Thu, November 13th, 2025

Bristol, Penarth and St Augustine’s

Posted in the News Category

News

On Thursday, 13th November, about 30 people gathered in the Parish Hall, Albert Road to hear Chris Riley will give a talk on the relationship between Bristol, Penarth and St Augustine’s Church.

The 800 year connection started in the 12th century when land in Pennard was given to the Abbey of Bristol.  This included the land at Penarth Head where the original church was built. The monks in the Abbey lived by the rule of St Augustine of Hippo (Augustinians or Austins).

The Abbey was dissolved in 1539 during the dissolution of monastaries under Henry VIII and both the Abbey and the lands in Penarth became the property of the Crown.  Thomas Robyn was appointed as bailiff.

In 1541 Bristol Abbey was used as the new Bristol Cathedral and the lands in Penarth were gifted to and managed by the Cathedral.

1540-1850. Bristol Cathedral owned some land and some was freehold.  There was trading between Penarth and Bristol and many Welsh people moved to Bristol and died there.  They included Edward Edwards, Marry Rosser and William Morton from Cogan who became a printer in Bristol.

The relationship ended in the middle of the nineteenth century and the Windsor-Clive family built the docks  and the Taff Vale Railway came to Penarth.

Baroness Windsor had the little mediaeval church demolished and the new St Augustine’s built.  The first architect to be approached was Edward Barnard but Lady Windsor didn’t like his design and appointed William Butterfield.

There was an on going discussion about the dedication of St Augustine’s.  Was it St Augustine of Hippo or St Augustine of Canterbury?  It wasn’t until the 1990s that the PCC decided it was St Augustine of Hippo but many still disagree.

 

 

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