Temple Gardens is something of a hidden gem in Bristol’s Temple Quarter, just a short walk from Temple Meads Station — and it’s the kind of place that’s easy to miss, tucked away amid the office blocks and busy roads that now surround it. Despite that, it’s a wonderful reminder of Bristol’s rich medieval past, sitting alongside other survivors of that era like the Christmas Steps and St John’s Gate.
At the heart of the gardens are the ruins of Temple Church, a striking medieval building whose most famous feature is its leaning tower — the result of the marshy, unstable ground it was built on, which caused it to tilt even in medieval times, much like its more famous cousin in Pisa. The church was largely gutted by fire during the Bristol Blitz in the Second World War, when much of the surrounding area was flattened by bombing raids. Given the scale of destruction all around it, it’s remarkable that so much of the church’s structure survived at all.
Today, the ruins sit within a peaceful green space, offering a quiet spot to pause and reflect on Bristol’s past — a striking contrast to the busy modern quarter that has grown up around it, and well worth seeking out if you’re passing through Temple Meads.
