof.

It was in a room above this roof that the story of Thomas Chatterton, the legendary but well-meaning forger, began when he found a chest full of antique manuscripts and decided to create some of his own, including new examples of Shakespeare.

The church is full of memorials of all kinds, from simple slabs bearing tools of the deceased's trade to elaborate tombs with painted effigies.

It is clear that Elizabeth I was much respected here, and her effigy, now fixed in an unusual stance on a wall atop a narrow base, is almost startling in appearance. The various restorations over the years have resulted in a huge number of antique pieces of sculpture arranged along the inner walls for the visitor to make a...