St Stephen's Church, Bristol, England United Kingdom

St Stephen’s Church is the ancient parish church of the city built with assistance from the Benedictine monks in Glastonbury in 1247.

The building includes some important monuments that tell the story of Bristol’s link with discovery and trade. The tomb of Edmund Blanket, a wool trader, is thought to have given the name to the blanket bed-covering.

Known as the ‘harbour church’ from the days when ships tied up in what is now Colston Avenue, St Stephen’s Church has welcomed and blessed travellers and traders over centuries. The tower is 15th century and a local landmark standing higher than most in the country. The Ancient Society of St Stephen’s Ringers continues to be a generous patron to the fabric from before 1620.

St Stephen’s Church is now experiencing a programme of new vision, reaching out to the life of the city with a team seeking expressions of spirituality through the arts, work and creation/environment and leading to a community of liturgy and learning known as critical mass.