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A brief history of St. Werburgh’s Church.

The original church of St Werburgh, of medieval origin, stood in Corn Street, Bristol. It was rebuilt by architect and civil engineer James Bridges (1725-1763) during 1758-61 much of the stone of the old church was reused. The parish it served was quite small and the building caused the road to narrow and this proved difficult for wider horse drawn carriages and carts to navigate, resulting in congestion and traffic jams.

Following the obtaining of an act of parliament enabling the church to close, the last service being conducted on 12 August 1877. It was then carefully demolished and the stones numbered before being transported to the new site in Mina Road. During the removal of the church 100 coffins and 40 bone chests were uncovered these were reburied at Greenbank Cemetery. The tower of this church is the original medieval one.

It was reconsecrated at its new location with the first service being held on 30 September 1879. The church held its last service on Remembrance Sunday in 1988, after which it was de-consecrated and converted into Bristol's first indoor climbing centre. It was after the construction of the church that the area changed its name from Ashley Vale to St. Werburgh’s, although it doesn’t have any official boundaries. Incidentally the road called Lower Cheltenham Place was originally called Ashley Vale, that is where my grandmother was born in 1888. The area was historically prone to serious flooding from the River Frome, notably in 1882 and 1889, there are still four Victorian flood marker posts, one being outside The Miners Arms (public house) in Mina Road, It was also a source of water supply for the city of Bristol through the Quay Pipe and The Boiling Wells.