Church of St John the Baptist, Bristol facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of St John the Baptist |
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St John's church showing the gateway over the city wall
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| General information | |
| Town or city | Bristol |
| Country | England |
| Coordinates | 51°27′23″N 2°35′48″W / 51.456313°N 2.596605°W |
The Church of St John the Baptist in Bristol, also called St John on the Wall, is a very old church. It is looked after by a group called the Churches Conservation Trust. This church is special because it is built right into Bristol's old city walls. You can find it at the end of Broad Street. It has an upper church and a cool, old underground room called a crypt.
Contents
Building the Church: A Look at Its Design
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This church was built a long time ago in the 1300s. It was changed quite a bit in the 1800s. The church tower and its tall, pointy spire sit right over St John's Gate. This gate is the last old city gateway left in Bristol.
The church is very narrow because it is built right into the city walls. This is why it's also known as St John's on the Wall. Inside, you can see where a large wooden screen, called a rood screen, used to stand. Other churches in Bristol, like St Peter's and St Stephen's, have similar features.
Underneath the church, there is a special underground room called a crypt. This crypt was dedicated to the Holy Cross. Since 1374, water has come to the church from Brandon Hill through a pipe. You can sometimes see small plaques on the ground that show where this pipe runs.
Important People and Art Inside
The church has monuments for important people. One is for Walter Frampton, who died in 1357. He was the Mayor of Bristol three times and gave a lot of money to the church. There is also a brass plaque for Thomas Rowley, who died around 1478. An 18th-century poet named Thomas Chatterton pretended to be Thomas Rowley to write his old-style poems.
On the south side of the gate, there are statues of two legendary founders of Bristol, Brennus and Belinus. They face up Broad Street. These statues might even be older than the gate itself!
The inside of the two arches next to the main gateway now have cool graffiti murals. These were specially made for the church.
The old burial ground of St John's is still there. You can see it from John Street. The entrance gate is in Tailors Court, which you can reach from Broad Street. The burial ground is not open to the public.
What the Church is Used For Today
The Churches Conservation Trust, a national heritage charity, takes care of St John on the Wall. The church is open every day for free visits. You can see interactive displays that tell the story of medieval Bristol.
St John on the Wall also hosts different events. These include free family activities, music shows, art displays, and concerts. The church is a very important building. It is listed as a Grade I listed building on the National Heritage List for England. The Trust officially took over the church on June 25, 1985.
The Churches Conservation Trust also uses 'The Crypt' as a unique space. It can be rented for live music events and art shows. It has also been used as a place to film movies or TV shows.
In 2022, the church had to close because people were worried the spire was becoming unsafe.
Images for kids
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St John's church showing the gateway over the city wall
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An old picture from 1818 showing St John's Gate in Bristol. The Church of St John the Baptist tower is above it. The church is built into the city walls.
See also
- Churches in Bristol
- Grade I listed buildings in Bristol
- List of churches preserved by the Churches Conservation Trust in South West England
