Bristol
Cathedral is the Church of England. Founded in 1140 it became the seat of the
bishop and cathedral of the new Diocese of Bristol in 1542. Located on College
Green, across which its architecture can be seen to advantage, the cathedral
presents a harmonious view of tall Gothic windows and pinnacled skyline that
belies the fact, that it was constructed
over a period of more than 700 years.The cathedral has much of interest
including unique architectural features, unusual memorials and an historic
organ.
Bristol
cathedral was founded as St Augustine’s ASbbey in 1140 by Robert Fitzharding a
wealthy local landowner and royal official. As the name suggests, the monastic precinct
housed Augustinian cannons. The original Abbey Church
of which only fragments remain, was constructed
between 1140 and 1148 in the Romanesque style, known in England as Norman.
Further stone buildings were erected on the site between 1148 and 1164. Three fine
examples of this phase survive, the chapter house and the abbey gatehouse now
the diocesan office together with a Romanesque gateway, which originally led
into the abbot’s quarters.
Under
Abbot David there was a new phase of building, notably the construction in
around 1220 of a chapel dedicated to the Blessed virgin Mary, abutting the
northern side of the choir. This building which still stands, was to become
known as the “Elder Lady Chapel”.
Under the
Abbot Edward Knowle a major rebuilding of the Abbey Church began. Between 1298
and 1332 the eastern part of the Abbey Church was rebuilt in the English
decorated Gothic style.
Rebuilding
appears to have ceased for about a hundred years then in the mid of 15th
century the transept and central tower
were constructed. Abbot John Newland began the rebuilding of the nave, but it
was incomplete at the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1539. The partly built
nave was demolished and the remaining eastern part of the church closed until
it reopened as a cathedral under the secular clergy. In an edict dated June
1542, Henry VIII and Thomas Crammer
raised building to rank of cathedral of a new Diocese of Bristol. The new
diocese was carved out of the neighboring dioceses and Paul Bush, a former
royal household chaplain, was created the first Bishop of Bristol. The new
cathedral was dedicated to the Holy and Undivided Trinity.
With the
19th century’s Gothic Revival signaling renewed interest in Britain’s
ancient architectural heritage a new nave harmonious in a style with the
eastern end, was added between 1868 and 1877 by George Edmund Street. The
opening ceremony was on 23 October 1877. However the west front with its twin
towers designed by John Loughborough Pearson, was only completed in 1888.
The bells
have a variety of dates and include two from 1726, one from 1740 and two from
1789 all made by the Bilbie family.
Bristol
Cathedral is one of the most interesting and splendid structure in the country.
The eastern end of Bristol Cathedral is highly unusual for a number of reasons.
Firstly it was conceived as a “hall church”, meaning that the aisles are same
height as the choir. While a feature of German Gothic architecture, this rare
in Britain and Bristol Cathedral is the most significant example. In the 19th
century Street designed the nave along the same lines.
The
effect of this elevation means that there are not clerestory windows to light
the central space, as is usual in English medieval churches. All the internal light must come from the aisle windows which
are accordingly very large. In the choir the very large window of the Lady
Chapel is made to fill entire upper part of the wall, so that it bathes the
vault in daylight, particularly in the morning.