CLXIl ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



Thus it continued, an uncompleted structure for three hundred 

 years, — from 1542 to 1866, when was commenced that long-sustained 

 series of noble efforts, by means of which every missing part of the 

 structure has been supplied, and the whole stands forth a monument to 

 the patience, faith and generosity of the men of our own time. For 

 three hundred years Bristol had only half a cathedral, for sixty years she 

 has had only half a Bishop, having for so long had to share the honours 

 with Gloucester. The completion of the cathedral and its surroundings, 

 and the restoration of the bishopric, are almost simultaneous, and both 

 have been accomplished within the past thirty years. 



On all accounts it is titting that some reference should next be made 

 to the grandest of parish churches, our cherished St. Mary Eedcliffe. 

 Some idea of its magnitude and completeness may be gathered from a 

 glance at its ground plan. Especially by this means may its peculiarity be 

 realized as a church within a church ; the spacious transepts being 

 ecclesiastically complete in themselves by the addition of their own side 

 aisles. Either from the transepts or the west end, the view obtained of 

 the combinations of ai'chitecturaL features is exceedingly striking. But 

 beyond the splendid architecture, it will be found that there are histor- 

 ical and biographical links which specially connect St. Mary Eedcliffe 

 with the Bristol of the fifteenth century. It appears that while the 

 lower poi'tion of the tower was probably the work of the elder William 

 Canynge in 1376, the upper portion was not completed till the earl 3' part 

 of the fifteenth century. If so, it occupied its exalted position only fora 

 short time, as in 1445 the upper part, for about one-third of the entire 

 height, or a hundred feet was thrown down, and crashed through the nave 

 and aisles below. There is an amusing reference to this event in an ancient 

 parchment chronicle, to the following effect : '• 1445. This year Ked- 

 cliff steeple was thrown down with thunder, and did much hurt in divers 

 places ; " while another chronicle varies the language but professes to re- 

 cord the same extraordinary phenomenon in these words: " This j-ear 

 Redclifïe steeple /e// doicn with a thunderclap, and did much harm in many 

 places." As far back as the period with which we are dealing, therefore, 

 the spire of the church presented the truncated appearance which it 

 retained until quite a recent date. After so remaining for four hundred 

 years, in 1872, on May 10th, the upper stage of this magnificent spire was 

 again completed. 



Bristol is a place in which many ancient customs still survive, notwith- 

 standing the utilitarian spirit of the age. One of the most interesting of 

 these is the annual visit of the mayor and corporation to St. Mary Eed- 

 cliffe church on Whit Sunday. The custom dates back to the very 

 period we ai-e dealing with, for it was in 1494 that one Wm. Mede gave a 

 house, the rent of which was to pay for the Pentecostal sermon in the 

 presence of the civic dignitaries, and for strewing the floor of the 



