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- Bristol, Bristol (Church of St John the Baptist)
St John’s is part of the very fabric of Bristol – it was built into the city walls in the 14th-century as a place for travellers to offer prayers before a journey.
In the 12th-century there were five churches built into Bristol’s city walls, acting both as part of the city’s defences, and as places for travellers to offer prayers before a journey. St John’s is the only one that remains. As you walk down the slope of Broad Street, the view of the Gothic city gate with the elegant perpendicular spire of St John’s rising above, is stunning.
The building of St John’s coincided with a period of great prosperity for Bristol. Walter Frampton (died 1388), who was mayor of the city three times, founded the church, and his splendid monument stands in the chancel. His effigy lies on a tombchest decorated with heraldic shields, with a long-tailed dog at his feet.
Other monuments in the chancel, and in the early 14th-century vaulted crypt beneath, testify to the wealth and business activity of the city, in Medieval times and later. See, for example, the alabaster tomb in the crypt of a merchant and his wife, with their ten children represented in panels below.
The interior of the church is impressively tall and graceful, with fine fittings dating mostly from the 17th-century. On the north side of the church, built into the city wall is a fountain, a branch of a conduit installed to bring water to the Carmelite Friary 700 years ago. It is said that at election times in the past it was sometimes made to run with wine.
To locate this church on a map, click on the 'View on map' link that appears below the address information at the top of the page.
Tower Lane, bottom of Broad Street at intersection with Nelson Street.
Close to most city centre bus routes. Bus and coach terminus 0.25 mile. Nearest railway station: Bristol Temple Meads (1 mile).
ST 587 732
01/05/12
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The 'leaning tower' and walls of this large late medieval church survived bombing during the Second World War. The graveyard is now a peaceful public garden.
Tyntesfield
National Trust property
Last year, we welcomed over two million visitors to our churches. If each person donated just £2, this would enable us to keep our churches open, safe and watertight for you and future generations to enjoy.
Text code 'OCCT05' to 70070 to donate now (free from all networks).
Or use the button below to donate online.
Last year, we welcomed over two million visitors to our churches. If each person donated just £2, this would enable us to keep our churches open, safe and watertight for you and future generations to enjoy.
Text code 'OCCT05' to 70070 to donate now (free from all networks).
Or use the button below to donate online.
Click on images to view larger
The CCT is grateful to the Flickr group, Friends of the Churches Conservation Trust, for the images shown here. CCT is not responsible for the quality or content of images taken from Flickr.
Last year, we welcomed over two million visitors to our churches. If each person donated just £2, this would enable us to keep our churches open, safe and watertight for you and future generations to enjoy.
Text code 'OCCT05' to 70070 to donate now (free from all networks).
Or use the button below to donate online.
Why not make your visit more enjoyable and informed by finding out more about this church and the CCT before you visit?
You can download a range of publications below including the relevant county guide, and any walk round guides we have for this church.
Bristol & Gloucestershire County Guide (PDF, 4.6mb)
This free of charge short guide contains details of all the churches CCT cares for in Bristol & Gloucestershire. Printed copies of the county guide are also available at the church.
Church of St Thomas the Martyr, Bristol, Bristol
An elegant Georgian survivor in a city centre location. A church from our finest shortlist.
Thomas Lane, Bristol, Bristol, BS1 6JG
See church page
St Paul's Church, Bristol, Bristol
The 'wedding cake church' that is now a circus school?
Portland Square, Bristol, Bristol, BS2 8SJ
See church page
Church of St Thomas a Becket, Pensford, Somerset
A handsome 14th-century tower
Old Road, Pensford, Bristol, Somerset, BS39 4AL
See church page
Temple Church The 'leaning tower' and walls of this large late medieval church survived bombing during the Second World War. The graveyard is now a peaceful public garden. http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties/temple-church
Last year, we welcomed over two million visitors to our churches. If each person donated just £2, this would enable us to keep our churches open, safe and watertight for you and future generations to enjoy.
Text code 'OCCT05' to 70070 to donate now (free from all networks).
Or use the button below to donate online.
Last year, we welcomed over two million visitors to our churches. If each person donated just £2, this would enable us to keep our churches open, safe and watertight for you and future generations to enjoy.
Text code 'OCCT05' to 70070 to donate now (free from all networks).
Or use the button below to donate online.
All our Bristol churches are in CCT’s West region.
Bristol & Avon Family History Society
Bristol County Council History & Heritage
Last year, we welcomed over two million visitors to our churches. If each person donated just £2, this would enable us to keep our churches open, safe and watertight for you and future generations to enjoy.
Text code 'OCCT05' to 70070 to donate now (free from all networks).
Or use the button below to donate online.
If the access information for this church is listed as ‘Keyholder nearby’, this means that the key is kept by one of our invaluable volunteer 'keyholders', who usually live just a short walk from the church and can give visitors the key; sometimes this is a nearby hotel, pub, library, art gallery or other venue. You will find instructions explaining how to get the key when you arrive at the church.
There are steep steps into church.
Due to the historic nature of our buildings, only a very small number of them have heating or running water meaning that they can be cold, and very rarely have toilet facilities. The lighting is usually operated via a 'push button' timer or a motion sensor. We do apologise for any inconvenience the lack of facilities may cause.
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London N1 9RL
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central@thecct.org.uk
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Hi,
I'm hoping to visit St John the Baptist in Bristol sometime soon. I'm a writer currently working on a novel and need a church in Bristol with a crypt!
I wonder if there are any more detailed, but not extensive, architectural reports on this church, that could help me find the correct location.
Many thanks,
Geoff Hall
This church was the home of the bombed out congregation of St Mary le Port until the 1980s. The Bishop closed it down as part of a rationalisation of central Bristol churches, despite the fact that it represented a different tradition to any of the others, being traditional low "1662 prayer book" evangelical and Protestant with a strong Calvinist background previously associated with the Sovereign Grace Union and the Gospel Magazine. Bristol had had a number of Anglican clergy leading in this movement, especially Doudney, Ormiston, and Dodgson Sykes.