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The
Church
At the beginning of the 19th century, Fishponds
had no place of worship though it was part of the Anglican parish
of Holy Trinity, Stapleton. In 1806, the Anglican Church
bought an acre of land near the Lower Fishpond, to be used as an
overflow to Stapleton churchyard and it was decided, in 1820, to
build a Chapel of Ease to the Parish Church on this same land,
chiefly to accommodate those who were housed in the Fishponds
Workhouse. It was called Trinity Chapel, and was consecrated
on 31st August 1821.
At that time, it consisted of a rectangular nave
to seat about 550, with a gallery at the west end for 142,
including children and 'cello to lead the singing. At
the east end was a tiny chancel and three-decker pulpit The
entrance with porch was in the south wall of the nave.
By the 1860s, the population of Fishponds had
increased considerably and it was formed into a parish in its own
right on 14th December 1869, Trinity Chapel then becoming the
Parish Church of St Mary (the Virgin).
The tiny chancel was demolished and replaced by a
much larger chancel and sanctuary with choir stalls, the width of
the nave, an organ being installed in the same area. There
is also a tower and spire at the west end with main west doors.
The gallery and south porch were demolished and the south
door blocked up.
The north aisle and sacristy were added in 1902,
the former having an altar dedicated to St Aidan. A choir
vestry was built on to the sacristy in 1927. A chapel
dedicated to St Nicholas was created on the south side of the
church and here the Blessed Sacrament is reserved. The organ
became electronic in 1939 and the pipes were moved to the west end
of the church.
The choir vestry was destroyed by arsonists on the
night of 17th/18th December 1992 and, on rebuilding, became a
parish room with a second parish room built above the sacristy.
The north west corner of the church was then made into the choir
vestry.
See the Article: A
visit to Fishponds Church in 1847
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