Location : Home > Church History

HISTORY OF THE BUILDING

This site has been a place of Christian witness since, possibly, Roman times but the first church was built soon after 971 A.D. as one of the fifty or so churches that were built around the country dedicated to the memory of Swithin, Bishop of Winchester (852 - 862), after his relics were moved to his cathedral in that year.

The foundations of this first church lie beneath the walls, visible in the crypt, of the church of the medieval era, when Walcot was a hamlet outside the walls of Bath. It was taken within the enlarged city boundary in 1590. Later what had once been among the largest parishes in England was broken up by the creation of the neighbouring parishes of Holy Trinity, St. Paul's, St. Stephen's and St. Saviour's.

The Georgian Era

In the early Georgian era (1755 - 1775) the church was found to be too small for the increasing population and was demolished to make way for a new commission by John Palmer (who designed Lansdown Crescent). The new church was consecrated in 1777 and very soon, in 1788, extended eastwards to its present size. A classical spire, added in 1790 to the existing tower completed the present design. St. Swithin's became the parish church of Georgian Bath and remains today the only Georgian parish church in the Georgian city.

The Nineteenth Century

The Nineteenth Century saw the rich and famous worshipping at St. Swithin's, many of who are commemorated by plaques inside the church and around the Mortuary Chapel, (nearby on the east side of Walcot Street). This soon became full. A vaulted mausoleum (built between Church House and the end of the Paragon) was also soon filled. William Beckford's widow the Duchess of Hamilton, passed to the church, a tower with gardens on Lansdown hill, as a resting place for her husbands remains. The new Lansdown cemetery was opened in 1848.

Beckford's Tower, recently restored by the Bath Preservation Trust, and Lansdown Cemetery are both worth a visit. www.bath-preservation-trust.org.uk and follow the link.

The interior has undergone some changes. In 1841 the oriel window was inserted in the east wall showing a depiction of the Ascension.

In 1881 a serious landslip destroyed 175 houses opposite the church where Hedgemead Park is situated. The church building suffered too and had to be strengthened by longitudinal tie-bars. As a further precaution, the galleries were cut back from the pillars to their present position, except in the northeast corner above the clergy vestry.

In 1891, under the influence of the Evangelical Revival, the east end of the church was reordered. Pews were removed from the front to make space for choir-stalls on a raised chancel area (these have since been removed). The pulpit was brought forward to its present position.

The Twentieth Century

In the Twentieth Century the parish suffered considerably from bombs dropped on Bath during the last world war; several scars are still visible. In 1942 the east window was shattered. The glass commissioned to replace it maintains the Ascension theme. Walcot church itself is depicted at the feet of Christ in this picture. In 1951 the present communion table was introduced.

The exterior has benefited from careful recent attention. In the early 1990's the roof was renewed, the spire dismantled and rebuilt and the exterior stonework was cleaned and restored.

The Twenty-first Century

The 2006 renovations included the removal of most of our pews, and also the removal of the organ which was not as old as we first suspected. Disabled access was made via a ramp to the front door and an external path winding its way down to the crypt. An internal staircase now gives easy access to the crypt. The church was rewired fully redecorated and the sound system replaced, and of course the seating is now re-stackable chairs.

In 2007 the renovations to the crypt were completed. This entailed levelling the floor and improoving the kitchen, heating and lighting. The new internal stairway is also to be fitted with a stair lift for the disabled,shortly to be installed in 2008.

VISITING

The Parish Church St Swithin's is open to visitors from March until September, on wednesdays, between 11am and 3pm.

WALCOT NOTABLES

William Wilberforce. (1759-1833).

On 15 April 1797, William met Barbara Ann, eldest daughter of Isaac Spooner of Elmdon Hall, Warwickshire, a banker. Within a fortnight of their first meeting William had proposed. The couple were married in St Swithins, Bath on 30 May 1797. A copy of the marriage certificate is on display in the church. Their children were William (b 1798), Barbara (b 1799), Elizabeth (b 1801), Robert Isaac Wilberforce (b 1802), Samuel Wilberforce (b 1805) and Henry William Wilberforce (b 1807).

George Austen

Rev. George Austen (1731-1805), married his wife Cassandra (née Leigh), in St Swithin's, Bath. In 1775, Jane Austen was born at a rectory in Steventon, Hampshire, one of two daughters. Their sons, James and Henry followed in the path of their father and joined the clergy (the latter towards the end of his life after a successful career as a banker), while Francis and Charles both pursued naval careers.

In the South garden, through the railings can be seen, a stone bearing an inscription that records the fact that Rev. George Austen, one time curate in the parish, and father of the novelist Jane, was buried at Walcot Church. The date of 1894 on the stone suggests that this is a replacement and not the original stone.

Sir Edward Berry 1768-1831

Sir Edward was a friend of Lord Nelson. In 1796 he served under Nelson on HMS Agamennon. Later he fought in the Battle of the Nile which resulted in a knighthood on 12th December 1798. He also fought alongside Nelson in the Battle of Trafalgar (1805), being the Captain of HMS Agamennon, but this time without any distinction.

William Hoare

The famous painter

Le Comte D'Arblay

This is the husband of Madame Frances D'Arblay, otherwise known as Fanny Burney, authoress.

In the centre of the enclosed lawn on the ecclesiastical north of the building can be seen the cenotaph of Frances ("Fanny") Burney, the diarist, novelist and playwright, wife of the above mentioned, Le Comte D'Arblay.

Christopher Anstey

Bath poet and editor of 'New Bath Guide'.

Colonel Rupert Brooke

Governor of St. Helena.

Dr. Jerry Pierce

One of the founders of the Mineral Water Hospital (now RNHRD).

John Palmer

The architect and builder of this church