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Bristol Cathedral

Bristol Cathedral has a history that spans nearly 9 centuries. Its unique architecture is world famous. The building was originally designed as a convent church but underwent extensive alterations in the 19th century to arrive at its current form: a medieval building with a Victorian facelift.

Arts & Culture

The cathedral on College Green in the heart of Bristol

A construction project spanning 7 centuries

The cathedral was originally an Augustinian Abbey on the edge of a wealthy trading town. Even before this abbey was built, the hill was a spiritual place of refuge. Followers of the Cult of the Holy Jordanus gathered here in the earliest days of English Christianity. A stone from that time has been preserved and incorporated into the cathedral, a worthy tribute to its early history. The cathedral has played a role in various historical events in Bristol. In 1831, for instance, the building was attacked by rebels protesting a parliamentary reform law, during which the bishop’s quarters were destroyed and the chapter house extensively damaged. A fire in the library also resulted in the loss of numerous valuable archives.

A fortunate find

The riots of 1831 also led to a lucky coincidence: during the restoration, a large stone panel depicting the descent of Christ into hell was found under the damaged floor. It is one of the best examples of Anglo-Saxon sculpture. The object, ‘The Harrowing of Hell’, is considered Bristol’s most important work of art from before the Norman Conquest of England.

Nature

Thirty kilometres southwest of Bristol is Cheddar Gorge, one of the most popular landscapes of Somerset. This spectacular gorge is the largest in the country. The surrounding cliffs tower up to 140 metres high. The interior is equally as impressive, with numerous caverns and caves in the faces of the cliffs. Prehistoric remains of the earliest inhabitants of Great Britain have been found here.