Bristol St Mary Redcliffe Pipe Walk

With a history stretching back over 800 years, this is one of the longest established customs in the calendar. Back in the twelfth century Robert de Berkeley donated a water supply and conduit to the church and during the annual walk this is inspected for faults , in a ceremony rather like beating the bounds (see separate articles). The water no longer flows for the full length of the pipe, but it still gets inspected and the route is marked at intervals by stones bearing the mark SMR for St Mary Redcliffe. The walk is approximately 2 miles long and begins outside St Barnabas’ Church at Knowle, taking a route through allotments and private gardens and past a water-maze, to the church at St Mary Redcliffe. When we visited the group was around 50 people and it was a very friendly event, with plenty of chat and stops for stragglers to catch up, and lots of interesting history and information from the organisers and regulars. Refreshments are provided at the start and end of the walk.

Helpful Hints

First-timers on the walk are bumped on an ancient marker stone partway through the walk in Victoria Park – you have been warned!! (but from personal experience, I can share that it’s quite gentle and doesn’t hurt a bit!).

In 2023 it was on Saturday October 21st- 2024 date is yet to be confirmed.

Coffee is served inside St Barnabas’ Church before the walk begins – the walk finishes around 12.30. Double check near the time with the church links below as though it’s always around the same time each year, very occasionally it’s changed relatively near to the due date (this happened in 2018, as it was originally scheduled for a week later on 27th). It appears both on the website and Facebook page events listing.

Look out for Sir Robert’s tomb in the North Transept at St Mary Redcliffe.

Click here for the church website: http://www.stmaryredcliffe.co.uk

and Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/stmaryredcliffe/

and here for a first hand account : http://traditionalcustomsandceremonies.wordpress.com/2013/10/31/custom-survived-redcliffe-pipe-walk/