Bristol, England (#13)

by Debra Conley

Bristol, England, is on the west coast of the country about 3 hours by train from London.  The trip makes a stop in Bath where a tour of the Roman Baths and Pump house are worth your time. Most fascinating to me was the Bath Abbey. Originally built in 973 A.D. for the coronation of King Edgar, it has been restored twice since then. Each of the four massive gothic walls of the main nave are embellished with 56 stained glass windows that tell the story of Christ’s life from birth to His ascension. The floors and lower walls are almost entirely covered in crypts.

Much of the history of the Baptists in England begins in Bristol. The first Baptist College in the world, Bristol Baptist College, was founded in the 16th Century and is still in operation. Although it has moved from its original buildings, the history has been carefully recorded by author and Professor Roger Hayden. Arriving by train, you can take the city bus from the station to a stop just two blocks from the current college. Notable graduates of BBC include William and Thomas Knibb, John Ryland, John Sutcliff, John Rippon, and Robert Hall.