St Mary Redcliffe facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids St Mary Redcliffe
Church of St Mary the Virgin
St Mary Redcliffe from the north west, showing tower, spire, nave and hexagonal porch
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Location	Redcliffe, Bristol, England
Denomination	Church of England
Churchmanship	Broad Church
Website	https://www.stmaryredcliffe.co.uk
History
Founded	c. 1158
Dedication	Mary, Mother of Jesus
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Heritage designation	Grade I
Designated	8 January 1959
Style	Early English Gothic, Decorated Gothic, Perpendicular Gothic, Gothic Revival
Years built	1185-1872
Specifications
Length	250 feet (76 m)
Nave height	55 feet (17 m)
Spire height	262 feet (80 m) to capstone 274 feet (84 m) including weathervane
Bells	15 (ring of twelve plus extra treble, flat sixth and service bell)
Tenor bell weight	50 long cwt 2 qr 21 lb (5,677 lb or 2,575 kg)
Administration
Parish	St Mary Redcliffe with Temple Bristol and St John the Baptist, Bedminster
Deanery	Bristol South
Archdeaconry	Bristol
Diocese	Bristol
Province	Canterbury

The Church of St Mary the Virgin, usually called St Mary Redcliffe, is a famous Church of England parish church in Bristol, England. People first mentioned a church here in 1158. The building you see today was built between 1185 and 1872.

Many people think it is one of England's most beautiful and largest parish churches. It is a great example of English Gothic architecture, a style of building with pointed arches and tall windows. The church is so big that tourists sometimes think it is Bristol Cathedral. It is a "Grade I listed" building, which means it is very important and protected.

St Mary Redcliffe is known for its huge stained glass windows and fancy stone ceilings. It also has flying buttresses (supports on the outside walls) and a rare six-sided porch. Its tall Gothic spire reaches 274 feet (84 m) to the top of its weathervane. This makes it the second-tallest building in Bristol. The spire is a major landmark you can see from all over the city.

Many famous people have praised St Mary Redcliffe. Queen Elizabeth I visited in 1574 and supposedly called it "The fairest, goodliest and most famous parish church in England." Historian Simon Jenkins gave it the highest rating in his book England's Thousand Best Churches. He called it a "masterpiece of English Gothic."

Church History

How the Church Began

Some people believe a church stood here in Saxon times. However, there is no record of it in the Domesday Book from 1086. The first time a church in Redcliffe was mentioned was in 1158. This was in a document signed by King Henry II. It suggests a church was already there between 1086 and 1158.

The name Redcliffe comes from the church's location. It sits on a red sandstone cliff above the River Avon. This area was once part of the Port of Bristol. Rich merchants from the city paid for the original church. Some of these merchants may have sailed to North America even before Christopher Columbus. Today, the main port is further away. But you can still see parts of the red cliff near the church at Redcliffe Quay.

Building the Gothic Church

In 1185, a new north porch was built. It was in the Early English Gothic style. This was one of the first Gothic buildings in England. Major construction started again in 1292. Mayor of Bristol, Simon de Burton, began a big rebuilding project.

Work started in 1294 with the huge northwest tower base. It paused until 1320. Then, the rest of the church was rebuilt in the Decorated Gothic style. A very rare six-sided north porch was added in 1325. It was built next to the older 1185 porch. This created an inner and an outer north porch.

No one knows for sure why the north porch is hexagonal. Historians have different ideas. It might have been inspired by the Chapter House at nearby Wells Cathedral. Some even suggest ideas from Chinese and Islamic art and buildings. This is because Bristol was a major port.

Around 1330, the south porch and nave aisle were rebuilt. They showed signs of the Perpendicular Gothic style. This style became popular later in the 14th century. The south porch was built in 1335. The tower and spire were finished in the early 14th century. Then came the south transept and the Lady Chapel, which was completed in 1385.

The church's style changed between the north and south transepts, choir, and nave. The choir was likely finished by the time of the Black Death in 1348. The north transept shows the Perpendicular style becoming more common.

The 15th Century Church

Finishing the nave was the main goal in the 15th century. The nave walls look similar to the choir. But the inside ceiling (vaulting) is different. This means it was built later. Work on the nave stopped around 1445 or 1446. This was because the spire fell down.

The top two-thirds of the spire collapsed after being hit by lightning. This left St Mary Redcliffe with a short, stump-like spire. It looked similar to St Mary's Church in nearby Yatton. We don't know if the falling spire caused other damage. But records from William Worcestre in 1480 say the tower was 300 feet tall. He said 100 feet had fallen due to lightning.

The spire was not rebuilt right away. Instead, work continued on the nave. It was finished around 1480. The Canynges family helped pay for much of this work. They had been helping rebuild the church since the early 14th century.

The last big change in the Gothic period was the Lady Chapel. Sir John Juyn, a rich barrister, extended it in 1494. Even though it was built over 100 years later, the new part matched the original design well.

Changes in the 16th and 17th Centuries

The North prospect of the parrish Church of St Marie Redcliffe in Bristoll (1728)

Like many churches in England, St Mary Redcliffe lost many of its inside decorations. This happened in the 16th and 17th centuries. In 1547, the chantry chapels were closed. The government took away valuable items like plates and robes. The rood screen (a screen separating the nave and choir) was destroyed in 1548.

In 1574, Queen Elizabeth I visited the church. She supposedly called it "the fairest, goodliest and most famous parish church in England." She visited several more times. In 1588 and 1591, she gave back some of the money that had been taken from the church.

More serious damage happened in the 17th century. From 1649 to 1660, during the time of Oliver Cromwell, parts of the church were damaged. The pinnacles (small towers on the roof) were removed. Ornaments were destroyed, the organ was broken, and much of the stained glass was smashed. This happened to many churches across England. Removing the pinnacles made the building less stable. The east window was even bricked up to try and stop the walls from collapsing.

Modern History and Restoration

18th and 19th Century Repairs

St Mary Redcliffe Church, c.1830s

St Mary Redcliffe in the early 19th century, showing truncated spire

In 1763, the Chapel of the Holy Spirit was torn down. This chapel was a separate building. It was used as the parish church while St Mary Redcliffe was being built. Queen Elizabeth I later gave it to the people to use as a grammar school.

The church was greatly repaired in the late 1800s. People were worried about the building. It had suffered from years of decay. So, a group called the Canynges Society was formed in 1842. Their goal was to restore the church to its original look.

As part of this work, the east window was unblocked and got new glass. Old pews and galleries from the Georgian era were removed. The stone parts were also repaired. The final step was rebuilding the spire. It had been a stump since it was hit by lightning in 1445 or 1446. The spire was rebuilt to its full height. The Mayor of Bristol placed the top stone on May 9, 1872. This was over 260 feet (79 m) above the ground. Architect George Godwin designed and watched over this work. It cost a lot of money, about £3.4 million in today's money.

20th Century Changes

In 1912, a new organ was built by Harrison & Harrison. It replaced older organs. From 1939 to 1941, a new underground room (undercroft) was built. It was meant to be a treasury.

St Mary Redcliffe in the late 1890s following restoration and before Redcliffe Way was constructed

During World War II, the church was mostly safe from bombs. Even though it was big and tall, it avoided destruction. Watchmen stayed on the roof at night to put out fire bombs. The church's bells and other treasures were hidden under the floor in sandbags. Some minor damage happened to the organs and roofs.

The church almost suffered major damage in 1941. A bomb fell nearby. It threw a large piece of tram rail into the churchyard. This tram rail is still there today. It reminds people how close the church came to being destroyed.

In the 1960s, new bright stained glass windows were put in the Lady Chapel. They were designed by Harry Stammers. Also, the outside stonework was cleaned.

21st Century Updates

The 21st century has seen more restoration. The outside stonework has been cleaned. The organ has also been repaired by its original builders. In June 2020, some stained glass windows were removed. These windows honored the Royal African Company. This happened after the statue of Edward Colston was removed.

A project is underway to celebrate Queen Elizabeth I's visit in 2024. The goal is to make the church better for tourists and events. It also aims to support the community. In 2016, a competition was held to design a new welcome center. Purcell won the contest. Part of the plan is to make the road next to the church, Redcliffe Way, a pedestrian area. As of 2023, Hall McKnight architects are now working on the project.

Church Design

Floor plan

Building Layout

The church has a traditional cruciform (cross-shaped) layout. It has a northwest tower, nave (main seating area), transepts (arms of the cross), and a chancel (area around the altar). This is common for many English parish churches. However, it looks more like a cathedral than a parish church. It has aisles on all four arms. It also has a lady chapel to the east and two porches.

St Mary Redcliffe is special because it has a double north porch. There is an inner and an outer room. The outer room has a rare polygonal (many-sided) shape.

The church is very large. It is a main landmark for Bristol. It is also one of the biggest parish churches in the country. The building is 250 feet (76 m) long from east to west. It is 117 feet (36 m) across the transepts. Its total area is 1,916 square metres (20,620 sq ft). It is one of the largest churches in England, not counting cathedrals.

Outside Features

The Tower

The most striking part of the church's outside is its tall and fancy northwest tower. It has a very tall and thin spire on top. The oldest parts of the tower are from around 1294. They were built in the Late Geometrical style. These parts were added to the church that started in 1185. The walls are 7 feet (2.1 m) thick.

The lowest part of the tower is 34 feet (10 m) high. It has a seven-bay niche-filled archway. This archway holds fourteen statues made by William Rice in the 1800s. Below this are two large windows. The lowest part of the tower sticks out into the north porch. The hexagonal outer porch was built around one of the tower's supports.

The second part of the tower is very decorative. It is almost as tall as the part below it. This section was started in the early 14th century. It shows a later style of architecture. This part of the tower has a large blind archway that goes all around it. It has three arches with Y-shaped tracery (stone patterns). These arches contain 19th-century statues of the Apostles. Each arch has detailed carvings of cabbage roses.

The third and highest part of the tower holds the bells. It is similar in age to the second part. It was built in the Perpendicular Gothic style. This section is about 44 feet (13 m) high. It has three huge, slatted openings for the bells. These openings take up almost the entire width and height of each wall. This shows the tall, vertical style of late Gothic buildings. The supports (buttresses) from the lowest part of the tower end here. They have pointed, decorative tops. The top of the tower has a stone parapet (a low wall). It is 111 feet (34 m) above the ground. The corner pinnacles reach 139 feet (42 m) high.

The Spire

The tower and spire from the west

The first spire on the tower was finished around 1335. It stood for over 110 years. Then, a storm in 1445 or 1446 badly damaged it. The top part of the spire fell. We don't know exactly how much of it was left. William Worcestre wrote in 1478 that 100 feet of the 300-foot tower had fallen. But pictures from the 1800s show the tower with a short stump. This suggests it was either taken down or made shorter. The tallest medieval part of the present spire is 139 feet (42 m) above the ground. This matches how the church looked in the 19th century.

As part of the 19th-century restoration, the spire was rebuilt. George Godwin oversaw this work from 1870 to 1872. Godwin's design was simpler than other plans. It was inspired by the spire at Salisbury Cathedral. The spire stands 152 feet (46 m) tall on top of the tower. This makes its total height to the capstone 262 feet (80 m). Including the weathervane, it is 274 feet (84 m) tall.

The spire's height is sometimes wrongly stated as 292 feet (89 m). This number comes from a book from 1878. It includes the deep foundations and the weathervane. This mistake has often led people to say St Mary Redcliffe is the third tallest parish church in England.

While the spire is very large, it is not the third tallest parish church. It is the 15th-tallest church in the United Kingdom. It is the 6th-tallest parish church. It is also the second tallest church in South West England, after Salisbury Cathedral.

North Porch

The north porch at St Mary Redcliffe has two parts. An older inner porch from the 12th century. And a much more detailed outer porch from the 14th century. The outer porch is the only one you can see from outside. It dates from around 1325. This outer porch is one of the church's greatest treasures. It is one of only three medieval hexagonal porches in England. Huge, five-sided supports (buttresses) with square pinnacles dominate its exterior.

The outer porch has three sections of different heights. The lowest section has the main doorway. It has a seven-pointed arch. Author Simon Jenkins calls this arch "astonishing." The arch is inspired by Eastern architecture. It has very detailed carvings of seaweed leaves. The second section has a large row of four blind arches. These arches have niches with 19th-century copies of the original statues. Above these are large four-light windows. The top section holds the Chatterton Room. It is a low room lit by rows of mullion windows. The parapet has open quatrefoils (four-leaf shapes). You can reach it by an octagonal stair tower in the southeast corner.

North porch: upper stages
Detail on door decoration
Door detail
Porch from the north, showing flight of steps and position near tower

Nave, Transepts, and Chancel

The main part of the church was built in the mid-14th century. This was during the late Decorated and early Perpendicular Gothic periods. So, it has a consistent style throughout. The aisles have blind quatrefoil parapets. These are divided by buttresses. From these buttresses rise pointed pinnacles and 4-light Decorated windows.

Large flying buttresses support the upper walls of the main body. Between each buttress are very large 6-light windows. These fill almost the entire space of the upper wall. The upper walls also have an open parapet. This parapet is made of open-cusped triangles. Thin, pointed pinnacles rise above it.

The south and north transepts are unusual. They have double aisles. This is rarely seen outside of cathedrals. Each transept is three bays long. The two transepts look slightly different. This is because the north transept was built a bit later. It is an imitation of the 1335 south transept. The south transept has gabled buttresses for the aisles. It has flying buttresses for the upper walls. The windows in the upper walls are smaller than those in the main part of the church. They have a different design. The north transept looks more like the nave and chancel. It has the same design of upper wall windows.

The chancel continues the same design as the nave. But the north aisle is partly blocked by the organ chamber. This chamber has windows with trefoiled (three-leaf) heads. East of the chancel is the two-bay lady chapel. It was built in two parts. First, at the end of the 14th century (around 1385). Then, it was extended in 1494. The chapel has a large five-light window in its western part. This matches the earlier building period. A smaller four-light window is in the eastern part. The eastern gable of the chapel has a wide, low six-light Perpendicular window.

All four arms of the church have large windows at their ends. The west window is tall with five lights. It is divided into two sections by horizontal bars. The north and south transept ends have "immensely tall" four-light windows. These are divided into three sections by two rows of horizontal bars. They feature Y-tracery and net-like tracery. The chancel end is almost entirely filled by a large seven-light window.

North aspect
South aspect (1890)
South transept windows
South nave and porch
Lady Chapel eastern gable

Inside the Church

Stone Ceilings (Vaults)

One special thing about St Mary Redcliffe is that its entire ceiling is made of stone. No other parish church in England has a medieval stone ceiling throughout. The oldest ceiling is in the inner north porch. It dates from around 1185. It is a simple ribbed vault. The outer porch, built around 1325, has a more complex hexagonal ceiling shaped like a six-sided star.

Most of the main church has a lierne ceiling. This means it has extra ribs that don't go to the main supports. The ribs have different designs. The nave has diamond shapes. The south aisle has hexagons. The transepts have squares, and the choir has rectangles. These patterns are made by ribs crossing each other. Simon Jenkins calls it "an astonishing maze." The nave ceiling has over a thousand carved and gold-covered bosses (decorative knobs). These bosses show saints, Bible scenes, and people who helped build the church.

Two other notable ceilings are in the church. The star-shaped ceiling of the Lady Chapel is from the late 14th century. The five-sided star ceiling under the tower is from the late 1460s or early 1470s. Most of the ceilings were repainted in the 1980s and 1990s. They have bright green, gold, blue, and red colors.

Outer north porch vault (1325)
Nave vault
Crossing vault
Quire vault
North transept and vault

Stained Glass Windows

The church lost most of its old stained glass during the damage caused by Parliamentary forces in the 17th century. Only small pieces remain in the north transept, St John's chapel, and lower tower windows. In 1842, a committee wanted to restore the church. They especially wanted to fill the large east window with glass. It had been bricked up at the time. In 1847, they chose William Wailes to design and make the glass. This window was later replaced in 1904 by a design from Clayton and Bell. Clayton and Bell made much of the church's stained glass after 1842.

A special medieval window that survived is in the lowest part of the tower. It shows eight large figures. These include Archbishop Thomas Becket and saints like Lawrence and John the Baptist. This window was repaired in the restoration. During World War II, bombs damaged the Lady Chapel windows. They were replaced with 5 bright windows designed by Harry Stammers from 1960 to 1965.

In 2020, after the statue of Edward Colston was removed, the church decided to take out four panels from a window. These panels honored him. They were replaced temporarily with clear glass. A competition was launched in May 2022 to design new panels. Ealish Swift won in September 2022. She designed panels showing the Middle Passage, the Bristol bus boycott, and the Refugee Crisis.

Today, the church has a mix of stained glass and clear glass. Most of the Victorian work is at the east end. The upper windows of the nave have clear glass.

Lady Chapel, east window, Harry Stammers
Great East Window, Clayton & Bell
Great West Window, Hardman (1868)
Moses window, Butler & Bayne (1897)
Window marking 100th anniversary of the death of George Frederick Handle

Church Furnishings and Memorials

The church has many monuments and memorials. This is because of its long history with Bristol, its port, and Queen Elizabeth I. Important items include a beautiful iron screen. William Edney designed it in 1710. It was meant to separate the chancel and nave. Now it sits under the tower. There is also a Victorian reredos (a screen behind the altar) below the east window. Other notable items are the 19th-century pews and the 15th-century St John's font. This font is the only thing left from St John's Church in Bedminster after the Blitz. The 15th-century choir stalls are also still there.

The church has many memorials. The most famous is the brightly colored tomb of William Canynges in the south transept. There is also a memorial to Queen Elizabeth I. Other monuments include a model of a ship that sailed from Bristol. There is a wall memorial for Admiral Sir William Penn. He was the father of William Penn, who founded Pennsylvania. His helmet and armor hang on the wall. So do the torn flags of Dutch ships he captured in battle. The church also displays a whale rib. It was brought back by John Cabot from one of his voyages. You can also see a carved medieval cope chest, a wineglass-shaped pulpit, and many misericords (small ledges on choir stalls).

Canynges tomb
Coat of arms for King Charles I, located above the porch
Penn memorial
Reredos
Cope chest
Bedminster font
Pulpit

Music at the Church

The Organ

Organ console

The first record of an organ at St Mary Redcliffe is from 1726. A new organ was installed by John Harris and John Byfield. This organ was one of the largest of its time. It had three keyboards and 26 stops. It was located on a new gallery in the nave. This organ was rebuilt in 1829. Then it was completely changed in 1867. It was made bigger and moved to the chancel. The 1867 organ still had three keyboards but more stops, 33 in total.

Quire and organ

From 1910 to 1912, organ builders Harrison & Harrison built a brand new organ. They used a small amount of the old pipes. The new organ was much larger. It had to be split between the north and south walls of the chancel. A new stone room was built for the Swell Organ. The Great Organ was placed on the north side. The rest of the parts were on the south. The console (where the organist plays) was near the north transept. This organ had more than twice as many stops as the old ones, 68 in total.

In 1941, the Swell Organ was damaged by fire and bombs. It had to be rebuilt in 1947. The organ was cleaned and repaired in 1974 and 1990. It also got new equipment and more stops. The 1990 work was not perfect. So, when the organ was restored again in the early 2000s, some errors were fixed.

A project to restore the organ for its 100th birthday started in 2007. The goal was to raise £800,000. Half the money came from the Canynges Society. The rest was raised by the church members. This included a £100,000 check left anonymously. The organ was taken apart in 2009 and put back together in 2010. It got new parts and was cleaned and tuned. Today, the organ has 71 stops and 4,327 pipes. This makes it one of the largest organs in Southern England. It is known for its beautiful sound.

In 2024, there were plans for churches in Britain, including St Mary Redcliffe, to hold concerts. These concerts would feature doom metal bands and the organ. This style is called "organic metal." The church's music director said, "Our organ is world-famous – Handel played it. ... There's a lot of history, so by doing something like a rock concert with an organ follows on in that kind of tradition."

The Bells

Early Bells

The first record of bells at Redcliffe is from 1480. There were six very large bells. We don't know who made them. In 1572, the 4th bell was recast. In 1622, the 5th and 6th bells were recast by Roger Purdue. The Purdue family were famous bell makers. Many of their bells still exist today. In 1626, the bells were rehung in a large oak frame.

In 1698, Abel Rudhall added two new treble bells. This made a ring of eight bells. In 1763, Thomas Bilbie recast four of the eight bells. The Bilbie family was another famous bell foundry. Bilbie had to promise the new bells would be as heavy as the old ones. If not, he had to pay a penalty. The first full peal (a long ringing of bells) in the tower was in 1768.

19th Century Additions

In 1823, two more treble bells were added. This made a ring of ten bells. In 1872, two more bells were added by Mears & Stainbank. This made a ring of twelve bells. It was the third ring of twelve bells in the West Country.

By the late 1880s, the bells were getting harder to ring. John Taylor & Co inspected them. They said the fittings of the 10th and tenor bells were in bad shape. They also said the frame was not strong enough for such heavy bells. They suggested adding iron brackets to make it stronger. They also recommended new fittings.

The first full peal on the ring of twelve was on New Year's Eve 1899. It was a very fast peal. This caused a debate in a bell-ringing magazine. Some people thought it was "impossibly fast" for such heavy bells.

20th Century Restoration

In 1902, Taylor's inspected the bells again. They found things were much worse. Some of the frame timbers were rotten. Taylor's advised that the bells should be rehung in a new metal frame. All twelve bells would be on one level. They also recommended new fittings. The cost was estimated at £709.

The bells, frame, and fittings were sent to Loughborough in 1903. When the bells arrived, the tenor bell was found to be much lighter than thought. It weighed only 39 long cwt (4,368 kg). This explained why the 1899 peal was so fast. The lightest seven bells and the tenor were melted down and recast. The 8th, 9th, 10th, and 11th bells had their canons (decorative loops) removed. They were also retuned. This made them lighter.

The 9th bell was recast later that year for an unknown reason. Legend says the railway company dropped it on the way back to Bristol. The bells got all new fittings. They were hung in a massive new cast iron frame in late 1903. There was even room left for a 13th bell later.

When the bells were installed, the new, heavier tenor bell weighed 50 long cwt 2 qrs 21 lbs (2,575 kg). This made them the fourth heaviest bells in the world for change ringing. They were the second heaviest ring of twelve. The first full peal on the new bells was on New Year's Day in 1904. The bells later became the 6th heaviest in the world. They are also the heaviest ring of bells in a parish church.

In 1933, Taylor's rehung the bells on ball bearings. These new bearings did not need regular greasing.

Since World War II

In 1941, after bombs damaged many towers in London, the church removed its bells. They were stored in the undercroft under sandbags. The bells were returned to the tower and rehung in November 1944.

In 1951, the 13th bell was ordered. It was cast in Loughborough. This bell, called a flat sixth, was placed between the sixth and seventh bells. It is used to make a lighter ring of eight bells. This makes it easier to teach new ringers.

In 1967, St John's Church in Bedminster was torn down. Its only surviving bell was given to Redcliffe. This increased the number of bells to fourteen. This 14th bell was recast in 1969 to fit better with the Redcliffe bells. It is called an 'extra treble.' It is used to make a lighter ring of ten bells.

After the bells' 100th birthday in 2003, they received more attention. In 2009, the 9th bell was rehung on a new, larger wheel. This made it easier to ring. In 2012, the 8th bell was retired. It was too light and sounded poor compared to the newer bells. A new bell was cast to replace it. This new bell was made to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. It was hung in spring 2013. The old 8th bell was hung separately for chiming. The last major work on the bells was in 2017. Their fittings and frame were repainted. The bells are still considered one of the finest rings of bells. Ringers from all over the world come to ring them. Over 300 full peals have been rung since 1768. The St Mary Redcliffe Guild of Ringers rings several full peals each year. They often do this to mark national events.

Location and Surroundings

Since Redcliffe Way was built in the 1960s, the church sits next to a busy road. This road caused many historic buildings facing the church to be torn down. It also made the stone darker from pollution. However, the church still has its historic south churchyard. This area has been called a "cathedral close in miniature." It has a small group of listed buildings around a south-facing lawn. These buildings are terraced houses. They are "Grade II listed," meaning they are important and protected.

The south churchyard has the Redcliffe War Memorial. It is a tall stone shaft with a cross on top. George Oatley designed it in 1921. It was built to remember those who died in World War I. It was later changed to include those lost in World War II. The memorial is also Grade II listed. Two other parts of the churchyard are listed. These are the walls on Colston Parade from the 18th century. And the balustrade (a row of small columns) around the west front. Both are Grade II listed.

The churchyard also contains the Redcliffe Pipe. This was a pipe given by Robert de Berkeley in 1190. It supplied fresh water to the church. A yearly walk along the pipe's route still happens today. The pipe was damaged in the Bristol Blitz. The current pipe ends near the balustrade in front of the west front. It has a brass drinking fountain from 1823. However, water from the pipe does not actually flow into the fountain.

Tram rail embedded in the churchyard
Fountain at the end of the Redcliffe Pipe