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Things to do in Bristol
The city of Bristol is only nine miles away from the historic city of Bath which is an easy drive or bus or train journey from Bath itself. It's a large, bustling, maritime city with a fascinating history and with great facilities. The city itself is an excellent place to visit, and students from Bath Spa find it a very popular alternative for a night out on the town.
I remember seeing the Great Western Railway bridge on the border of Devon and Cornwall - the bridge is slightly curved crossing the river with a very picturesque view of the West Country villages and undulating hills. The bridge construction was running five years behind schedule at the time, and unfortunately Brunel died before its completion.
There are many bridge stories, and the happiest is that of Sarah Ann Henley's, a lovers quarrel in 1885. Sarah jumped from the bridge, but her petticoats opened and acted as a parachute and carried her down to the muddy banks below unharmed. Incidentally, they did marry, and she lived to 85 years of age.
Another couple of places should be on your must visit list is the @Bristol and the SS Great Britain. This ship is a wonderful piece of workmanship, and once totally restored will look just the way it did at it's launching in 1843. In the meantime, this first iron built ship driven by propeller across the Atlantic to New York lies in dry dock from whence she came. This ship should be on your list of what to see in this west country city.
The ship size is impressive to say the least, with a length of 322ft and 51 foot width. The museum guide describes the innovation of Brunel's design and her history until her return to Bristol in 1970. If you're really interested in maritime history, you will see mementos of various types from Great Britain and Great Western historic paraphernalia.
Close by is the Industriall Museum hosed in a warehouse built in the 1950's overlooking the Floating Harbour, which displays local manufacturing processess from brick molding to pin making, transportation from penny farthing bikes to the worlds first purpose built horse drawn caravan from 1880, plus a car called Bristol and a historic gauge one working model railway piece.
You will also find memorabilia collections of Rolls Royce aero engines made in the city. The national Lifeboat Museum has four
retired lifeboats from the Royal navy service which add to these fantastic historical collections, something all the family will enjoy I think.
Clifton Roman Catholic Cathedral:
After three years in the building, the cathedral was consecrated on 28 June 1973 (in place of 19C pro-cathedral). The white, 165 foot, three plane steeple mark the new church, with trees, gardens, and the moat, which really blend into the scene in keeping with nature in contrast to the white plaster looking concrete, pink granite called agglomerate, lead, glass and black fibre-glass.
The interior design motif of the church is hexagon at the same time alongated to show a direct view from all sides of the white marble high altar, blended in the flooring, the lanterns, the lights above, the outline shows in the organ bay area and is reduced to a chevron for the flowing stream at the foot of the carved Portland stone.
You'll be impressed with the warm colours that come from period furnishings, the wood, limpid blues and greens, greys and jewel reds and yellows from the long, symbolic like windows of gigantic design in glass. I think you'll enjoy this masterpiece.
Other places to explore in the city include:
Queen Square:
The square, dating back to the time of Queen Anne, was where merchants built their houses when leaving the chaotic city centre and dockside location. There is a large bronze horse statue of William lll in the square, which is great for the enthusiastic photographer.
Temple Church:
This church is Bristol's leaning tower, and has a monumental stone belfry dating back to about 1300, and stands fairly squarely, despite the bombings and fires, just as a reminder of the medieval knights in Armour. The 144 foot structure began to lean at an early stage in its construction and is about 5 feet out of true. In comparison, the leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy has a height of 180 feet with an amazing lean of 15 feet.
Temple Meads, Brunel's Station Building:
Bristol's original Great Western Railway (GWR) station dating back to 1841 has been restored with the intention of transforming it into an exhibition centre of civil engineering present and past, including notably Isambard Kingdom Brunel between 1806 and 1859, whos unique imprint has become part of the city fabric.
Clifton Down:
The down was populated by sheep farmers until prosperous merchants came to build substantial residences overlooking the gorge, and speculative builders came to construct Georgian crescents, Regency squares, terraces and Victorian streets. In the 18 century, the area became known through the short-lived Hotwells Spa; in the 19 century it acquired fame with the opening of the Suspension Bridge.
Bristol Zoological Gardens:
The famous zoo, opened in 1836, is delighted in by some for the brilliance of its flowerbeds, the architecture of its newly built houses - the Reptile and Ape Houses especially - and by all for its elephants, pink flamingos, gorillas, rare okapi and unique white tigers.
Clifton Village:
The Mall, Caledonia Place, Princess Victoria St. Royal York Crescent and several other streets, with their late 18th and early 19 century terrace houses and small shops, make a delightful village apart from the city bustle.
Blaise Castle House Museum:
This is worth the 5 mile North North West drive up the A4018 (AY) and B4055 to the museum. The museum is in the house which was built in the 1800's and at the centre of the undulating parkland which illustrates English domestic life in towns and in the country between 1750 and 1900. On display are embroidered waistcoats and lots of Victoriana, including dolls, quilted bedcovers, children's and adult games, bronze wool weights with jig-saw puzzles, and a case of Bristol watchmakers and timepieces of the era.
Blaise Hamlet:
On the north side of the B4057 Hwy at Weston Rd, there is a group of ten houses, originally thatched, all different, and interestingly, these cottages were all designed by John Nash in 1812 to stand around a village green with no front door facing any other door, this was designed to stop gossiping about visitors to the village!
This hamlet is unique, in that it was a very successful example, suitably designed with lovely flowers in the window box sized gardens, or even a chocolate-box or the cottage orne style of architecture. Definately worth a side trip to this village.
The city itself has an unbelievable choice of restaurants. Bristol wine bars and pubs, along with the many bistros are a complete must visit - plus it also has a superb club scene too. Major rock bands regularly play in Bristol, and there are concerts to suit every musical taste, from classical to opera and jazz. Bristol is also well situated for arts-lovers, with an impressive range of theaters, cinemas and galleries, from the Watershed Centre to the Old Vic Theatre.
Leave Bristol and return to London Short Trips
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