Temple Church, Bristol
Encyclopedia
Temple Church is a ruined church building in central Bristol
, England
, which was founded in the mid 12th century by Robert of Gloucester
and the Knights Templar
.
Temple Church served as the site for the famous exorcism
of George Lukins
conducted by Methodist and Anglican clergymen. The house of worship was bombed in World War II
and largely destroyed. It is a listed building now owned by English Heritage
.
It was also known as Holy Cross Church, and included the Guild Chapel of the Bristol Weavers. Cloth weaving was the staple industry of Bristol in the late Middle Ages, and its centre was in Temple parish.
The tower, which rises to 114 feet (35 m), was built in two parts, the first in 1390. Construction was halted when the tower started to lean to the west, but by 1460 the city was satisfied that the tower was stable and the final section, including a belfry
was added. The lean is popularly attributed to the foundations of the tower being built on top of wool-sacks but is most likely due to the soft alluvial clay
underneath being compressed.
ed on 24/25 November 1940 during the Bristol Blitz
, leaving it as an empty shell. The damage was severe and although the arcades still stood they were very unsafe and have since been removed. The wrought-iron parclose screens to the side chapels did survive and are today in the Lord Mayor's Chapel
. The sword rest by W. Edney is now preserved but broken up into sections and re-erected in other churches. The 15th century candelabrum, with its central statue of the Virgin Mary also survived, a little dented albeit, and now hangs in the Berkeley Chapel of Bristol Cathedral
.
and wrought iron
in a Gothic Revival style, are themselves grade II listed.
It is a Scheduled Ancient Monument
.
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, which was founded in the mid 12th century by Robert of Gloucester
Robert, 1st Earl of Gloucester
Robert Fitzroy, 1st Earl of Gloucester was an illegitimate son of King Henry I of England. He was called "Rufus" and occasionally "de Caen", he is also known as Robert "the Consul"...
and the Knights Templar
Knights Templar
The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon , commonly known as the Knights Templar, the Order of the Temple or simply as Templars, were among the most famous of the Western Christian military orders...
.
Temple Church served as the site for the famous exorcism
Exorcism
Exorcism is the religious practice of evicting demons or other spiritual entities from a person or place which they are believed to have possessed...
of George Lukins
George Lukins
George Lukins, also known as the Yatton dœmoniac, was an individual famous for his alleged demonic possession and the subsequent exorcism that occurred when he was aged forty-four; his case occasioned great controversy in England.-Biography:...
conducted by Methodist and Anglican clergymen. The house of worship was bombed in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and largely destroyed. It is a listed building now owned by English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
.
Early history
It is known as the Temple church because it was built on the site of the oval church of the Knights Templar, suppressed in 1312. Either just before or just after this suppression the church was rebuilt on a rectangular plan and served as a parish church. The site has been excavated and the oval outline of the former Templars' church is laid out in the turf.It was also known as Holy Cross Church, and included the Guild Chapel of the Bristol Weavers. Cloth weaving was the staple industry of Bristol in the late Middle Ages, and its centre was in Temple parish.
The tower, which rises to 114 feet (35 m), was built in two parts, the first in 1390. Construction was halted when the tower started to lean to the west, but by 1460 the city was satisfied that the tower was stable and the final section, including a belfry
Bell tower
A bell tower is a tower which contains one or more bells, or which is designed to hold bells, even if it has none. In the European tradition, such a tower most commonly serves as part of a church and contains church bells. When attached to a city hall or other civic building, especially in...
was added. The lean is popularly attributed to the foundations of the tower being built on top of wool-sacks but is most likely due to the soft alluvial clay
Clay
Clay is a general term including many combinations of one or more clay minerals with traces of metal oxides and organic matter. Geologic clay deposits are mostly composed of phyllosilicate minerals containing variable amounts of water trapped in the mineral structure.- Formation :Clay minerals...
underneath being compressed.
World War II bombing
It was bombBomb
A bomb is any of a range of explosive weapons that only rely on the exothermic reaction of an explosive material to provide an extremely sudden and violent release of energy...
ed on 24/25 November 1940 during the Bristol Blitz
Bristol Blitz
Bristol was the fifth most heavily bombed British city of World War II. The presence of Bristol Harbour and the Bristol Aeroplane Company made it a target for bombing by the Nazi German Luftwaffe who were able to trace a course up the River Avon from Avonmouth using reflected moonlight on the...
, leaving it as an empty shell. The damage was severe and although the arcades still stood they were very unsafe and have since been removed. The wrought-iron parclose screens to the side chapels did survive and are today in the Lord Mayor's Chapel
St Mark's Church, Bristol
St Mark's Church is an ancient small church on the north-east side of College Green, Bristol, England, built c. 1230. Better known to mediaeval and Tudor historians as the Gaunt's Chapel, it has also been known within Bristol since 1722 as the Mayor's Chapel. It is the only church in England...
. The sword rest by W. Edney is now preserved but broken up into sections and re-erected in other churches. The 15th century candelabrum, with its central statue of the Virgin Mary also survived, a little dented albeit, and now hangs in the Berkeley Chapel of Bristol Cathedral
Bristol Cathedral
The Cathedral Church of the Holy and Undivided Trinity is the Church of England cathedral in the city of Bristol, England, and is commonly known as Bristol Cathedral...
.
Listed status
It was the first English parish church to be taken into ownership by the then Ministry of Works , and is today in the care of English Heritage. It is a grade II* listed building. The archway and gates, which date from the mid 19th century and made from Portland stonePortland stone
Portland stone is a limestone from the Tithonian stage of the Jurassic period quarried on the Isle of Portland, Dorset. The quarries consist of beds of white-grey limestone separated by chert beds. It has been used extensively as a building stone throughout the British Isles, notably in major...
and wrought iron
Wrought iron
thumb|The [[Eiffel tower]] is constructed from [[puddle iron]], a form of wrought ironWrought iron is an iron alloy with a very low carbon...
in a Gothic Revival style, are themselves grade II listed.
It is a Scheduled Ancient Monument
Scheduled Ancient Monument
In the United Kingdom, a scheduled monument is a 'nationally important' archaeological site or historic building, given protection against unauthorized change. The various pieces of legislation used for legally protecting heritage assets from damage and destruction are grouped under the term...
.