Wills Memorial Building facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Wills Memorial Building
General information
Architectural style	Perpendicular Gothic, Gothic revival
Town or city	Bristol
Country	England
Construction started	1915
Completed	1925
Cost	£501,566 19s 10d
Client	W. D. & H. O. Wills
Height	215 ft (65.5 m)
Design and construction
Architect	Sir George Oatley

The Wills Memorial Building is a famous building in Bristol, England. It is also known as the Wills Memorial Tower or just the Wills Tower. This amazing building was designed by Sir George Oatley. It was built to remember Henry Overton Wills III by his sons, George and Henry Wills.

Construction started in 1915, but the building wasn't finished until 1925. It is seen as one of the last big Gothic-style buildings ever built in England. The Wills Memorial Building stands tall near the top of Park Street in Bristol. It is a key landmark for the University of Bristol. Today, it is home to the university's School of Law and the Department of Earth Sciences. It also has libraries for these subjects.

At 215 ft (65.5 m) tall, it is one of the highest buildings in Bristol. Many people think of this building when they think of the University of Bristol. It's the main building in the university area. The university uses it for important events like graduation ceremonies and exams, which happen in its large Great Hall. The building is also a "Grade II* listed building," which means it's a very important historical building protected by the government.

Building a Landmark

The idea for the Wills Memorial Building came about in 1912. It was planned by George Alfred Wills and Henry Herbert Wills. They were very rich owners of a tobacco company in Bristol called W. D. & H. O. Wills. They wanted to honor their father, Henry Overton Wills III. He was the first leader of the university and gave a huge amount of money, £100,000, to help start it.

Sir George Oatley was chosen as the architect. He was told to "build to last." He designed the building in a style called Perpendicular Gothic. This style looks like the famous old university buildings in Oxford and Cambridge. The Wills family used their wealth from their tobacco business to pay for the building. Oatley later said he got the idea for the building from a dream. In his dream, he saw a tall tower on a hill with shields all around it.

Construction and Opening

Work on the building began in 1915. However, it had to stop in 1916 because of the First World War. Construction started again in 1919. The Wills Memorial Building finally opened on June 9, 1925. King George V and Queen Mary were there for the opening. The building cost a total of £501,566 19s 10d, which was a huge sum of money back then.

During the opening, a special salute of 21 chimes rang out from 'Great George'. This is a giant bell, weighing nine and a half tons, located in the tower. 'Great George' is still rung when a king, queen, or university leader passes away. Sir George Oatley was made a knight that year because of his amazing work on the building.

Wartime Damage and Repair

In 1940, during the Second World War, Bristol was bombed by German planes. This event was called the Bristol Blitz. The Great Hall inside the Wills Memorial Building was badly damaged by a bomb. Its special wooden roof, called a hammerbeam roof, was hit.

The Great Hall was repaired in the 1960s. It was rebuilt to look exactly as Sir George Oatley had designed it. At the same time, a part of the building next to it was made bigger by an architect named Ralph Brentnall.

What the Building Looks Like

The most striking part of the Wills Memorial Building is its tall tower, called the Wills Tower. It is made of strong concrete and covered with beautiful Bath and Clipsham stone. The stone carvings were designed with help from Jean Hahn.

At 215 ft (65.5 m) high, the tower is more than twice as tall as the nearby Cabot Tower. It is 16 meters wide and decorated with many shields. On top of the tower is an eight-sided section that holds 'Great George'. This is England's sixth-largest bell, weighing over 9.5 tonnes. It rings every hour.

Inside the building, besides the Great Hall, there is a large General Library. There are also a Reception Room and a Council Chamber. The building has about 50 other rooms, including classrooms and lecture halls. In the Entrance Hall, there are two grand staircases. The Wills Memorial Building is also used for conferences and other events.

Keeping the Building Beautiful

Restoration work in 2006

In 2006, a big cleaning project started on the Wills Memorial Building. This work cost £750,000. As the building was cleaned, a hidden engraving was found. It said "IO TRIVMPHE." This message was meant to honor Sir George Oatley, the architect. It also recognized Sir Isambard Owen, who was the university's Vice-Chancellor at the time. He helped make Oatley's plans come true.

Harry Patch, a veteran from the First World War who had also worked on the building, helped to officially show the newly cleaned building to the public.

Images for kids

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  The Wills Memorial Geology Library

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  Wills Memorial Building, front face

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  Great George in the tower of the Wills Memorial Building