St Mary le Port is said to have been founded in Saxon times after Anglo-Saxon foundations were found during archaeological excavations[1] and Saxon pottery was found nearby.[2] The church was rebuilt and enlarged between the 11th and 16th centuries.
During the 19th and early 20th centuries the church was a very popular centre of evangelical, Protestant, and Calvinist teaching within Anglicanism.
St Mary le Port, Bristol by John Piper (1940) (Tate N05718)
The church was bombed in the Second World War on 24 November 1940 during the Bristol Blitz. John Piper painted an evocative picture of the bombed St Mary le Port. This image appears on the 1/6d British commemorative stamp, part of a set of four paintings by British artists issued in 1968. All that remains of the church is the 15th-century tower, a Grade II listed building,[3] and a Scheduled Ancient Monument[4] surrounded during the latter years of the 20th century by the incongruous modernist buildings of Norwich Union and the Bank of England, which by the 2020s were both empty and had become semi-derelict eyesores, with further redevelopment proposed.[5][6]
After the bombing in 1940 the congregation and their rector, William Dodgson-Sykes, moved to St John on the Wall Church, where the congregation remained, in gradually declining numbers, till this church building was closed for worship by the Church Commissioners in 1984 (after a protracted struggle by the congregation). The remaining congregation then moved to the Chapel of Foster's Almshouses, and joined the Church of England (Continuing) in 1995.[7] The C of E (Continuing) no longer lists a congregation in Bristol; some of the congregation joined with the new Free Presbyterian Church (Ulster) congregation in Horfield, Bristol.
Archivesedit
Although many of the parish records of St Mary le Port church were destroyed when the church was bombed, some archive material is held at Bristol Archives (Refs. P. StMP) (online catalogue) and P.St JB/MLP (online catalogue) including copies of baptism, marriage and burial registers. The archive also includes records of the incumbent, churchwardens, parochial church council, charities and schools, plus deeds.
Clergy of St Mary-le-Port churchedit
The church's clergy have included:
William Waite, rector, born 1764, died 1842, dates at St Mary le Port unknown[8]
William Tandey, curate 1784–1799 (lived 1750–1832)[9]
James Marshall, rector 1842 – (born 23 February 1796, died 29 August 1855)[10]
Mr Thomas, rector, resigned 1857
Samuel Abraham Walker, rector 1857–1879 (born Dublin, 1809, died 30 November 1879) (source, The Gospel Magazine, January, 1880)
James Ormiston, rector 1880 (and as at the 1901 census) (previously at Old Hill, West Midlands; editor of The Gospel Magazine from 1895 to 1916)
William Dodgson Sykes, rector (as at 1940) (editor of The Gospel Magazine from 1964 to 1975)
– son of William Sykes (first President of the Sovereign Grace Union)
– Principal of the Bible Churchmen's Missionary and Theological College, later part of Trinity College, Bristol
^. Bristol City Council. Archived from the original on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 7 May 2007.
^Grubb, Sophie (19 October 2020). "What's happening with eyesore buildings at Castle Park as new owner named". Bristollive. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
^"West end of Castle Park". Bristol Civic Society. 17 May 2021. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
^"Churches". The Journal of the Church of England Continuing (2): 9. February 1996.
^. The Methodist Archives Biographical Index. University of Manchester John Rylands University Library. Archived from the original on 1 October 2011. Retrieved 29 June 2011.
^. The Methodist Archives Biographical Index. University of Manchester John Rylands University Library. Archived from the original on 1 October 2011. Retrieved 29 June 2011.
^"Scottish Ministers (Fasti Ecclesiae Scoticanae)". Archived from the original on 23 December 2012. Retrieved 29 June 2011.
^"Crosslinks home page". Crosslinks. Retrieved 29 June 2011.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to St Mary le Port Church, Bristol.
Details of clergy
"About Bristol" page
"Looking at Buildings" (Pevsner) page
BBC article on proposed 2005 development
January 01, 1970
mary, port, church, bristol, mary, port, ruined, parish, church, centre, bristol, england, situated, castle, park, what, remains, mary, port, street, mary, port, churchlocation, within, bristol, centralgeneral, informationtown, citybristolcountryenglandcoordin. St Mary le Port is a ruined parish church in the centre of Bristol England situated in Castle Park on what remains of Mary le Port Street St Mary le Port ChurchLocation within Bristol CentralGeneral informationTown or cityBristolCountryEnglandCoordinates51 27 17 N 2 35 30 W 51 4547 N 2 5916 W 51 4547 2 5916Completed15th centuryDemolished partially 24 November 1940 Contents 1 History 2 Archives 3 Clergy of St Mary le Port church 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksHistory editSt Mary le Port is said to have been founded in Saxon times after Anglo Saxon foundations were found during archaeological excavations 1 and Saxon pottery was found nearby 2 The church was rebuilt and enlarged between the 11th and 16th centuries During the 19th and early 20th centuries the church was a very popular centre of evangelical Protestant and Calvinist teaching within Anglicanism nbsp St Mary le Port Bristol by John Piper 1940 Tate N05718 The church was bombed in the Second World War on 24 November 1940 during the Bristol Blitz John Piper painted an evocative picture of the bombed St Mary le Port This image appears on the 1 6d British commemorative stamp part of a set of four paintings by British artists issued in 1968 All that remains of the church is the 15th century tower a Grade II listed building 3 and a Scheduled Ancient Monument 4 surrounded during the latter years of the 20th century by the incongruous modernist buildings of Norwich Union and the Bank of England which by the 2020s were both empty and had become semi derelict eyesores with further redevelopment proposed 5 6 After the bombing in 1940 the congregation and their rector William Dodgson Sykes moved to St John on the Wall Church where the congregation remained in gradually declining numbers till this church building was closed for worship by the Church Commissioners in 1984 after a protracted struggle by the congregation The remaining congregation then moved to the Chapel of Foster s Almshouses and joined the Church of England Continuing in 1995 7 The C of E Continuing no longer lists a congregation in Bristol some of the congregation joined with the new Free Presbyterian Church Ulster congregation in Horfield Bristol Archives editAlthough many of the parish records of St Mary le Port church were destroyed when the church was bombed some archive material is held at Bristol Archives Refs P StMP online catalogue and P St JB MLP online catalogue including copies of baptism marriage and burial registers The archive also includes records of the incumbent churchwardens parochial church council charities and schools plus deeds Clergy of St Mary le Port church editThe church s clergy have included William Waite rector born 1764 died 1842 dates at St Mary le Port unknown 8 William Tandey curate 1784 1799 lived 1750 1832 9 James Marshall rector 1842 born 23 February 1796 died 29 August 1855 10 Mr Thomas rector resigned 1857 Samuel Abraham Walker rector 1857 1879 born Dublin 1809 died 30 November 1879 source The Gospel Magazine January 1880 James Ormiston rector 1880 and as at the 1901 census previously at Old Hill West Midlands editor of The Gospel Magazine from 1895 to 1916 William Dodgson Sykes rector as at 1940 editor of The Gospel Magazine from 1964 to 1975 son of William Sykes first President of the Sovereign Grace Union Principal of the Bible Churchmen s Missionary and Theological College later part of Trinity College Bristol Bible Churchmen s Missionary Society now Crosslinks 11 Head of the Irish Church Missions dd See also editGrade II listed buildings in Bristol Churches in BristolReferences edit M Q Smith The Medieval Churches of Bristol University of Bristol Bristol branch of the Historical Association 1970 p 4 Bristol in the Early Middle Ages University of Bristol Bristol branch of the Historical Association 1971 p6 Historic England Tower of Church of St Mary le Port 1208338 National Heritage List for England Retrieved 22 March 2007 Scheduled Ancient Monuments in Bristol Bristol City Council Archived from the original on 30 September 2007 Retrieved 7 May 2007 Grubb Sophie 19 October 2020 What s happening with eyesore buildings at Castle Park as new owner named Bristollive Retrieved 30 October 2022 West end of Castle Park Bristol Civic Society 17 May 2021 Retrieved 30 October 2022 Churches The Journal of the Church of England Continuing 2 9 February 1996 Waddy Wrigley The Methodist Archives Biographical Index University of Manchester John Rylands University Library Archived from the original on 1 October 2011 Retrieved 29 June 2011 Tabb Tyerman The Methodist Archives Biographical Index University of Manchester John Rylands University Library Archived from the original on 1 October 2011 Retrieved 29 June 2011 Scottish Ministers Fasti Ecclesiae Scoticanae Archived from the original on 23 December 2012 Retrieved 29 June 2011 Crosslinks home page Crosslinks Retrieved 29 June 2011 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to St Mary le Port Church Bristol Details of clergy ChurchCrawler page detailed text amp many photos About Bristol page Looking at Buildings Pevsner page Tower of Church of St Mary le Port grade II listed from Images of England BBC article on proposed 2005 development Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title St Mary le Port Church Bristol amp oldid 1168469836, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
