Dr Katie McClymont's talk '...and The Spirit Lingered On' explored the idea of community spirituality photo@ Khali Ackford

As momentum builds to save Jacob Wells Baths and return the listed building to community use we are looking back at our archive and sharing our blogs exploring the importance of community spaces. In this blog, first published in 2018 as part of our Heart & Soul heritage project, we reflect on Dr Katie McClymont's  (UWE’s Senior Lecturer in Urban Planning) public talk about municipal spirituality and its social context.

"Before Katie’s talk I did not understand much about the subject but it was an enormously interesting presentation with many specific examples from around Bristol." Audience member

The talk began with an explanation of the meaning of municipal spirituality and the way it occurs in places with civic and spiritual functions. The term is quite broad and can be applied to music venues, libraries, ex-churches, parks, public spaces and community centres. The factor of whether the space is inside or outside is irrelevant, it is the sense of potential for togetherness or inclusivity that is the key. This feeling does not have to respond to an existing religion, it can be responding to something beyond the everyday realm. For example, cemeteries are not necessarily places of religion but to many people have an enormous sense of the spiritual.

As part of her talk, Katie showed examples of church buildings around Bristol that have been re-purposed. They are all buildings that she happened to be passing on her route around the city on a given day, showing how many church buildings are scattered across the city, and the great proportion of them which are being used for something different than the original purpose.

Katie talked about how, through the 1970s and 1980s, there was an exponential rate of church closures. Some of these still have a social function, such as a former church in Easton that is now a centre for supported independence. Currently the Church of England (C of E) closes around 20-25 churches per each year.

A report from the charity Locality documents this selling buildings and what comminities are doing in response to this.

"I found it very interesting to hear that C of E churches are available for sale, listed on the C of E website for the public to peruse. Some of them have descriptions about their future use, for example ‘for continued worship’, ‘community work’ or ‘suitable for a wide range of uses’." Tess Sieling, project intern

Katie cited the strange feeling around seeing churches for sale in such a matter of fact, straightforward way when in fact they are very special buildings. This raised the question: can you put a price on a church? Also, what judgements are being made about the buildings before they are sold? The example of the Bill’s restaurant chain taking over old church buildings was used, as Katie said that in some cases the insides are ripped out but the strong ethos from the church remains. Even in its new function, sometimes a feeling of the old spirit lingers on. Katie is a very passionate advocate about the amazing idea that churches will always be a place to create connections between people and others; people and the past; and people and something bigger than themselves.

Katie made a film about community art spaces around Bristol including Trinity, Jacobs Wells Baths, Barton Hill Settlement and St Mary Redcliffe Church. As well as being a great medium to communicate the joys of community spaces, Katie said that when they were interviewing people from these spaces, after being asked a question, the interviewee would often give a very telling pause before answering which she believes shows the sense of the community space working beyond its physical and material achievements. Sometimes when churches are changed into private use buildings like a holiday home it can feel wrong and perhaps this is due to that change away from its original ethos. Is it because there is a feeling of loss of the shared community space that once was there?

What is the value of a church when it no longer is a church? Photo credit @Khali Ackford

Sometimes when churches are changed into private use buildings like a holiday home it can feel wrong and perhaps this is due to that change away from its original ethos. Is it because there is a feeling of loss of the shared community space that once was there?

Churches have value. They have a common purpose and a built heritage. The debate is what is their value is and when is it lost? If the value is the sense of people coming together and socialising with people they would not normally, then spaces like Trinity offer us examples of activites that do this with great popularity and with no religious aspect.

Churches closing have caused massive losses to local communities. In addition, a lot of us now live in self selective communities, so where do you meet people different from you apart from in a doctor’s waiting room or on a bus?

Katie's talk highlighted the importance of having inclusive places where different people can engage in a meaningful way. Do we define using a church as a multi use community space as adapting the church or losing the church? As an increasing number of us are of no religion, perhaps we are adapting churches to keep them relevant and concerts, gigs and other actitivites offer us that place to congregate in our secular state.

This write up was by Tess Sieling, who was the project intern on the Heart & Soul heritage project. The talk was part of a series exploring the challenges and achievements of transforming and preserving historic buildings and was programmed in collaboration with Bristol's Architecture Centre and the University of West England (UWE).

How to get involved

Click here to sign the Hotwells and Cliftonwood petition to Save Jacobs Wells Baths

Further reading

Read more from Katie McClymont in her published journal, Spaces for Secular Faith

Read more from our Heart & Soul talk series - Father Paul, Fidel Meraz and A Million Bricks of Love.

Read more about the Save Jacobs Wells Campaign here.

Fidel Meraz delivers his talk about re-using historic buildings. Image credit @Khali Photography

Our Heart & Soul project celebrated people's major life events at Trinity and ran alongside our current building conservation works. As part of the project we wanted to explore further the challenges and achievements of transforming and preserving historic buildings. The project included a series of talks, inviting both national and international speakers to share their knowledge and experience on the positives and pitfalls of re-imaging historic buildings.

Speaking from an architecture perspective about how a space can be adapted to better serve the community, Trinity Trustee and UWE Senior Lecturer Fidel Meraz delivered the first talk of this programme, and talked about buildings around the world where the function has changed over time, Feb 27 2018...

Most churches were originally built to hold a service once a week - by giving them a second life, the building accommodates for a far larger audience.

What was really compelling about Fidel’s talk was that he spoke in metaphors of the human life, about the way buildings are born as beautiful and well attended sacred buildings, then decline over time until finally they are not active. He used the example that when an elderly person struggles to walk, we give them crutches, and this is also the way he likes elderly buildings to be treated.

An interesting point was made that most churches were originally built to hold a service once a week, therefore in some cases by giving them a second life, the building accommodates for a far larger audience.

When we approach a church we have a predetermined view of what will be inside, Meraz explained, so it is exciting to be surprised by what we find. In Asturias, Spain, the Santa Barbara Church was abandoned and crumbling until the community took action. They raised money and with sponsorship from Red Bull too, it was converted into a vibrantly colourful indoor skate park.

Through time the architectural intention has changed from a place of worship to a space of activity, but the purpose of the building as a space to serve the community remains. He compared the Santa Barbara Church with the Trinity Centre because in both cases what you find on the inside is unexpected and fun.

A lively discussion began after Fidel's talk around Old Market and gentrification. Image credit @Khali Photography

From Fidel’s talk I learned that the world is full amazing ideas of how to reuse spaces. Tess Sieling, project intern

After the talk, Edson Burton invited a discussion between the audience and Meraz, in which the future of the Trinity Centre, Old Market and Bristol were spoken about. Concerns were voiced about the gentrification of Old Market area, which highlights the role the Trinity Centre plays in serving communities.

There is a sense that it is now in a crucial era where the Trinity Centre’s responsibility is to remain accessible to all communities without judgement and, from, Fidel’s talk I learned that the world is full amazing ideas of how to reuse spaces.

This write up was by Tess Sieling, who was the project intern on the Heart & Soul heritage project. The talk was part of a series exploring the challenges and achievements of transforming and preserving historic buildings and was programmed in collaboration with Bristol's Architecture Centre and the University of West England (UWE).

How to get involved

Click here to sign the Hotwells and Cliftonwood petition to Save Jacobs Wells Baths

Further reading

Read more from our Heart & Soul talk series - Father Paul, - Dr Katie McClymont, and A Million Bricks of Love.

Read more about the Save Jacobs Wells Campaign here.

Exciting developments are underway at Jacobs Wells Baths as restoration efforts continue...

As local residents may have seen, works are progressing on site at Jacobs Wells Baths as part of our repair and recovery efforts. The latest bat surveys have returned positive results, confirming no signs of a roost. With this assurance, a bat license has been submitted, allowing planned works to proceed as scheduled from the start of March.

Work has begun on dismantling the parapet wall, revealing the impressive strength of the original Cattybrook brick (see image, above). Our contractor has noted that the mortar is some of the toughest they’ve ever worked with, further testament to the building’s historic craftsmanship.

We’re also thrilled to announce that Historic England has awarded £89,743 to deliver a focused scope of works to the South Studio roof over the coming months. Stay tuned for updates as this next phase progresses.

Facilities Manager Emma Brown has been working closely with the design team to develop a secure access plan for the site and overseeing essential tasks such as site clearance and graffiti removal.

With these key milestones in place, Jacobs Wells Baths is moving closer to its restoration goals.

Thank you for your continued support and watch this space for more updates!

Join us on the journey to Save Jacobs Wells Baths & empower communities through the arts

Trinity Community Arts is a registered charity number 1144770

Booklet produced as part of 2017 heritage project with Local Learning

Trinity has been awarded a development grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund towards the next phase of works as part of our ambitious restoration project to save Jacobs Wells Baths

“This investment acts as a vital next step toward reviving this cherished Bristol asset, and I’m thrilled with the progress Trinity Community Arts has made on the project since being awarded the lease to the building." Tony Dyer, Leader of Bristol City Council

Trinity is excited to announce we have been awarded a £252k Development Phase grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to continue the restoration of Jacobs Wells Baths in Hotwells, Bristol. This grant will help advance plans to restore the Grade II Listed building alongside developing an engagement and participation plan for community and youth activities.

Thanks to National Lottery players, this funding will empower the local community to shape the next phase of the project, focusing on the voices of young people, city-wide arts networks and local residents. As part of this development phase, Trinity will work with local groups to create a new programme of heritage learning opportunities, building on past community-driven projects such as Washing In The Well, delivered with support from Local Learning.

Jacobs Wells Baths has a rich history, dating back to 1889, when it served as a public swimming bath and in the 80s, became Bristol’s only dedicated professional dance centre. The next phase of the project will include design work for the North Wing of the building, to support plans to apply for a £2m+ grant from National Lottery Heritage Fund to complete the site's transformation into a new hub for Hotwells.

Join the team

To help facilitate this exciting development, Trinity is seeking a full-time Heritage Project Manager to join the team lead the development phase of the project, with a focus on managing community engagement, overseeing stakeholder relationships, supporting design team consultation and creating a learning and participation activity plan to be delivered in 2026 alongside the phase 2 capital works.

Jacob Wells Baths, a Grade II Listed building holds within its walls a wealth of of architectural and social heritage - from its time as a public swimming baths to its 30 year history as a dance hub. A grassroots campaign is underway to bring back the building into the community.

From its time as a swimming pool, to being a multi-use arts hub, we are exploring and sharing the stories of the building over the years. Here, Trinity’s Heritage & Engagement Curator Dr Edson Burton tells us about his Jacobs Wells Baths’ Story...

"It was 2017 and I was coming to the end of my residency at Pervasive Media Studio, where I was working on a project called The Last Blues Song Of A Lost Astronaut.

I was looking for a space that had depth and height because I wanted to test the four aspects of what was going to be quite a tech-heavy, immersive theatre experience.

We looked at multiple venues across the city but nothing quite fitted. In particular, sight lines were an issue as we were looking to project at scale and most spaces just weren’t big enough for the concept of these 'four areas' that we could project onto and perform within.

I got in touch with Artspace Lifespace who were meanwhile tenants at the time of Jacobs Wells Baths at the time. We went down to look at the space and it was absolutely perfect.

There are very few spaces that have that much height and width. This means then that, in terms of creating an immersive show, it is a fantastic space for this type of performance, especially as it has one of the best sprung floors around.

I know other companies like Racous have also used the space brilliantly - it'd be great for the city to keep that creative spirit alive."

Get Involved

Click here to sign the Hotwells and Cliftonwood petition

Share your JWB story on social meda using #SaveJWB or send it to sarah@trinitybristol.org.uk

Further reading

Read more from Dr Katie McClymont from her talk about resusing heritage spaces

Read more about how the community is fighting for Jacob Wells here.

Let there be light! Carrek Ltd work to reveal lantern roof at Jacobs Wells Baths. Photos: Elliot Thingston

"Have you forgotten about Jacobs Wells?”

This was my partner, chatting to me last week because January’s been all systems go and all I've been chatting about of late is Citizens for Culture and deliberative democracy and City of Culture and creativity for everyone and Solar Opposites and Pokémon etc etc...

Like him, some of you may have walked past Jacobs Wells Baths and seen scaffolding shooting up and started wondering what on earth is going on inside. Has Emma forgotten about her building babies? Has she finally lost the plot?!

Perhaps.

But behind the boards and beneath the dust, something extraordinary is happening. And we let photographer Elliot Thingston (with his PPE on) inside to take a sneaky peak. As work continues overhead, the transformation may not yet be fully visible from the street. But believe me when I say, the Baths are beginning to breathe again.

As part of the ongoing restoration works to save this building and restore it for the community, heritage contractors Carrek Ltd have been working to remove the internal roof fabric. The old, damaged acoustic foam left behind from its time as a dance centre has revealed for the first time since 1984 the building's original glass lantern roof. When the foam started coming down, we began to see the outline of the lantern structure. To watch the main hall flood with daylight. That was special. You could suddenly understand the architect’s original intention.

What’s Happening Now
The team is removing damaged internal acoustic foam and carefully exposing the historic lantern structure. Original timber and ironwork are being assessed and restored, new glazing is being installed, solar panels added, and external masonry repaired. Phase 1 costs £2.2m and is scheduled to be completed Autumn 2026

Contractors can at times seem faceless, but not this crew. Keith Hoskins, Director of Carrek Ltd is one of the many true passionate folk involved in this recovery effort. I’ve been involved in a few capital projects over the years with my other building baby, the Trinity Centre (don’t worry, I haven’t forgotten her either), and this is the first time I’ve seen someone so utterly determined to climb eight tiers of scaffolding just to witness a moment of restoration. But that’s what a project like this does. It pulls people upward.

A passion project for spirited souls just like Keith. When I was chatting to him up there in the roof heavens he spoke excitedly about the original timber roof noting that, while some areas of the structure have deteriorated over time, the overall quality and craftsmanship of the materials and original build is remarkable.

The team’s priority is to conserve and repair as much of the historic fabric as possible. The existing timber frame will be carefully restored, with a new glass roof introduced above it; one that honours the original design while ensuring the structure performs to contemporary building and environmental standards.

What’s Happening Next
Phase 2 will focus on the restoration of internal fabric and adaptation of the space in response to community consultation. This will include renovation of the interior, a new entrance, WCs, and lift, as well as interpretation and signage, plus a heritage learning and participation programme. Phase 2 costs are estimated at £5.5m and are expected to begin in Spring 2027 (subject to funding)

There’s something deeply symbolic about light returning to this building. Jacobs Wells Baths has always been a place of public gathering and shared experience. Seeing the lantern revealed I hope will serve as a reminder that this isn’t just restoration. It’s a revival.

This is why I am so in love with old buildings. Because, at the beginning, there’s a surge of excitement in that moment of possibility. Then the hard graft begins and it’s all scaffolding, dust, rubble and drilling and pulling things apart and board meetings and spreadsheets and budgets and cost rationalising and more meetings and and and.

And for a while, hope vanishes behind hoardings. And we find it hard to hold onto that end goal of a reimagined space for us. But it’s precisely in these messy, unseen stages that something extraordinary starts to happen. The foundations are laid and that art of the possible truly begins, nudging us steadily closer to that magical moment when the space opens once again and the vision becomes a reality for everyone.

It’s not always easy to create moments inside the building to connect with supporters while major works like this are underway. So, I hope these images offer a glimpse into that window of possibility. A way to see the craftsmanship and care that hides behind the scaffolding and for you all to continue to have faith in us.

I share this to give love and thanks to my dedicated professional team and so people can feel part of the journey. We’re deeply grateful to our community, funders and partners for sticking with us through the complex stages of restoration, and we’re hopeful about what this moment of light signals: the start of the future of this extraordinarily handsome building.

Phase 3 to be continued...?

Because this is not a building story. It’s a flippin’ love story. And all the best love stories come in three parts.

By Emma Harvey, CEO

Thanks to our funders: We’re incredibly grateful for the continued support of our funders and supporters, including MHCLG (Community Ownership Fund), Architectural Heritage Fund, Historic England, The Nisbet Trust, John James Foundation, Merchant Venturers Charitable Trust, Centrica: Energy for Tomorrow, The Pilgrim Trust, Bristol City Council, Sylvia Waddilove and all our individual donors and sponsors. We could not do this without you x

“Some of my favourite times making music, sharing music has been in grassroots venues. Getting it really right, getting it really wrong, getting it all shades of in between and through that, learning so much about not only myself, but learning about the people around me, learning what a sense of community feels like.

Grassroots venues are essential and so much love to Trinity for what this space is going to be." - Grove

Trinity Community Arts has launched Art of the Possible, new pilot programme exploring how creativity can thrive inside Jacobs Wells Baths while the historic building continues to undergo restoration. The programme offers a rare chance to experience the site in its current transitional state, test creative ideas and imagine future uses for the space for both communities and artists. The series invites Bristol artists to respond to the building as it is now, capturing the energy, atmosphere and potential held in an unfinished space.

As part of this pilot programme, Trinity is releasing a series of short videos created on site with Bristol artists, including Grove and Muneera Pilgrim. The series will feature a broad mix of artistic disciplines - from spoken word and live music to dance and electronic music, with more contributors to be announced as the programme unfolds.

As Trinity Community Arts works to restore the Grade II listed bathhouse, Art of the Possible acts as a living research and development process.

Emma Harvey, CEO of Trinity Community Arts, said:

“The history of Jacobs Wells Baths is rooted in everyday people making that which seemed impossible into a reality. And we know artists are the best people at bringing our imaginations and dreams to life.” -Emma Harvey

These early responses demonstrate how different art forms can inhabit the building even as repair work continues, offering audiences a glimpse into how the Baths might operate as a creative hub once restoration is complete.

“Grassroots venues are not just important they are vital they are the life blood to what we do as artists, as communities. If we don’t have grassroots venues we don’t have venues.

In spaces that are grassroots you get to cultivate music, art, truth, create community and create change”- Muneera Pilgrim

Muneera Pilgrim by Khali Ackford Photography

A continuation of heritage learning and participation offer for residents, schools and community groups already involved in this phase of the project, will run alongside the artistic research and development programme, helping people connect with the building’s social history and understand the traditional skills involved in its conservation.

This work is supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, made possible thanks to National Lottery players, and is part of Trinity’s wider programme to bring Jacobs Wells Baths back into everyday community use. The Art of the Possible pilot also complements active restoration funded by the Architectural Heritage Fund and other partners.

Trinity continues active fundraising to support the next stage of restoration, with the aim of safely reopening the building as soon as possible. Continued support from local people, funders and partners will determine how quickly the Baths can return to public use.

Art of the Possible marks an important moment in the journey to bring Jacobs Wells Baths back into everyday community use, offering a glimpse of its future potential while celebrating its past alongside this important renovation phase.

Trinity’s wider renovation and engagement programme is supported by a range of funders and partners including the National Lottery Heritage Fund, thanks to National Lottery players, The Nisbet Trust, John James Foundation, Society of Merchant Venturers, Historic England, Pilgrim Trust, Bristol City Council, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Centrica Energy and Trinity’s individual donors and sponsors.