Getting to know Bristol - St John on the Wall

Getting to know Bristol - St John on the Wall

Posted on: 26 Oct 2016

Many people in Bristol will be familiar with St. John on the Wall, but here at 365 we have been lucky enough to get to catch up with the amazing people over at the Church of St John the Baptist and see just exactly what makes it so special. This hidden church built into the city's walls plays a huge part in Bristol’s heritage and is something that everybody needs to see at least one whilst living or visiting Bristol.

Photo Credit: Brian Garwood

With a lot of people in the city not realising the amazing events going on at St John on the Wall, take a look at what they had to say about their heritage in the city, volunteering, family days out and so much more.

 

When was St John's on the Wall originally built and can you give us a brief history of how it has been changed or rebuilt from then?

St John on the Wall built in the 14th century – we think sometime in the 1370s. The upper church and crypt remain largely unchanged from how they were then - you really do feel like you’re stepping back in time when you walk in.

 

The church is officially named 'Church of St John the Baptist' - Where does the name St John's on the Wall come from?

It was actually built into Bristol’s old city wall! St John on the Wall sits over what was the north gate to the old city (which is the archway connecting Broad Street to Nelson Street). In medieval times there were 4 gates to the old city, with a church next to each one. They were strategically placed so that travellers would offer donations as they went through. St John on the Wall is the only one of these gateways remaining so it’s pretty special.

 

What functions has the building served over the years?

As well as being a place of sanctuary and worship, St John on the Wall seen all sorts throughout its history. In 1465 ten Bristol men established the “Brotherhood of the Holy Rood” in the crypt to help the poor of the city. It’s also said that Queen Elizabeth I walked under the St John on the Wall gateway during a visit to Bristol.  More recently, during the blitz, locals used the crypt as a bomb shelter.

 

What is the church used for in 2016?

The Churches Conservation Trust now look after the church and we keep it open so that visitors can enjoy the architecture, art and history of this incredible space. We have a programme of events that take place over the summer – including gigs, family arts days, art exhibitions and a weekly drop in drawing group. We also offer free guided tours daily  (Monday to Saturday) with our very knowledgeable volunteers.

 

We have just installed new interactive visitor displays telling the story of medieval Bristol. There’s an atmospheric animation in the crypt, and in the upper church there is some medieval ‘lost property’ for kids to find. We even have a medieval selfie station and some retro viewfinders!

 

All our events are listed on - visitchurches.org.uk

Photo Credit: Brian Pomeroy

Are there any stories or legends related to St John's on the Wall? 

St John’s conduit is the water fountain situated outside the crypt on Nelson Street. From the 13th century until the 1980s, fresh water flowed out of St John’s conduit after travelling underground all the way from Brandon Hill. During the aftermath of World War II bombing raids, the conduit was the only source of water in the Old City. There are even rumours that it used to run with wine during the ‘mayor-making’ ceremonies!

 

The conduit no longer works and sadly it is often vandalised. We are now working with the council and Visit Bristol to find a way to protect and celebrate this piece of Bristol’s history. If you want to get involved with this project get in touch with Emma on ebrown@thecct.org.uk

 

What do you have coming up that would interest the people of Bristol?

As part of Bristol Family Arts festival we’ve got our free ‘Colour in the Crypt’ event taking place on Monday 24th October (in half term). Families can come and take part in a load of free crafts and activities finding the hidden colour in our secret crypt.

 

We also have a drop in drawing group that takes place on most Tuesday lunchtimes and regular hands on conservation sessions – see visitchurches.org.uk for details. With all of the new interactive visitor displays in place as well as our fab tours I’d recommend popping in at any time – we are normally open between 11am – 2pm, Monday – Saturday.

 

How can people get involved?

St John on the Wall is opened by a fantastic team of volunteers. We have all sorts of volunteer roles available - people can get involved with giving tours, organising events, marketing or by joining our research team. Give Ed a call on 0117 9291766 or email emcgregor@thecct.org.uk for more info.

 

How do you find working at such a great historical icon of Bristol?

It’s great fun! St John on the Wall is a big part of Bristol’s story and it is genuinely exciting seeing people who have lived in the city for years discover it for the first time. It’s an incredible space and seeing it full of people is immensely rewarding.

 

If you were Mayor of Bristol for a day which one thing would you change?

Get St John’s Conduit flowing with water again – it’s such an important part of the city’s heritage.

Photo Credit: Brian Pomeroy


Article by:

Matt Dailly

Matt, originally from Belfast, has only lived in Bristol for a year now and is studying Media & Journalism at UWE. He wants to concentrate his writing and media skills in Bristol's culinary culture, delving into what fine feasts the city has to offer and where the best places to go for food really are. Along with an aspiration to interview some of the influential people shaping Bristol and some who are simply passing through, Matt really is trying to make Bristol his new home! For any other info check out his Facebook or Twitter