Christ Church with St Ewen, Bristol

Christ Church with St Ewen stands on Broad Street in Bristol, replacing an earlier medieval church. The present building was completed in 1791 after five years of construction. Its tower was designed by Thomas Paty, while his son William led the work on the main body. In 1883 Henry Williams carried out a Victorian restoration, including the entrance and interior. A 1973 restoration was led by the priest-in-charge, Rev. G. S. Zimmern. The church has a Grade II* listing and features quarter-boy figures on its tower clock. St Ewen’s Church once stood on the north-west corner of Broad Street. A charter from Archbishop Theobald, dated about 1141, confirms its early importance. The church was founded in the early 1100s and joined with Christ Church in 1790. Its vicar Matthew Hazzard and his wife Dorothy provided shelter for families travelling to America. The building was demolished in 1820 to make way for the enlarged Council House. The current Baroque church is built of Bath stone and shows William Paty’s design. Its interior follows the 1662 Book of Common Prayer with readings from the Authorised Version. The parish does not accept women priests and receives oversight from the Bishop of Oswestry. The tower clock’s automaton quarter-boys strike the hours. The building remains a landmark on Broad Street.