# Whitfield Tabernacle



## Bishop (Aug 6, 2006)

Spotted this place out of the corner of my eye while driving through
Kingswood Bristol, its right on the main shopping street, small rusty
gates with an overgrown path to a church.

View through the gates.







I parked the car and considered climbing the gates on the main road
to gain access to the site, bit too public with a lot of cctv in the
area so I decided to have a walk around the block to see if I could
find an easier and more discrete way in?

Down the road and around the corner I found this which is the original
Whitfield Tabernacle building which dates from 1741, I didn't see the
programme but I believe it was mentioned on the BBC series Restoration
due to its grade 1 listing and terrible condition.






Just past the above building I found a gap in the hedgerow and squeezed
myself through to find myself in a large overgrown graveyard, so where
the hell was the building I'd see from the main road? After a fight through
nettles, brambles and fly tipped rubbish I eventually found the side of the
church its a much later buiding dating from 1851.






The original Tabernacle building of 1741 was extended in 1802 and 1830. However by the mid 19th Century the old meeting room was too small and outdated to accommodate the growing congregation and a new church was built nearby.

This was designed to Henry Masters and was completed in 1851. This served until 16th October 1983 when the Church was finally closed due to falling attendances.

The Tabernacle, Masters Church, Chapel House and associated Graveyard remain unused and are falling into disrepair. They are currently owned by the United Reformed Church.

The Tabernacle is Listed as a Grade 1 building and the Chapel House Grade II. This means that it is very important that they be retained for their architectural interest and also for their part in the Religious Revolution that changed the world.

Masters Church front.











Inside.






Its in a terrible state from arson and neglect, the floors completely screwed
and theres piles of minging pigeon shit everywhere. Graffiti on the pillars
and pretty much all of the windows are broken, I've been in quite a few
churches in my time but I didn't dig the vibe of this place so I didn't hang
about I just took a few pics and left, I will go back though I want a better
look around at all of the three buildings at this location.

Few more pics from inside the Masters Church.






















Next to the original Tabernacle building is the chapel house also
looking rather the worse for wear, I didn't attempt to gain access
to either the house or the original Tabernacle as they are a bit too
close to residential property. At some point I will have a go but it
will have to be first thing in the morning, both of these buildings
have sadly suffered from repeated arson attacks and I don't want
a concerned local calling the old bill on me.






Bishop


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## kongzi (Aug 6, 2006)

Nice work


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## Crisp Monster (Aug 6, 2006)

Thats top work mate, good pics and a nice write up. Shame about the graffiti, but I guess we have all seen worse. Site looks very atmospheric.


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## graybags (Aug 6, 2006)

I remember this from the First series of Restoration. The other South west buildings were Poltimore House and Arnos Vale.
Nice pics , Bishop
G


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## Bishop (Aug 6, 2006)

Thanks chaps. I've put a Whitfield Tabernacle gallery in the
Religious section of the galleries. I think I'll have a better
look around this location next week.

B of B


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## krela (Nov 29, 2006)

This is going to be turned into a trendy restaurant apparantly.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/bristol/6194404.stm


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## Lightbuoy (Nov 29, 2006)

Well done for spotting this one -shame it's being neglected  
Interesting background history too -good bit of bedtime reading is that!! 
Lb


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## smileysal (Jan 19, 2007)

Sorry to bump up an old thread, but, just wondered if they did turn it all into a trendy bar type place, or is it still there and still in the same kind of condition - ie, still derelict?


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## smileysal (Jan 19, 2007)

oh lord, don't know what ive done, but my new post is half way up the report.  sorry, please can you move it down to the bottom please. sorry again.


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## Bishop (Jan 19, 2007)

Sal wrote.



> Sorry to bump up an old thread, but, just wondered if they did turn it all into a trendy bar type place, or is it still there and still in the same kind of condition - ie, still derelict?



I keep meaning to go back to Whitfield Tabernacle for a better look around, I've
no idea if the re-development has started yet? Reckon I'll take another look at
this site next week.

B


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## smileysal (Jan 22, 2007)

Thanks bishop


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## Bishop (Jan 23, 2007)

Hey Sal thanks for the bump, I've been meaning to return to the
Whitfield tabernacle site for quite a while and to be honest it had
slipped my mind. Hopefully I'll have a look before the end of the
week, theres also a burnt out Methodist Chapel just along the
road with a large overgrown graveyard which I'll visit too if I've
enough time?

B


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## Foxylady (Mar 30, 2007)

Bishop;10047; said:


> Hopefully I'll have a look before the end of the
> week, theres also a burnt out Methodist Chapel just along the
> road with a large overgrown graveyard which I'll visit too if I've
> enough time?


Hi Bishop
Sorry to bump this yet again (having a boring Friday night so the :icon_evil is making work for idle hands! ), but did you check it by any chance? Love to see pics of the Chapel & graveyard.
Cheers
Foxy


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## King Al (Mar 30, 2007)

smileysal;9992; said:


> Sorry to bump up an old thread, but, just wondered if they did turn it all into a trendy bar type place, or is it still there and still in the same kind of condition - ie, still derelict?



It would be sad if they did, it makes you wonder what this country is coming to allowing a grade 1 listed building to get in that sort of state 

I look forward to hearing what became of it??


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## Bishop (Mar 30, 2007)

Freaky I was thinking about the Whitfield Tabernacle earlier today. There's a distinct chance I'll have a few hours to kill tomorrow morning/early afternoon so I may take a look? Just along the road roughly half a mile away is the shell of a Methodist Chapel with an overgrown graveyard, if I do have time tomorrow or perhaps on sunday then I will certainly try and visit both.

Ah I've just remembered another chapel I meant to visit. Crap. Ok I'll try and do all three tomorrow morning and post pics tomorrow night.

LocalLive birds eye view of Whitfield Tabernacle/Masters Church site.
http://maps.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&cp=sk9gf6gsr080&style=o&lvl=1&tilt=-90&dir=0&alt=-1000&scene=4247934

Burn out Methodist Chapel which I've been meaning to visit for about six months.
http://maps.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&cp=sk986ngsqjb1&style=o&lvl=2&tilt=-90&dir=0&alt=-1000&scene=4247951


Birds eye feature on LocalLive rocks you click on north, east etc to rotate the camera (I didn't know about this until Krela told me).

B


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## Bishop (Apr 1, 2007)

Whitfield Tabernacle update as requested.

Here's a pic of the Tabernacle building from June last year.






The original Tabernacle doesn't seem to be any different to when I last visited.

I did walk all the way around it looking for access but its secure which is good in some ways and bad in others (I want interior pics). Pics below taken yesterday.






Tabernacle roof.






Sign on the front of the Tabernacle.






Tabernacle side.






Tabernacle side and the expression 'No shit Sherlock!' springs to mind.






The back of the Tabernacle.






Side of the Tabernacle.






More to follow, namely the Church Warden's cottage, cemetery and the larger replacement for the tabernacle the Master's Church.

B


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## Bishop (Apr 1, 2007)

Walk up the road and swing a right and you're on to the High St, walk past a few absolutely appalling tat shops and you reach the gates to the replacement for the Whitfield Tabernacle, the Master's Church.

When I last visited the pathway to the church was heavily overgrown but now as you can see its been cleared.






Now if I was 50 years older...






View from the other side of the gates.






Parish notice board.






Front of the Master's Church.











Master's Church interiors next.

B


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## Bishop (Apr 1, 2007)

Master's Church interior.


























b


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## Bishop (Apr 1, 2007)

Cottage in the cemetery.









































b


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## Bishop (Apr 1, 2007)

The cemetery. There's more snaps in the Religious section of the galleries.






Robert Palmer? Oh a different one, I see...




























b


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## Foxylady (Apr 1, 2007)

Erm...just an observation, and I might be wrong, but I don't think that dolly is a toy. Had as close a look at the photo as much as poss. and it looks like a poppet, which was/is used for sympathetic magic in northern europe...a bit like a voodoo doll but can be used for good as well as harm. I've seen kits for making these things and the shape & material is the same, which made me wonder.
Cheers
Foxy


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## Bishop (Apr 1, 2007)

Nah its just a soft toy, note the label on its leg - its mass produced tat.

b


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## Foxylady (Apr 1, 2007)

Sorry about that...my mistake.  Didn't realise the tag was attached. Ooops! 
Cheers
Foxy


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