Bristol Cathedral has said it is prepared to consider removing its biggest stained glass window because of its close association with the slave trader Edward Colston.

The dean of the cathedral, the Rev David Hoyle, said if a way could be found of getting rid of the window, he would have a conversation about it.

However, while emphasising that the church strongly opposed slavery in all its forms he said the concept of eradicating Colston’s memory from the city was a tricky one.



The issue of Colston is a live controversy in Bristol. The Countering Colston group actively campaigns to end what it sees as a continuing celebration of his life. One of its main targets is Bristol’s biggest concert venue, Colston Hall. Earlier this month the group held a demonstration outside calling for the name to be changed.

Its website also flags up the presence of the Colston window in Bristol Cathedral. The window bears Colston’s name, the dates of his life, his motto “Go and do thou likewise” and symbols associated with some of his business interests.

In an interview with the Christian radio station Premier, Hoyle said: “Opposition to slavery is dead simple. Slavery is wicked and evil.”

Asked about Countering Colston, he said: “The campaigners are quite rightly pointing out that Colston has an association with the evils of slavery and that it is inappropriate for us in this day and age to be celebrating his memory. I have some sympathy with their aims and objectives.”

Colston Hall in Bristol. Photograph: Jeffrey Blackler/Alamy

He went on: “Colston in his own lifetime was regarded as a near saint. He’s probably one of the city’s greatest benefactors. We have streets named after him, almshouses named after him, a concert hall named after him, so the whole city bears the imprint of Colston. There are a number of schools that bear his name and a number of charitable bequests that the city has benefited from.”

Of the window he said: “It is quite clearly a Colston window. Some of the symbols in there belong to Colston’s life and business interests.” He continued: “Removing the biggest window in the cathedral would be hugely difficult for me. If I can find a way of doing that, I would be perfectly prepared to have that conversation.”

Hoyle warned that it would cost “many, many” thousands of pounds to remove the window. “It’s a colossal piece of glass.” But he said the considerations were not simply practical.

“There are some difficulties I think in us passing judgment about their values. Whilst we still can be clear that slavery is completely wrong … the business of eradicating Colston’s memory from the city is tricky. [Colston] was involved in a trade that wasn’t considered evil at the time but we now know to be wicked. I think that’s a complicated conversation to have. If we are all going to be judged by the future we are all going to be found guilty one way or another.”

The cathedral has engaged with the Countering Colston campaign. “They have pointed out to us that services in the cathedral could be understood to celebrate Colston’s memory,” said Hoyle.

One of the controversial services at the cathedral involves a school bearing Colston’s name at which his will is read out. Hoyle said that after this happened, it was explained to the children that he was involved in slavery. “We make sure we record formally that Colston was involved in a form of trafficking we find completely unacceptable.”