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Filton Church as it is today
Whilst it is possible to find mention of Filton from 1156 onwards, reference to a church here is more obscure. The Diocese of Worcester records appear to suggest a church at Filton, Bristol in 1254. The architectural style of the tower indicates that it was probably built at the end of the thirteenth century. It is possible that the tower was added to an earlier church. By 1844 the medieval church was both in need of repair and considered too small for the growing population of Filton and so it was rebuilt to the design of John Hicks with the exception of the tower and a corner of the chancel. Holy Communion was celebrated once each month and the average attendance was 60 from a population of 245. The rebuilding cost £760, of which the parish contributed £200, subscriptions amounted to £221 and the Rector, James Bedford Poulden gave £339.
Filton Church before the 1960 extension
Sir George White (1854 - 1916) was an entrepreneur, tramway pioneer, stockbroker, industrialist and philanthropist. He introduced the first electric trams to Bristol in 1895 and to London in 1901. He set up a bus depot in Filton which was later used for bus chassis manufacture. He also set up the British and Colonial Aeroplane Company and when city councils were required to take over privately owned tramway companies in 1914, he replaced the manufacture of buses by the manufacture of aeroplanes. Such aircraft as the Bristol Boxkite, Blenheim, Brabazon, Brittania and of course Concorde came from these factories. Manufacture is still carried out today with BAE Systems, Airbus and Rolls-Royce plc being major employers. Many employees lived and live in Filton giving it a huge expansion in population from less than 80 in 1700, 113 in 1800, 464 in 1900 and nearly 10,000 today.
The main enlargement of the church took place in 1960/61 when the north wall of the 1844 church was taken out to permit the development of a new north facing Altar, Chancel and Nave. The tower was strengthened at this time to carry a ring of six bells and a needle spire erected. The enlarged church as seen today was consecrated on Lady Day, the Feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary - 25th March 1961.
For more information a book - Filton Parish Church, A History and Guide - is available.