The Former Quaker Meeting House
THE FORMER QUAKER MEETING HOUSE, THE FRIARY BUILDING, QUAKERS FRIARS, BS31 3DF
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- I
- List Entry Number:
- 1202463
- Date first listed:
- 08-Jan-1959
- List Entry Name:
- The Former Quaker Meeting House
- Statutory Address:
- THE FORMER QUAKER MEETING HOUSE, THE FRIARY BUILDING, QUAKERS FRIARS, BS31 3DF
Location
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Official list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- I
- List Entry Number:
- 1202463
- Date first listed:
- 08-Jan-1959
- List Entry Name:
- The Former Quaker Meeting House
- Statutory Address 1:
- THE FORMER QUAKER MEETING HOUSE, THE FRIARY BUILDING, QUAKERS FRIARS, BS31 3DF
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- THE FORMER QUAKER MEETING HOUSE, THE FRIARY BUILDING, QUAKERS FRIARS, BS31 3DF
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- District:
- City of Bristol (Unitary Authority)
- Parish:
- Non Civil Parish
- National Grid Reference:
- ST 59275 73318
Details
This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 30/11/2016
ST5973
901-1/40/492
BRISTOL
Broadmead
QUAKERS FRIARS,
The Friary Building
The Former Quaker Meeting House
(Formerly listed as The Meeting House, QUAKERS FRIARS)
08/01/59
GV
I
Former Quaker meeting house. 1747-9. By George Tully. Stonework details designed and supplied by Thomas Paty, also the contractor. Render with limestone dressings and a leaded roof with hipped Welsh slate roof to a Delabole slate
lantern.
Square open plan. Mid Georgian style. 2 storeys; 3-window range. A symmetrical front with a plat band and moulded, coped parapet, ramped up at the corners. A large, central doorcase has a triple keyed, moulded architrave inscribed 1747, consoles to pediment and a 2-leaf, 8-panel door. Segmental-arched surrounds with sill blocks to flanking 4/8-pane sashes and 3 taller 8/8-pane sashes on the first floor. Similar side elevations each of a 4-window range without doorways. Square lantern has sashes to each face.
INTERIOR: a pedimented inner porch with pilasters and panelled side doors, to a 3x3 bay auditorium, articulated by Doric columns on high octagonal plinths; panelled side galleries to 3 sides between the columns, and keyed, semicircular-arched doorways from the lobby to steps up to them; at the blind W end stood the preacher's desk, in front of a dado and entablature, with stair rails at each end with turned balusters and square newels; central square lantern has a coved ceiling.
FITTINGS: some seating remains in the galleries. The Quakers were established on the site from 1670. An interior of 'noble simplicity' (Ison), restored c1960, with inserted offices. Exceptionally ambitious for a Quaker building and clearly influenced by Wesley's New Rooms (qv).
(Gomme A, Jenner M and Little B: Bristol, An Architectural History: Bristol: 1979: 129; Ison W: The Georgian Buildings of Bristol: Bath: 1952: 62; An Inventory of Nonconformist Chapels...in Central England: Stell C: Gloucestershire: London: 1986: 65).
Listing NGR: ST5927773319
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 380238
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Sources
Books and journals
An Inventory of Nonconformist Chapels and Meeting Houses in Central England, (1986), 65
Gomme, A H, Jenner, M, Little, B D G, Bristol, An Architectural History, (1979), 129
Ison, W, The Georgian Buildings of Bristol, (1952), 62
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 30-Jun-2026 at 22:45:15.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
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