Bristol Guide History Sights Maps Hotels

Bristol Guide

Bristol is a city and ceremonial county in southwest England. The population of the Bristol was around 430,000 in 2009, but the wider metropolitan area had an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007. Bristol is England's sixth most populous city, and the most populous city in southwest England.

Bristol houses, south west England — Bristol

Proximity to the water is central to Bristol. The city is built on both banks of the River Avon. Bristol even has a short coastline on the Severn Estuary which flows into the Bristol Channel. Bristol's prosperity has been connected to the sea since its earliest days. The commercial Port of Bristol was originally situated in the city centre before being relocated to the Severn Estuary at Avonmouth.

Economically, Bristol is the real centre of southwest England. The city is the largest centre of culture, employment and education in the area. In recent years, the economy of Bristol has depended on a new generation of industries such as aerospace, creative media and electronics.

Bristol harbour, south west England — The Matthew in Bristol Harbour

Bristol History

Archaeologists have found evidence of human activity in the Bristol area dating back 60,000 years. Evidence of Iron Age hill forts in and around Bristol can be found at Leigh Woods, Clifton Down and on Kingsweston Hill. During the Roman era, there were settlements including one called Abona at what is now Sea Mills and another near the present-day Inns Court. There were also Roman villas and small forts throughout the area.

The name of the city comes from the Old English Brycgstow ("the place at the bridge"). Bristol seems to have been founded around 1000 AD. By 1020 AD, Bristol had gained enough prominence as a trading centre to possess its own mint which produced silver pennies bearing the town's name. Under the Normans, Bristol acquired one of the strongest castles in southern England.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, England's role in the Atlantic trade in Africans taken for slavery in the Americas expanded. Bristol, as well as Liverpool, became centres for the Triangular trade. At the height of the slave trade between 1700 and 1807, more than 2,000 slaving ships were fitted out at Bristol. Those ships carried around half a million people from Africa into slavery in the Americas.

Bristol suffered badly from air raids during World War II. Around 1,300 Bristolians were killed, and around 100,000 buildings were damaged, at least 3,000 of them irreparably.

The hull of the S.S. Great Britain. — The hull of the S.S. Great Britain, Bristol Harbour

Bristol Attractions

Bristol has 51 Grade I, 500 Grade II* and over 3,800 Grade II listed buildings. These buildings represent a wide variety of architectural styles, ranging from the medieval to the 21st century. Bristol also boasts a unique architectural style known as Bristol Byzantine which was developed in the mid-19th century. Several examples of this style survive to the present day. Visitors to the city can find buildings from most of the architectural periods of the United Kingdom. Elements of the medieval fortified city and castle as well as some churches dating from the 12th century onwards can also be seen. For an inside view of the city's architecture head to the Georgian House, the former home of the West India merchant, John Pinney.

The New Room in Bristol is the oldest Methodist chapel in the world, built in 1739 by the Wesley brothers John and Charles. Downstairs is the chapel where Wesley would preach and the building (which was extended in 1748) was also used as a meeting house, school and dispensary for the early Methodists.

Goods From Japan delivered to your home or business. — Goods From Japan delivered to your home or business

Cathedral, Bristol, UK — Bristol Cathedral

Bristol Cathedral in the centre of the city is built on the site of the Abbey of St. Augustine which was founded in 1140 AD. The cathedral is a famous example of a "Hall Church" because the nave, aisles, and choir are all the same height.

Another church of interest is St Mary Redcliffe, a parish church located in the Redcliffe district. Constructed between the 12th and 15th centuries AD, the church is a Grade 1 listed building. St Mary Redcliffe is famous for the beauty of its Gothic architecture. Queen Elizabeth I described St Mary Redcliffe as, "the fairest, goodliest, and most famous parish church in England."

Cabot Tower is located on Brandon Hill. Cabot Tower was built in red sandstone and cream Bath stone between 1896 and 1898. It was constructed to commemorate the Italian navigator John Cabot (c. 1450 - c. 1500) who had set sail from Bristol 400 years earlier under commission from the English king Henry VII in a ship called the Matthew. He landed in what was later to become Canada. A replica of the 24 meter long Matthew is in Bristol Harbour.

The Clifton Suspension Bridge (see below) spans the Avon Gorge and is the symbol of the city. For over 150 years, this Grade I listed structure has drawn visitors from around the world. The bridge was designed by the then 24-year-old Isambard Kingdom Brunel who had been declared the winner of a design contest for the bridge and was appointed project engineer - his first major commission in a glittering career. Work on the bridge began in 1831 but was interrupted for financial reasons, and the bridge wasn't completed until 1864, after Brunel's own death in 1859.

The SS Great Britain called "The World's First Great Ocean Liner", was also conceived by Brunel. The revolutionary combination of a screw propeller, an iron hull, and a massive 1000-horsepower steam engine revolutionized international travel. So groundbreaking was the design that in 1843 when the SS Great Britain was launched, she was called "the greatest experiment since the Creation."

Bristol Zoo Gardens hosts African lowland gorillas, lions, monkeys, penguins, seals, reptiles and insects. It's great fun for the children.

Bristol Aquarium features a Shark Tank, Amazon Zone, Coral Sea and Bay of Rays with an underwater viewing tunnel.

We The Curious (formerly Explore @Bristol) is a fun day out in the centre of the city. There are 300 interactive exhibits and displays as well as a 90-seater planetarium, cafe and shop. There are exhibits on the human brain, space, technology and sport.

We The Curious, Bristol, UK — We The Curious

Bristol Shopping

The Broadmead Shopping Centre is Bristol's mainstream shopping area. For more alternative retail therapy try St. Nicholas Market, the farmer's market every Wednesday on Corn Street and Wine Street, a slow market on the first Sunday of the month (10 am-3 pm) and a "nails market" on Friday and Saturday.

Cabot Circus in Bristol is a shopping centre which features some exciting architecture. The development cost 500 million pounds to build and features a glass roof the size of one and a half football pitches. Visitors to this shopping centre in Bristol can shop for fashion, homewares, books, music, toys and much more.

Bristol Hotels

Bristol is well served with hotels to suit all budgets mainly congregated in the centre and out towards Clifton.

Some recommended places include the four star Mercure Bristol Grand Hotel, the four star The Berkeley Square Hotel Bristol in Clifton and the three star Hampton by Hilton Bristol City Centre on Bond Street.

Other places to stay in the city include the Hotel ibis Bristol Centre, the Bristol Marriott Royal Hotel and The Bristol Hotel.

Bristol Temple Meads Station, Bristol, UK — Bristol Temple Meads Station

Bristol Access - Getting To Bristol

Bristol is served by Bristol International Airport about 30 minutes by bus from Bristol Temple Meads Station. Bristol International Airport has a large number of flight destinations both in the UK and overseas. Bristol Temple Meads Station is Bristol's major railway station with connections to London Paddington, as well as local services to Bath Spa, Cardiff, Gloucester, Portsmouth, Southampton, Taunton, Weston-super-Mare and Weymouth.

Bristol International Airport, Bristol, UK — Bristol International Airport

CrossCountry has rail services north to Manchester Piccadilly Station in Manchester, York Station in York, Waverley Station in Edinburgh and Aberdeen. South West Trains run a few trains to London Waterloo in the capital.

The M5 motorway connects Bristol south to Exeter and north to Birmingham; the M4 runs east from Bristol towards London.

The X39 is the main commuter bus linking Bristol and Bath. At peak times the X39 runs approximately every 12 minutes along the Upper Bristol Road from Bath Bus Station to Bristol.

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