Brief History
Construction
The church building was begun on 7th August 1832 and consecrated two years later on 21st August 1834 in the reign of King William IV, whose coat of arms hangs on the balcony at the west end. The cost of the building was £4,775 16s 8d and accommodation was provided for some 900 persons (see the inscription above the doorway inside the west porch).
Organ
In 1879 the organ, raised on a platform 13 inches high, was dedicated. In the same year the pulpit was moved from the south end of the chancel steps to the north side; the space in front of the organ was raised to form a coir; the sanctuary being raised to correspond.
Spire damage
On 15th November 1923 the spire was struck by lightning and very seriously damaged. The door leading to the spiral staircase, at the west end of the gallery, was torn open and split in two; some of the massive flooring of the belfry was uprooted and fell into the clock chamber. The whole spire was taken down. Each circle of stones was placed in order in the churchyard and marked for use again. The restoration was carried out by Dowling & Son.
Windows
The east window dates from the end of the second World War when the original
stained glass was replaced. The coat of arms are:
| Centre: : | The Diocese of Bristol |
| Right & Left: | St. John's Collage, Oxford |
The west window above the the gallery is in memory of George Worrall, churchwarden of the parish who died in 1840.
- Those on the north side are:
- 1. In memory of William Wadham, whose family were long connected with the parish.
- 2. That "offered by the parishioners in token of deep gratitude for the life and example of Queen Victoria 1819 - 1901.
- and those on the south side are
- 1. In memory of the Surtees and Robinson families.
2. In memory of John William Langdon.
Churchyard
The Crucifix on the north wall was erected by Mrs. Randall Vickers in memory of the men of the parish who died in the Great War.
Many of the trees in the churchyard were planted by Francis Tuckett in memory of his friend Colonel Robinson, and are said to have been brought in pots from New Zealand.
Frenchay ecclesiastical parish
The church was first a chapel within the ecclesiastical parish of Winterbourne. On 27th May 1836 the King in Council approved a proposal to for two distinct and separate parishes. On 27th May 1837, the Rev'd William Burkett Allan was appointed Rector of Winterbourne, and the Rev'd John Carter "Minister" of the parish of Frenchay.
List of Rectors of the Parish
| John Carter, B.D. | 1835 - 1875 |
| Aubrey Lackington Moore, M.A . | 1875 - 1880 |
| Frederick Edward Warren, D.D. | 1880 - 1890 |
| Henry Deane, D.D. | 1890 - 1892 |
| William Brooke, M.A. | 1892 - 1911 |
| Cyril Travers Burges, M.A. | 1911 - 1924 |
| Edward Maitland Bald, M.A. | 1924 - 1935 |
| Geoffrey Fredrick Greenup, M.A. | 1936 - 1956 |
| William H.G. Reed, M.A. | 1956 - 1961 |
| William G.H.R. Parr | 1962 - 1973 |
| H. Barry Trotter, B.Sc. | 1973 - 1981 |
| Roger James Thomas, B.A | 1981 - 200? |
David M. Brown served as locum tenens between 1940 and 1945 while Rev'd. Greenup was serving as an Army Chaplain.
After the death of Roger Thomas, Rev Derek Chedzey was appointed by the Diocese of Bristol to a new post to organise the training of lay ministers. He was also Priest in Charge of the parish of Frenchay until 2006.
From 2007 Rev'd Stephen Pullin had been Priest in Charge of Stapleton & Frenchay