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Wills Memorial Building

Wills Memorial Building
Map
General information
Architectural stylePerpendicular Gothic, Gothic revival
Town or cityBristol
CountryEngland
Construction started1915
Completed1925
Cost£501,566 19s 10d
ClientW. D. & H. O. Wills
Height215 ft (65.5 m)
Design and construction
Architect(s)Sir George Oatley

51°27′22″N 2°36′16″W / 51.45611°N 2.60444°W / 51.45611; -2.60444

The Wills Memorial Building (also known as the Wills Memorial Tower or simply the Wills Tower) is a neo-Gothic building in Bristol, England, designed by Sir George Oatley and built as a memorial to Henry Overton Wills III[1][2][3][4] by his sons George and Henry Wills.[5] Begun in 1915 and not opened until 1925, it is considered one of the last great Gothic buildings to be built in England.[6]

Standing near the top of Park Street on Queens Road,[6] it is a landmark building of the University of Bristol that currently houses the School of Law and the Department of Earth Sciences, as well as the Law and Earth Sciences libraries.[7] It is the fourth highest structure in Bristol, standing at 215 ft (65.5 m).[8]

Many regard the building as synonymous with the University of Bristol. It is the centrepiece building of the university precinct[9] and is used by the university for degree ceremonies and examinations, which take place in the Great Hall.[10]

Architecture commentator Nikolaus Pevsner described it as:

"a tour de force in Gothic Revival, so convinced, so vast, and so competent that one cannot help feeling respect for it."[11]

It has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade II* listed building[12][13] and serves as a regional European Documentation Centre.

  1. ^ Bristol University | The University | The Wills Memorial Building Archived 10 October 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ "About Bristol – Landmarks – Wills Memorial Tower". Archived from the original on 23 November 2001.
  3. ^ Building – 686 – Wills Memorial Tower – Bristol
  4. ^ "Bristol University". Wills Tower set for new glory. Retrieved 23 June 2007.
  5. ^ Lucy Smith, 100 Buildings 100 Years, 20th Century Society, Batsford, 2014
  6. ^ a b The Wills Memorial Building is situated at the top of Park Street in Queens Road
  7. ^ Bristol University | The University | Law Library Archived 27 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  8. ^ "Wills Memorial Building, Bristol | 151240". Emporis. Archived from the original on 30 July 2012. Retrieved 3 May 2022.
  9. ^ Bristol University – Centre for Romantic Studies – Wills Memorial Building Archived 27 June 2006 at the Wayback Machine
  10. ^ Bristol University | The University | Graduation Archived 19 May 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  11. ^ "Wills Memorial Building". University of Bristol, Centre for Romantic Studies. Archived from the original on 27 June 2006. Retrieved 18 March 2006.
  12. ^ Historic England. "University Tower and Wills Memorial Building and attached front walls and lamps (1218203)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 4 April 2015.
  13. ^ "University Tower and Wills Memorial Building and attached front walls and lamps". historicengland.org.uk. Retrieved 13 March 2007.

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Wills Memorial Building Catalan Wills Memorial Building German 威尔斯纪念大楼 Chinese

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