Choir Trip 2025: Bristol Cathedral, July 19

We kicked off our first full day in Bristol with a proper English breakfast buffet – tea, coffee, sausage, eggs, bacon, potatoes, mushrooms, tomatoes, fruit, cheese, croissants, and pastries – everything we love about it!

After breakfast, the choir made its way to the Cathedral to get settled into the Song School and rehearse for Evensong, which takes place daily at 3:30. The Bristol Cathedral Choir has been on break since July 13, and with their main organ currently undergoing refurbishment, they haven’t had as many visiting choirs as usual. They were genuinely delighted to welcome us.

We visited Bristol on last year’s tour, but didn’t perform any services here. Like many British cathedrals, Bristol was mid-renovation at the time and covered in more scaffolding than usual. It’s been wonderful to see how much progress has been made since then!

The organ, however, is still under restoration. Originally built in 1685 by Renatus Harris (the same year both Bach and Handel were born), the organ is in the midst of a comprehensive refurbishment by Harrison & Harrison, which began in 2024 and is expected to be completed later this year. It’s currently being dismantled, cleaned, repaired, and reassembled.

Jackson quickly settled in to become familiar with the electric organ they are temporarily using for music.

Bristol Cathedral itself has a rich history. Originally founded as an abbey dedicated to St Augustine in 1140 and consecrated in 1148, it became the Cathedral Church of the Holy and Undivided Trinity in 1542, following the dissolution of the monasteries under Henry VIII.

After Evensong, the Choristers had a fun evening riding all the rides at the carnival and eating at another favorite place, Nando's, while the supporters headed to a fabulous dinner with Fr. Drew at Harbour House Bristol.