By the early 1830’s the population of the city of Bristol was steadily growing in the direction of Kingsdown, so by 1831 the Parish of St James had some 11,000 inhabitants with a church which would only hold 1,500. Some of the city merchants had moved above the smoke to the heights of Kingsdown and the vicar at that time, the Rev. Thomas T. Biddulph was greatly concerned to provide for the spiritual needs of his growing parish.

The first incumbent of the new parish of St. Matthew, Kingsdown was Rev. J. B. Clifford, M.A. who remained for 43 years. He attracted a large congregation, sometimes so large that people were sitting on the pulpit steps. He was succeeded in 1879 by Rev. Wm. Butler Doherty.

It was after his death in 1900 that Rev. Frederic Glanvill came. He was previously a C.M.S. Missionary in Ceylon and set the tradition for mission support. In 1914 Rev. Thomas H. Bland came who continued and further enhanced this work. He took a prominant part in the foundation of the Bible Churchmen’s Missionary Society (now {Off Site]Crosslinks)

When Mr Bland left in late 1946, he was followed by the Rev.W.Warren C.L. Orpwood who ,like his predecessors, had previously been a missionary,in his case in Ruanda. His successor in 1953, the Rev. Stanley Short had also been a missionary. He and his wife had served in Burma for many years under the auspices of B.C.M.S.

Stanley Short retired in 1974, and the Rev. Dudley Powell came as his successor. In 1980, he moved to be vicar of St. Michael, Stoke Gifford for a few years before going out to Albania as a missionary.

Due to plans for re-deployment of clergy in the Diocese, when Dudley Powell left in 1980, the Rev. Ray Brazier, the vicar of the neighbouring parish of St Nathanael was appointed Priest-in-Charge of St Matthew’s, with responsibility for both parishes. This remained the situation until, in the late 1980’s, the two parishes were amalgamated into one with the Rev. Brazier continuing as Vicar of the combined parish of St Matthew and St Nathanael.

See “The building” for a description and history of the building. It is hoped that, at a later date, the history of the St. Nathanael’s and St. Katherine’s parish can be added.