APRIL 2025

Tucked away in the Redcliffe area of Bristol lie the evocative ruins of the Church of the Holy Cross, once the base of the Knights Templar in the city. Although now a shell—damaged during the Bristol Blitz of World War II—the site remains rich in history. Excavations have revealed the footings of the original round Templar church, still visible today and offering a rare glimpse into their medieval presence.

The Templars first came to the site around 1140, after receiving land from Robert of Gloucester. They built a small house and an oval-shaped church measuring approximately 50 by 30 feet—resembling the design of their structure at Dover. Over time, the complex grew. By 1299, a chapel dedicated to St. Katherine was reportedly in use alongside the original church’s small chancel.

While there has been some debate as to whether the Bristol site functioned as a full Preceptory or was managed from other centers like Templecombe or Temple Guiting, its scale and strategic importance strongly suggest it was a major base. Bristol, after all, was England’s second-largest port—only behind London—and served as a key embarkation point for crusaders and pilgrims. Trade, finance, and maritime activity thrived here, and it’s easy to imagine Templar ships carrying goods, money, and pilgrims to and from Europe and the Holy Land.

Evidence of the Templars’ deep-rooted influence in Bristol lingers in the city’s geography. Street names like Temple Gate, Temple Back, Temple Court, and Temple Bridge all point to the presence of a sizable Templar estate. There is even speculation that their ships may have passed Lundy Island in the Bristol Channel—a small outcrop gifted to the order by Henry II around 1154—though the exact use and presence of the Templars on the island remains uncertain.

Following the suppression of the order in 1312, their lands in Bristol were transferred to the Knights Hospitaller in 1313. By then, the Church of the Holy Cross had become the parish church for the area known as Temple Fee. Around this time, work began on reconstructing the church in a rectangular layout, which was completed in 1460. However, due to miscalculations in building on marshland, the west tower developed a dramatic lean—one of its most distinctive features.

A rare and tangible relic from this era—a medieval chandelier that survived the wartime bombing—now hangs in Bristol Cathedral, a symbol of the church’s storied past.

Though the church stands in ruins today, it is carefully maintained by English Heritage and is free for the public to visit. It offers a fascinating, atmospheric reminder of the Templars’ enduring impact on Bristol and their wider legacy in Britain.

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