Bristol Cathedral

Bristol Cathedral

The Anglican Cathedral Church of The Holy and Undivided Trinity is located on College Green.

It was in 1542 that cathedral status was achieved but its origins were in times possibly prior to the medieval period.

In about 1140 a monastery was founded by Robert Fitzharding and was run by Augustine monks.

Fitzharding was a supporter of Henry II* and founded the monastery, he was also responsible for founding the Berkeley family and Berkeley Castle.

Consecration of the Abbey took place on Easter day in 1148 in the presence of the Bishops of Worcester, Exeter, St.Asaph and Llandaff.

Now a grade one listed building it attracts visitors from all corners of the globe.

Its vaulted ceiling is a wonderful canopy in a truly fine building. With its full length stained glass windows in the Gothic style , one of the most striking is the West window in the South Transept. This is a depiction of King Alfred the Great, the writer Richard Hakluyt, the priest Richard Hooker and the poet and playwright William Shakespeare.

There are many memorials throughout this superb building which measures 284ft in length and 69ft in width with an overall area of 22,556 square ft that includes the transepts, in amongst these are the memorials to members of the Berkeley family who played such a large part in the founding of the cathedral.

Sir Nikolaus Pevsner, the leading authority on Church architecture said of Bristol cathedral “from the point of view of spatial imagination “ it is not only superior to anything else in England or Europe “ but proves incontrovertibly that the English style surpasses that of all other countries.

The organ has its origins in 1685 , it has been renovated and restored a number of times but some of the original work has been incorporated into the present instrument It is noted for its fine tone.

*Henry II was indirectly involved with the killing of Thomas Beckett and was whipped by the monks of Canterbury as punishment.

Address: Bristol Cathedral, College Green, Bristol, BS1 5TJ. Tel. 0117 926 4879

Website: www.bristol-cathedral.co.uk

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Bristol Cathedral