St James' Priory is a Grade I listed building in Horsefair, Whitson Street, Bristol. Founded in the 1129 as a Benedictine priory by Robert Rufus, the illegitimate son of Henry 1st, Earl of Gloucester and Lord of Bristol.

Legend has it that every 10th stone brought from Normandy to build the Castle was set aside to build the Priory, and therefore ‘now that the castle has vanished these stones are like an echo from 800 years ago.’

St James' Fair

From 1238 an annual fair, lasting 15 days, was held at St James. Originally held on July 25th (St James’ Day) it was later changed to the first fortnight in September. The last fair was held in 1837.

The fair, which was held in the Churchyard and adjoining streets, was regarded as the most important of the Bristol Fairs.

By the 17th C the fair was so prominent that merchant ships sailing in to Bristol for it were frequently attacked by Turkish pirates in the Bristol Channel.

It also subsequently left its mark on the geography of Bristol as the roundabout nearby is called the Horsefair.

St James' Priory Project

After the Dissolution of the Monasteries, the nave of the priory church continued in use as a parish church. It fell into disuse in the 1980s but in 1996 the Little Brothers of Nazareth re-established it as a Catholic Church, and set up the St James' Priory Project which offers comprehensive support to people with a history of homelessness who have a substance dependency.