| St James' Priory Church | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| 51°27′31″N 2°35′37″W / 51.458522°N 2.593669°W | |
| Location | Whitson Street, Horsefair, Bristol,  England |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Catholic |
| Previous denomination | Catholic, Anglican (until 1996)[1] |
| History | |
| Status | Priory church |
| Founded | c.1129 |
| Founder(s) | Robert Rufus |
| Dedication | St James |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade I listed |
| Style | Romanesque, Gothic |
| Groundbreaking | c.1129 |
| Completed | 1374, with alternations from the 15th, 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Stone |
| Bells | 10 |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Clifton |
Listed Building – Grade I | |
| Official name | Church of St James' Priory |
| Designated | 8 January 1959 |
| Reference no. | 1282067 |
The Priory Church of St James, Bristol (grid reference ST588734), is a Grade I listed building[2] in Horsefair, Whitson Street.
 | |
| Monastery information | |
|---|---|
| Order | Benedictine (until 1539); Little Brothers of Nazareth (1996–present) |
| Denomination | Catholic |
| Established | 1137 |
| Disestablished | 1540 |
| Reestablished | 1996 |
| Mother house | Tewkesbury Abbey |
| Dedicated to | Saint James the Greater |
| Controlled churches | The Priory Church of St James, Bristol |
| Architecture | |
| Status | Priory |
| Functional status | Active |
It was founded in 1129 as a Benedictine priory by Robert, Earl of Gloucester, the illegitimate son of Henry I. The early nave from 1129 survived the Dissolution of the Monasteries because an agreement in 1374 between the Abbot of Tewkesbury and the parishioners stated that the nave would become the parishioners responsibility,[3] and the tower was added around 1374. On 9 January 1540 the dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIII meant that St James Priory was surrendered to the crown. The priory buildings were demolished, keeping only the nave of the church. In 1543 the land and the right to hold a fair were sold to a London merchant-tailor.[4] In 1604 there was concern that the national attraction of St James' Fair would increase the spread of the plague, so a royal proclamation was issued prohibiting Londoners from attending.[4] The south aisle was widened and rebuilt in 1698. The porch dates from the late 18th century, and the north aisle was rebuilt in 1864.[2][5]
The traditional account, as told to John Leland,[4] has it that every tenth stone brought from Normandy to build the Castle was set aside to build the Priory.[6]
Before the recent restoration (see below) the building was on the Historic England Buildings at Risk Register and described as being in very bad condition.[7] However, substantial restoration and reordering work was completed in 2011 and as of 2014 St James Priory is not on the Heritage Buildings at Risk Register.[8][9]
Today, it is an active church within the Catholic Diocese of Clifton, which until 1996 was a Church of England place of worship.[1]
- ^ a b "Priory Church of St James". Dove's Guide for Bellringers. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
- ^ a b Historic England. "Church of St James (1282067)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 25 October 2006.
- ^ M Q Smith, "The Medieval Churches of Bristol", University of Bristol (Bristol Branch of the Historical Association), 1970, p5.
- ^ a b c Joseph Bettey, St James Fair Bristol 1137-1837, Avon Local History and Archaeology Society, 2014
- ^ Burrough, THB (1970). Bristol. London: Studio Vista. ISBN 0-289-79804-3.
- ^ Page, William. "Houses of Benedictine monks: The priory of St James, Bristol". British History Online. Victoria County History. Archived from the original on 13 July 2016. Retrieved 3 June 2017.
- ^ "St James Priory, Whitson Street". English Heritage Buildings at Risk Register. Retrieved 26 October 2007.
- ^ "Opening Doors St James Priory". Bristol Opening Doors. Retrieved 3 June 2017.
- ^ England, Historic. "Heritage at Risk 2014 Registers - Historic England". www.english-heritage.org.uk. Archived from the original on 4 February 2015.
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