A historic church in the city centre of Bristol will undergo a major project to repair its roof, more than 20 years after it was recommended to be done. The All Saints Church, on Corn Street, will be subject to roof and gutter improvements after the gutters were deemed to not comply with current standards.
The church is one which is largely forgotten about despite many Bristolians passing it everyday when walking by the Corn Exchange. The church is Grade II* listed and has roots dating back to the 12th century but is more known for who is buried there rather than its architecture or its significance.
But the question that is being asked currently is whether the church could be reopened to the public in the long run following the repairs, as the place of worship has not been open to the public since 1984. The situation regarding the burial and monument of Edward Colston has so far limited the future use of the church.
So why does the church matter and why are the roof repairs a glimmer of hope to reopening the church?
What is the All Saints Church?
The All Saints Church has been gated off and remains shut to the public even after over 40 years.
(Image: PAUL GILLIS / Reach PLC)
The All Saints Church is a 12th century church that is situated on the corner of Corn Street, All Saints Lane and High Street. The main feature of the church is the Baroque tower built between 1712 and 1717 which rises into the sky.
The two westernmost bays of the nave stem from 1140, although are restored. Over the many centuries of the church’s existence, parts of the church would be added on, including some of the north and south aisles (early 15th century), the west front (rebuilt in 1835) and the east window (re-glazed in 1949 as a war memorial).
The church would be restored in the 1980s and converted to form a Diocesan Resource Centre. This would close in 2013.
But during the 1400s, it was the UK’s first ‘public’ library. In 1464, a library was built in the north aisle and a deed meant that those who wished to study could get free access to it. Just two years later though, a fire would damage all the books.
It is now run by the All Saints Church Lands Charity. Whilst the church remains vacant, it is still used by St Nicholas’ Alpha Church for children’s services.
The interior inside the All Saints Church.
(Image: DHV Architects)
The Nave looking to the west.
(Image: DHV Architects)
Why are the repairs needed?
It should be noted that the roof and gutter improvements do not need planning permission from Bristol City Council as the Church of England has an exemption. But stainless steel handrails, which are needed to be installed for the repairs to happen, require consent.
The existing roofs are described as “quite steep” and there is a “risk of falling from the roof”. This is compounded by the need for gutter heights to be increased, which in short will increase the risk of falling over the roof edge.
Alongside handrails, the project will replace modern polycarbonate protections for a stained-glass window with PPC plastic external grilles. The repairs will take place in spring and summer 2025.
Concerns were raised in 2001 regarding the roof and gutter work, which was estimated to cost £100,000 back then. Despite a further inspection in 2014, which also recommended work should be undertaken, work has not been carried out.
It was in 2023 where the roof was re-surveyed. According to the design and access statement: “At this point further deterioration had occurred and additional work was recommended, all gutters were recommended for re-leading at this point. Recently, water leakage into the church has been reported.”
Why is the church controversial?
Edward Colston’s monument within the church has limited the future use of the church.
It is no secret that the church has been closed to the public for more than 40 years now. However, any attempts to re-open the historic building could be met with some controversy because of the influence of Edward Colston.
Edward Colston lies buried in the church, even if this remains debated. But we do know that a vault contained members of his family inside the church, described as a “large dresser tomb” within a planning document.
Located inside the church, a monument to Colston was designed in 1729, eight years after his death. The design and access statement makes reference to this, calling it a “now somewhat controversial monument”.
In June 2020, the Edward Colston statue was dragged off its plinth within the city centre and thrown into the Floating Harbour during a Black Lives Matter protest. Following this, references to Colston were removed at Bristol Cathedral and St Mary Redcliffe.
So could the church open once again?
This is not a straightforward answer. The repairs would suggest that it could be possible for the church to reopen to the public, considering that it is technically still in use today.
However, the controversy surrounding Colston and his various references to All Saints Church does hamper chances of the place of worship hosting the public. It is something that the Diocese recognises.
The Diocese said in 2020: “The presence of his grave and tomb has been of concern to us and a limiting factor in terms of the future use of this church for some time. Unlike other Victorian memorials to Colston in the city, these were erected directly following his death in the 1720s.
“We need to think very carefully about what can be done with them and the building itself. We would like to engage in conversations and consultation with people in the city including historians, black community leaders and others.
“Whatever we decide to do must be a positive step forward in the current debate. We have not ruled anything out at this stage but we want to proceed both with care and purpose.”
It does appear that there is still a chance of the historic church welcoming people in once again as it has not been ruled out. But it is a delicate situation which requires a lot of thought and a lot of hard discussions before anything can be said of its future.