Hillsfield Park Baptist Park is located within the Hillsfield Park complex about a 20minute walk…read morefrom Fishponds. The exterior isn't too impressive, with a dated modern building and some very daunting barbed wire at the entrance. The door has large black bars in front of it, which again can be quite off putting. Inside, the building is a bit more welcoming. There is a fairly large communal area used for worship and a couple of smaller rooms. There are regular services every Sunday, Monday, Tuesday Wednesdays and Fridays at various times. On Sundays is a traditional worship session in the morning, and also an evening worship commencing at 6.30pm. Mondays there is a Bible Youth meeting at 8.30pm, Tuesdays there is a Luncheon Club, and also Prayer meeting at 7.30pm, and finally on Fridays there is a morning session at 9am in the park and a Youth Club in the evenings.

I'm not one to preach, but this lovely non-denominational Christian church is a spectacular…read morebuilding in Clifton. If religion is your thing and you're a young person looking to get involved in friendly bibled-based activities, then Woodlands might be for you. They hold a wide range of events for students. They're modern in attitude and style and have a community of around 800 worshippers. Pop along for the popular weekly lunches held between lectures on a variety of interesting subjects - religious, educational, philosophical. There's enough food for an army at bargain basement prices, and you might leave feeling spiritually nourished too, if that's your sort of thing.

This is such a funny church. Every year they have a BBQ during freshers week you pay a pound and…read morethey feed you with burgers sausages, biscuits and cakes. Great?! Only however if you get there early they place is so full by 12 that it is unlikely that you will be able to get plate. This is all part of a movement to reach out to the students that walk past their door every day, and i think it works. It is an amazing building too, with the main church and a more modern crypt beneath it.

As fine an example of English Gothic as you are likely to find anywhere in Britain, it's hard to…read morebelieve that this imposing edifice is a parish church and not a cathedral. It totally dominates the area and its spire can be seen miles away. There is a lot of history here, which I didn't have time to explore thoroughly as I was mainly interested in the architecture. I was looking for a particular roof boss of a labyrinth (which is in the north aisle if you're wondering), but there's lots of other interesting things to see. I liked the water balance sculpture in the north transept, where a flow of water can tip a balance scale either way at random intervals, thus demonstrating chaos theory according to the blurb. Lots of other interesting carvings and wonderful roof bosses,nterestingly mostly in the north aisle. Also look out for the rusting iron tramline rail in the grounds, which was thrown over the adjacent houses in a bomb blast during WW2 and has been left in the ground here where it landed - a very sobering reminder of the Blitz.

In 1574, no less a person than Queen Elizabeth I is reputed to have declared the church of St Mary,…read moreRedcliffe to be the "fairest, goodliest and most famous parish church in England." And who can argue with that? The church owes its existence to the merchants who made Bristol a major mediaeval trading centre. Here, wines from France, sherry from Spain and port from Portugal was imported. Later, it was a major port for the New world, with tobacco and, less happily, the slave trade adding to its wealth. Although begun in the 12th century, the merchants paid for the church to be rebuilt in the English gothic perpendicular style in the 15th century, delivering a series of vast stone vaults, filled with light from huge panel windows. Even the transepts have vaulted aisles. The result is a church of larger and more impressive proportions than many a cathedral. Seen from outside, the tower (at 292ft (90m), it is the second highest parish tower in England), soars among the modern offices that surround it. The double porch, dating from the mid-14th century, is a marvel of gothic decorated architecture. The outer porch, with its seven-pointed arch, has a distinctly moorish feel, doubtless reflecting the travels of its benefactors abroad. Besides the architecture, the interior also has much of interest, particularly the various tombs, brasses and memorials. These include a number connected with the New World: Sir William Penn, father of the founder of Pennsylvania is buried here; and a whalebone, presented by John Cabot, after returning from his voyage to Newfoundland in 1497, hangs on a wall. Part of its glory is found by looking upwards: the roof contains over 1,200 decorated bosses where the ribs cross and intersect. The church has a cafe in the crypt open 10-16h, serving snacks and lunches. Music is also important to the church, whose impressive choir produces its own CDs. The website has German, French and Dutch language versions. *************************** Photos added 29-01-2008

Ebenezer Evangelical Church is a thriving church in Horfield. It now meets in Monks Park School @…read more1030hrs every Sunday morning - it has a real cross section of punters from young families, lots of students, right through to those that have attended for donkeys years! It is an evenagelical church with solid bible based teaching, but don't expect prayer hymn sandwiches, sunday best clobber or smelly incense.