Wills Memorial Building, Bristol

51

Wills Memorial Building, Bristol

Wills Memorial Building, Bristol

The Wills Memorial Building, also referred to as the Wills Memorial Tower, is thought to be one of the last Gothic buildings constructed in England. It was built in commemoration of the first chancellor of the University of Bristol and philanthropist, Henry Overton Wills III.

Construction on the Wills Memorial Building began in 1912 and was completed in 1925. It was designed by Sir George Oatley in the Perpindicular Gothic and Gothic Revival architectural styles. The building was funded by the W.D. & H.O. Wills tobacco company.

Today, the Wills Memorial Building is home to the University of Bristol's Schools of Law and Earth Sciences. The public is welcome to take tours of the building's tower, the great hall, the council chamber and the libraries.

The tower stands at about 223 feet (68 meters) and provides excellent views of the city. Visitors must take part of a guided tour in order to reach the top of the tower. Tours take place on Saturdays at 1 PM. Additional tours occur at 11 AM on the first Saturday of each month.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Bristol. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "51: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

Download The 51 App

Wills Memorial Building on Map

Sight Name: Wills Memorial Building
Sight Location: Bristol, England (See walking tours in Bristol)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Walking Tours in Bristol, England

Create Your Own Walk in Bristol

Create Your Own Walk in Bristol

Creating your own self-guided walk in Bristol is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Bristol Introduction Walking Tour

Bristol Introduction Walking Tour

A historical city in the southwest of England, Bristol was founded around the year 1000 AD. Predating the settlement at the confluence of the Frome and Avon rivers were the Iron Age hillforts and Roman villas.

The name "Bristol" evolved from the Old English "Brycgstow", which means “the place at the bridge”. Its current form emerged through the tendency of the local...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.4 Km or 2.1 Miles
Famous Bristol Statues Walking Tour

Famous Bristol Statues Walking Tour

Throughout its more than 1,000-year-long history, Bristol, England, has generated a wealth of cultural and historical heritage. Reflecting it now, and in some way matching it too, are a number of statues that celebrate personalities who made their mark and once graced the city with their association. These statues are scattered throughout the city, each with its unique story and importance.

The...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.6 Km or 1.6 Miles
Banksy Tour in Bristol

Banksy Tour in Bristol

Visiting Bristol is like browsing an outdoor urban gallery. Roaming the streets here you will find it difficult not to come across state-of-the-art graffiti adorning the city walls – boldly displayed in narrow passageways, backstreets or on buildings – depicting wry humor and subversive images of pop-culture.

Bristol is also where one of the greatest enigmas of recent times – Banksy –...  view more

Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 6.9 Km or 4.3 Miles