Church of St James, Kingswood
Encyclopedia
Holy Trinity Church, Kingswood , is an Anglican parish church in Kingswood
, South Gloucestershire
, England
.
Until the early 19th century Kingswood had no church of its own, and was served by the ancient parish of Bitton
four miles away. A church was considered an urgent requirement by Anglicans, as the area was a hot-bed of Nonconformity
with the Wesleyan
, Whitfield Tabernacle
and Moravian churches already in operation. The church was built within sight of all three and was given a tower so that it became more prominent than its neighbours.
It was one of the first churches built from funds voted by Parliament
to mark Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo
, and hence known as a "Waterloo Church". The foundation stone was laid by the Bishop of Gloucester
on 9 June 1819, but there followed a dispute over the title of the site which meant that building did not begin in earnest until 1820. The completed church was consecrated on 11 September 1821. The architect was James Foster
.
The church was damaged by fire in 1852 and the panelled ceiling in the nave was never replaced. The present chancel was added 1897-1900.
It has been designated by English Heritage
as a grade II* listed building.
Kingswood, South Gloucestershire
Kingswood is an urban area in South Gloucestershire, England, bordering the City of Bristol to the west. It is located on both sides of the A420 road, which connects Bristol and Chippenham and which forms the high street through the principal retail zone...
, South Gloucestershire
South Gloucestershire
South Gloucestershire is a unitary district in the ceremonial county of Gloucestershire, in South West England.-History:The district was created in 1996, when the county of Avon was abolished, by the merger of former area of the districts of Kingswood and Northavon...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Until the early 19th century Kingswood had no church of its own, and was served by the ancient parish of Bitton
Bitton
Bitton is a village and civil parish in South Gloucestershire, England, in the Greater Bristol area on the River Boyd.It is in the far south of the South Gloucestershire district, near the border with Bath and North East Somerset...
four miles away. A church was considered an urgent requirement by Anglicans, as the area was a hot-bed of Nonconformity
Nonconformism
Nonconformity is the refusal to "conform" to, or follow, the governance and usages of the Church of England by the Protestant Christians of England and Wales.- Origins and use:...
with the Wesleyan
Methodist Church of Great Britain
The Methodist Church of Great Britain is the largest Wesleyan Methodist body in the United Kingdom, with congregations across Great Britain . It is the United Kingdom's fourth largest Christian denomination, with around 300,000 members and 6,000 churches...
, Whitfield Tabernacle
Whitefield's Tabernacle, Kingswood
Whitefield's sometimes Whitfield's Tabernacle is a former Calvinistic Methodist and Congregational church in Kingswood, a town on the eastern edge of Bristol where George Whitefield preached in the open air to coal miners...
and Moravian churches already in operation. The church was built within sight of all three and was given a tower so that it became more prominent than its neighbours.
It was one of the first churches built from funds voted by Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
to mark Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo
Battle of Waterloo
The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815 near Waterloo in present-day Belgium, then part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands...
, and hence known as a "Waterloo Church". The foundation stone was laid by the Bishop of Gloucester
Bishop of Gloucester
The Bishop of Gloucester is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Gloucester in the Province of Canterbury.The diocese covers the County of Gloucestershire and part of the County of Worcestershire and has its see in the City of Gloucester where the seat is located at the Cathedral Church...
on 9 June 1819, but there followed a dispute over the title of the site which meant that building did not begin in earnest until 1820. The completed church was consecrated on 11 September 1821. The architect was James Foster
James Foster (architect)
James Foster was an English mason and architect in Bristol.He was initially a pupil and apprentice of Thomas Paty, working both as a stonemason and an architect but from about 1800 his practice became entirely architectural...
.
The church was damaged by fire in 1852 and the panelled ceiling in the nave was never replaced. The present chancel was added 1897-1900.
It has been designated by English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
as a grade II* listed building.
See also
- Churches in BristolChurches in BristolThe English city of Bristol has a number of churches.The churches listed are Anglican except when otherwise noted.- External links :*...
- Grade II* listed buildings in Bristol