St Bernard (R.C.)

SHIREHAMPTON

Bristol

For many years the absence of a Catholic church in the neighbourhood of Avonmouth Docks (opened 1887) meant that worshippers were faced with a long walk to the church of St Ursula's Convent in Westbury on Trym to attend mass. A mass centre was established at Shamrock Villa in the village of Shirehampton in 1901 and a site for a church was purchased a year later nearby on the corner of Pembroke Avenue and Station Road. By 1903 a church seating 65 people was opened, which is the present rather lengthy chancel. The architect was Edward Doran-Webb, from Salisbury.

By the mid 1920s the church was proving too small with the congregation overflowing outside. In 1928 construction of the nave was begun but funds ran out after four bays were built and a temporary wall and a wooden porch were erected at the west end in 1929. Bristol continued to extend into the surrounding countryside after the second world war and new churches were provided at Avonmouth (St Brendan) and Lawrence Weston (Our Lady of the Rosary) out of the parish of St Bernard. The final bay of the nave and Doran Webb's west tower were never built and in 1973 a new permanent porch was provided at the west end but sadly no window was opened in the "temporary" wall and gable above. Because of the new buildings in the parish, the debts of St Bernard were not finally cleared until 1982, and as is the custom of the Catholic church this meant at last the church could be consecrated, which took place on 24th June 1982.

The small picture above shows the pre-1973 (pre-Vatican II reordering) interior, with a marble altarpiece and hanging rood and figures whilst on the left is the interior as in Summer 2000.

Looking west from the current chancel, the need for something to break up the expanse of the west wall is felt all the more. A pretty organ case however stands to the south of the west door.

The chancel is left looking rather bare too, although obviously well-looked-after. The stained glass in the east window dates from 1903.

There are plans to hopefully complete the church at the west end to a new design. More on this if the diocese approve the plans.

Page updated 29th May 2009

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