Central Quaker Meeting House
| Central Quaker Meeting House | |
|---|---|
Central Quaker Meeting House in 2025 | |
| 51°27′29″N 2°34′57″W / 51.45816°N 2.58239°W | |
| Address | Champion Square, St Jude's, Bristol BS2 9DB |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Religious Society of Friends |
| Religious institute | Bristol Area Meeting |
| History | |
| Former name(s) | Friars Meeting House |
| Founded | 1962 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
Central Quaker Meeting House is a purpose-built Quaker meeting house in Champion Square,[note 1] St Jude's, Bristol, England. Completed in 1962 to replace the 18th-century Quakers Friars meeting house, it remains the principal place of worship for Central Bristol Quakers and is regularly used for community welfare projects.[1]
History
Background
Bristol's first purpose-designed meeting house was erected in 1670 on the former Dominican friary site now known as Quakers Friars. That building was replaced in 1747–49 by a larger classical meeting house which served the Quakers until the mid-20th century, when Bristol City Council acquired the premises for redevelopment of Broadmead as the city's new shopping district.[2] In 1956, Bristol Friends accepted municipal compensation and began planning the new meeting house on River Street.[3]
Design and construction
Work on the new building was nearing completion by April 1962.[4] The meeting house occupies the former burial ground, cleared in 1932, and stands next to the Grade II listed Quaker workhouse, now the New Street Flats. It is an L-shaped, single-storey building faced in buff brick with a pantile roof; the main range contains the meeting room, ancillary spaces and a small courtyard garden.[5] The building was formally opened on 5 May 1962.[1]
Subsequent development
Minor internal alterations to improve access were undertaken in 1994–95, and refurbishment in 2014–15.[5] Since 2017 its hall has accommodated a part of the 365 night shelter for rough sleepers, while during the COVID-19 pandemic it functioned as a field kitchen supplying daily meals to homeless people housed in emergency hotel accommodation.[6][7]
See also
Notes
- ^ Since redevelopment of River Street in conjunction with the Cabot Circus development, the meeting house was re-addressed to Champion Square.
References
- ^ a b "Quakers open new meeting hall". Bristol Evening Post. 7 May 1962. p. 2. Retrieved 4 July 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Simpson, Margaret H. (1955). "Bristol Friends and the Friars Meeting House". Journal of the Friends Historical Society. 47: 17–34.
- ^ Mortimer, Russell (1967). Early Bristol Quakerism: The Society of Friends in the City 1654-1700 (PDF). Local History Pamphlets. Bristol Branch of the Historical Association. p. 22.
- ^ Thomas, A. H. R. (7 April 1962). "A new home: Quakers' premises open soon". Bristol Evening Post. p. 4. Retrieved 4 July 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b Derrick, Andrew (18 August 2017). Friends Meeting House, Central Bristol: Historic Building Record (Report). Architectural History Practice. pp. 3–6. doi:10.5284/1041062.
- ^ "Central Bristol Quakers feed homeless". Quakers in Britain. 2 April 2020. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
- ^ "Why I volunteer at the 365 shelter". St Mungo's. 21 November 2017. Retrieved 4 July 2025.