Fears medieval crypt will be lost without repairs
BBCA medieval treasure in the heart of Bristol could be lost for good if urgent repairs are not completed, fundraisers say.
Keeper of the St John on the Wall Crypt Sarah Rogers said the Grade I building was a "special place" with rich history, but it was under a lot of pressure from the city above.
"We've got the whole weight of this old city literally bearing down on this crypt and we have some real deterioration going on," she said. It is estimated that £133,000 would need to be raised to repair and stabilise the structure.
"People have worshipped here for hundreds of years and it's still standing - we need to make sure it's preserved," Rogers added.
The building in Broad Street is cared for by the Churches Conservation Trust, which has launched an appeal to fund repairs it said were "vital" in ensuring the site's future.
"We need your help to conserve this medieval gem, because the delicate arches of the crypt are bowing and cracking under the weight of the church and require intervention," a spokesperson for the trust said.
They described the crypt as a "gateway to the past" and Rogers explained some of its history.
"During the Civil War, they kept prisoners in here, in the Victorian times markets were held down here and during World War II, they used it as an air raid shelter," she said.
"So it's been used for lots of things and it's really suffered as a result. It's a really fragile and special place. This is really rich history in the heart of Bristol," Rogers continued.
The original 14th Century church - named St John the Baptist - has a tower and steeple which sit atop St John's Gate - Bristol's last remaining city gateway.
Its ancient clocktower features stone statues of the legendary founders of Bristol - Brennus and Belinus.
And the crypt itself holds several substantial tombs, with an estimated 200 bodies beneath its flagstones dating back some 650 years.
"It's a treasure and we need money to urgently fix this, our beloved crypt, because if it isn't saved, it'll be gone forever," Rogers said.
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