Temple Church | London, England

Temple Church is a site you don't just stumble upon. You have to plan out your visit and boy, do I mean plan. With odd opening hours and a maze of streets to conqueror, getting to the church itself is a hell of a task. Before this particular visit, I had tried to visit the church a total of THREE times. THREE TIMES! All of which ended in defeat. This time however, I planned ahead and checked their website to make sure I wouldn't be disappointed once again. 

Built in the 12th century by the Knights Templar, Temple Church acted as the Templar headquarters in England until the 14th century. The circular design of the nave was a common feature in Templar architecture, as it recreated the building that stood ontop 

After the fall of the Knights Templar, Temple Church was transformed into an educational institute for lawyers, and is still used today as the Inner and Middle Temples of the association of barristers. The church itself was heavily bombed during World War II. 

Although the church was beautiful, and it was fascinating to see some effigies of Templar Knights, the fuss to get to Temple Church kind of put off my experience. Can't win them all.

Happy Friday!
xoxo

Which movie used Temple Church as the setting of a shoot out? 

Temple Church | Bristol, England

Like most places with the word 'Temple' in the title, Temple Church in Bristol was founded by the Knights Templar in the 12th century. The original building was an oval shape, similar to Temple Church in London. However, after falling into ruin, the current building was constructed in the 14th century. The church itself was built on marshy ground, resulting in the tower to lean on a 5 foot slant.

In 1778, an exorcism was performed inside the church. If there's one thing that absolutely frightens me to the core, it's exorcisms, so we'll discuss that no further. 

During World War II, Bristol was the fifth most heavily bombed city in the UK due to its active harbour and airplane manufacturing company. On the 24 and 25 of November 1940, Temple Church was bombed, leaving only the exterior standing. The interior of the building is still considered unsafe, thus visitors are only allowed access to the surrounding grounds. 

Temple Church is a short walk away from Temple Meads Train Station and is perfect for a quick visit! The Gardens surrounding the church are beautiful and quiet, so bring a book and enjoy the scenery! 

Notice the slant of the tower?
Happy Monday!
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Medieval Church | Broomfield, Somerset

On my visit to Somerset, I was lucky enough to be accompanied by one of my history professors and a fellow history MA student. Knowing my speciality is medieval history, my professor made us stop at St. Mary with St. Leonard, a medieval church located in Broomfield, Somerset. 

The church was first built by the Romans. A small portion of the church still stands from the original Roman building. Major additions to the church were made in the 12th, 14th, and 15th century. Unfortunately, due to the uneasy years of the Commonwealth in the 17th century, the church began to crumble and fall. By 1870 however, the church had begun a restoration process, returning to its full glory.

I couldn't get over the tranquility I felt while wandering around the grounds.
Broomfield was the polar opposite of Bristol. There were no cars, no buses, and no kids running around screaming. I'm a city girl, and although I found rural Somerset to be relaxing, I was happy to come back to the hustle and bustle of Bristol.

My trip to Broomfield was the first of a few day trips I have planned out before Christmas. If you have any suggestions of places I just have to visit, let me know!

Happy Tuesday!
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Christ Church Cathedral | Dublin, Ireland

Who loves afternoon strolls through thousand year old churches? This girl does!

During my trip to Ireland I spent a fair bit of time walking past Christ Church Cathedral. Located between our AirBnB and Temple Bar, Christ Church was the most prominent landmark I would pass. It was a couple days into my trip before I decided to actually buy tickets. As much as I love exploring European Churches (you can see more of my adventures here and here), I'm not always willing to pay. However, I decided to sacrifice a couple of euros in the name of history!

Christ Church Cathedral is unique in several ways. For starters, it was largely restored and expanded by the Victorians. Much of what you see today is Victorian handiwork. However, the church's history dates back to 1030 after King Sihtrygg Silkbeard (real name, I swear) went on a pilgrimage to Rome. The church was stripped of many of its belongings during the reign of Henry VIII, however most of these items were restored thanks to Mary I.

Christ Church Cathedral is also home to one of the largest crypts in both Ireland and the UK. While it has been largely renovated unlike Gloucester Cathedral's famous crypt, this crypt is home to some fascinating pieces of sculpture that are kept underground for safe storage. 

The famous "Cat & Rat" who became mummified after climbing into the cathedral's organ.

What are some of your favorite churches in Europe?

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4 Must-See Churches in Bristol, England

Bristol is home to a lot of attractions. From ships to suspension bridges, its easy to get overwhelmed by the amount to see in this vibrant city. One of my favorite things to do in any new city I visit is spend time in its churches. Churches can tell you a lot about the city's history: the way the city was once laid out, the popular architecture of the time, even how large the city was hundreds of years ago! 

If you ever have the chance to visit Bristol, here are 4 must-see churches! Not only pretty, they are also are the most historically significant building in the city!

1 | BRISTOL CATHEDRAL

Admission: Free

Time Suggested: 2 Hours

Must See & Why: Eastern Lady Chapel as it is painted to reflect the medieval tradition of how churches looked.

My Post: To see a previous post on Bristol Cathedral, click here

2 | ST. MARY REDCLIFFE

Admission: Free

Time Suggested: 2 Hours

Must See & Why: The Lady Chapel, as it is a beautiful place to sit and admire.

My Post: To see a previous post on St. Mary Redcliffe, click here

3 | TEMPLE CHURCH

Admission: Free

Time Suggested: 1 Hour

Must See & Why: The surrounding gardens, as you can not actually enter this ruined church.

My Post: To see a previous post on Temple Church, click here

4 | St. JOHN THE BAPTIST

Admission: Free

Time Suggested: 45 Minutes

Must See & Why: The crypt, which is home to some of Bristol's most important tombs.

My Post: To see a previous post on St. John the Baptist, click here

Further Advice: This church is not open on a regular basis. Best to call ahead and ask when it will be open. 

Happy Monday!

xoxo

Church of St. John the Baptist | Bristol, England

On a fairly warm afternoon, I was having a stroll around the Old City, looking for a coffee shop that supposedly has the best coffee in town (a post on that to come). I accidentally made a turn onto the wrong street, only to realize that St. John the Baptist Church was open. I had been inside once before, only because I was lucky enough to be at the right place at the right time. Run completely by volunteers, St. John the Baptist Church is only open when a volunteer is able to take some time out of their day to watch over it. 

During the construction of the medieval wall, five churches were built to act as gates for the city of Bristol. St. John's Gate is the only remaining gate today. It is believed Queen Elizabeth I entered Bristol through this gate during her visit to Bristol. 

Because I was the only visitor (besides a very chatty man who knew 'absolutely everything about medieval Bristol'), the volunteer showed us the bell tower and the crypt. The bell tower is still in use today, despite the fact there are no longer church services held in St John. The crypt is home to tombs of famous medieval Bristolians, such as the mayor of Bristol in 1479. 

Happy Thursday!
xoxo