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Mount Hill Road, BRISTOL, BS15 8QT

This cross set into the ground is the Hanham Mount memorial to the founding of the Methodist movement. In the 1600s and onwards, the Baptists were considered to be an unwelcome addition to the established order and followers were persecuted. The local population was largely involved with coal mining and had a bad reputation. But given the need to reach the people without a recognised church, John Wesley, John Cennick the Moravian and George Whitfield began to hold open air services here. The site has a number of markers to commemorate the story.

A display board here points out the links with evangelical preachers who had preached here.

This tall structure stands far above the rooftops, high on Hanham Mount. It may look like a communications mast but it is 38m (80') tall and occupies a prominent position in the landscape. It is in fact the memorial beacon, dedicated to the many persecuted Baptists who lived in the more intolerant times of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Close by is the site where John Wesley began his unrepentant open-air sermons to the masses, thus founding the Methodist movement. The original beacon was built in the 1950s as part of the activities marking the Festival of Britain. It too was a very tall and somewhat spindly erection, but was later declared unsafe. This one (an even taller version) was put up in 2008. It emits a green light at night.

The origin of the Methodist movement is marked here on Hanham Mount. In 1739 John Wesley, along with the likes of George Whitfield and John Cennick the Moravian, held open-air services. The movement was disregarded by the establishment and prevented much of their work, particularly building a church. So Wesley preached in the open air to the many attendees, who were mainly from the coal-mining areas of Kingswood (then a separate region from Bristol). This site is given over to a memorial, which includes this space where a pulpit once stood. Here Wesley would give a sermon on The Mount.

In late March, after a cold and wet winter.

Running south from Mount Hill Road.

These slopes have been allotments since the Second World War.

Most of Hanham is built on slopes from the River Avon up to Kingswood. There are occasional views of south east Bristol. This is over Brislington and Stockwood with Dundry Hill in the background. In the original version it is possible to see Dundry church Image left of centre on the horizon.

At the junction of Mount Hill and Hollyguest Roads.

Looking north from the junction with Mount Hill Road.