Bristol church hosts first service in 60 years

The first service for almost 60 years was held at the church on Sunday

A Grade II-listed church which closed for worship following bomb damage in World War Two has held its first regular service in nearly 60 years.

St Nicholas Church in Bristol was damaged during the Blitz raids which destroyed the city's neighbouring commercial centre.

It has since been leased to Bristol City Council and used as a museum, tourist information centre and offices.

The church reopened with a carol service at 17:00 BST on Sunday.

Pastor Matt Southcombe said a regular service was last held at the church in 1959.

"There's no organ is the church but we will still be singing hymns to different arrangements with live music," he added.

"The church has had a lot of money spent on it to bring it back to use, we've had to be quite sympathetic as the building is Grade II-listed."

The church was bombed in World War Two

A central feature of the church is a vast altarpiece which was commissioned for St Mary Redcliffe in 1755, and painted by William Hogarth. It was moved to St Nicholas in 1973.

Mr Southcombe said St Nicholas will run as a resourcing church, which aims to serve the wider city by reaching out to those currently unconnected with the church.

He said the church was also looking to host midweek services where nearby office workers could bring along their sandwiches for a short lunchtime service.

The first church on the site was founded in the 12th Century and was part of the Old City wall.

While the current church was built in the 18th Century, the original medieval crypt from the 14th Century remains.

St Nicholas Church holds one of only two public commissions by artist William Hogarth