St John on the Wall Church — Attraction in Patchway

St John's Church, also known as St John on the Wall, is one of the most distinctive historic churches in Bristol. Built into the old city walls, it served as both a place of worship and a key defensive structure.

History & Architecture Built: Late 14th century

Style: Perpendicular Gothic

Notable Features:

The only remaining church built into Bristol’s medieval city walls.

A large arched gateway running beneath the church, which was one of the original city gates.

Stunning stained glass windows and a vaulted crypt.

Notable Elements The Gateway (St John's Gate): One of the few surviving medieval gateways of Bristol. Originally, it allowed traffic in and out of the old city.

The Crypt: A well-preserved medieval crypt beneath the church, containing ancient tombs and stone carvings.

Effigies & Monuments: Inside the church, there are tombs of prominent medieval Bristol merchants.

Current Use The church is no longer used for regular worship and is under the care of the Churches Conservation Trust. It is open to the public as a heritage site, offering a glimpse into Bristol’s...

St John on the Wall Church is a striking sight that commands attention the moment you approach it. The architecture is exquisite, every stone seemingly placed with deliberate care, exuding a sense of history and craftsmanship that is rare in modern constructions. Walking up to it, you cannot help but feel a mix of awe and apprehension; the building is intimidating in its scale and presence, as if it could swallow you whole and still remain indifferent. Its soaring towers and intricate stonework call to mind the grandeur and gothic melancholy of a scene from Hunchback of Notre Dame, each shadowed arch and weathered facade telling stories of centuries past. There is a certain solemn poetry in its silence, a reminder that beauty can be formidable and reverence often...

Lovely medieval church built into the old city walls of Bristol. Run by the Churches Conservation Trust, it is not open very often as they are in need of more volunteers. The church is upstairs with the crypt downstairs. On the walls of the vestry you can view the lists of donations - money, food or interest on a sum of money to local widows, the poor and destitute - all yearly and forever - with the local dignitaries also having their names on display forever. It looks like medieval social media! Outside you can view St John's conduit where water was brought into the medieval city and which was also used in WW2 when bombing had disrupted water supplies. A very interesting place...