   st. mary redcliffe is an anglican parish church located in the redcliffe district of the bristol, england. the church building was constructed from the 12th to the 15th centuries, and it has been a place of christian worship for over 900 years. the church is renowned for the beauty of its gothic architecture and is classed as a grade i listed building by english heritage. it was famously described by queen elizabeth i as "the fairest, goodliest, and most famous parish church in england." == history == the first church on this site was built in saxon times, as the port of bristol first began. the present building is probably the fourth or fifth church that has been built on this site. in medieval times, st. mary redcliffe, sitting on a red cliff above the river avon, was a sign to seafarers, who would pray in it at their departure, and give thanks there upon their return. the church was built and beautified by bristol's wealthy merchants, who paid to have masses sung for their souls and many of whom are commemorated there. [[file:redcliffe church in the seventeenth century,
12th-century_church_buildings 15th-century_church_buildings Church_of_England_churches_in_Bristol Church_of_England_societies_and_organisations Diocese_of_Bristol Grade_I_listed_churches_in_Bristol Greater_Churches Music_venues_in_Bristol Religious_buildings_completed_in_1872 Visitor_attractions_in_Bristol