News / college green
‘Hidden’ church in city centre reopens to visitors
St Mark’s Church, better known as the Lord Mayor’s Chapel, was built in the 13th century as part of the Hospital of St Mark.
Following Henry VIII’s dissolution of the monasteries, the chapel was bought by the Bristol Corporation and since 1722 has been the official place of worship of Bristol’s lord mayor.
Now in the care of Bristol Cathedral, the Lord Mayor’s Chapel on College Green is opening to visitors on Friday costing £3 for adults, £2 for NHS and Armed Forces personnel, and £1 for children under 16, with tickets valid for a full year for unlimited return visits.
is needed now More than ever
The Lord Mayor’s Chapel is the sole remaining building of the 13th century Hospital of St Mark, founded by St Augustine’s Abbey (the forerunner of Bristol Cathedral) and later an independent religious community which provided food for 100 poor people per day – photo: Barbara Evripidou
Dean of Bristol, Dr Mandy Ford, said: “We are delighted to be playing our part in preserving and sharing this beautiful chapel for the benefit of the whole city of Bristol.
“We look forward to welcoming visitors, pilgrims, tourists and worshippers to enjoy this special place.”
Bristol Cathedral visitor experience director, Frances Rosewell, added: “I am pleased that we are able to once again welcome everyone to this incredible space and look forward to sharing stories from the Chapel’s rich history with visitors from all over the world.”
A side chapel with a fan vaulted ceiling and ornate Spanish tiled floor – photo: Bristol Cathedral
After the dissolution of the monasteries in 1539, St Mark’s Hospital and its lands were purchased by the Bristol Corporation (the forerunner of the city council) and were used first for Queen Elizabeth Hospital School and later for Red Maids School.
In 1687, the chapel became a place of worship for Huguenots who had fled persecution in France. They used the building until 1722 when the Corporation decided to make the chapel their official place of worship following a dispute with the cathedral.
Inside, its nave, chancel and sanctuary date from 1230 – with the nave’s ceiling particularly striking.
Other aspects to look for include two beautiful side chapels, with the Jesus Chapel’s floor laid with 16th century Spanish tiles and St Andrew’s Chapel including the effigies of two unknown knights, perhaps the founders of the original hospital.
In 1822, the west window was removed from the Lord Mayor’s Chapel in order to be replaced. The original window was purchased by John Cave of Brentry House and rebuilt into a romantic Gothic folly.
Main photo: Martin Booth
Read next:
- The church hidden above the shops
- 26 historic photos of College Green
- The history behind Bristol’s stained glass windows
- The few remains of Bristol Castle still within Castle Park
Listen to the latest Bristol24/7 Behind the Headlines podcast:
Our top newsletters emailed directly to you
