65-623: Frenchay is a village in South Gloucestershire , England. It is part of the Bristol Built-up Area , located 5 miles (8 km) north-east of Bristol city centre. Frenchay was designated as a conservation area in 1975 in recognition of its unique architectural and historic character and appearance. The village is situated between the B4058 road, which runs parallel to the M32 motorway in
130-524: A Catholic church, a Quaker Meeting House and a Unitarian chapel. Cricket was played on Frenchay Common from early in the nineteenth century, apparently on the initiative of the Wadham family who lived at Frenchay Manor House and who owned farms locally at Doynton , Pomfrey, Mangotsfield , Downend and Frenchay, and many of whom are buried in the graveyard of St John the Baptist Church . W.G. Grace ,
195-513: A 45-foot-wide (13.7 m) junction lock between the Basin and what became known as the Floating Harbour. This arrangement provided flexibility of operation with the Basin being used as a lock when there were large numbers of arrivals and sailings. The harbour was officially opened on 1 May 1809. The first vessel built in the Floating Harbour was Dochfour . Patterson's yard within the harbour
260-622: A dam and lock at Hotwells to create the harbour. The £530,000 scheme was approved by Parliament , and construction began in May 1804. The scheme included the construction of the Cumberland Basin , a large wide stretch of the harbour in Hotwells where the Quay walls and bollards have listed building status. The tidal new cut was constructed from Netham to Hotwells, with another dam installed at this end of
325-551: A tiny hamlet into the biggest iron and steel centre in the world, and a major shipbuilding force, in just forty years. The following suburbs are in the same urban area, but lie in South Gloucestershire or North Somerset : South Gloucestershire South Gloucestershire is a unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of Gloucestershire , South West England . Towns in the area include Yate , Chipping Sodbury , Kingswood , Thornbury , Filton , Patchway and Bradley Stoke . The southern part of its area falls within
390-690: A variety of small boats by Baltic Wharf Sailing Club and is surrounded by tourist attractions. The old hydraulic pumping station has been converted into a pub and is a Grade II listed building. There are two (since 2016) active boat building companies in the harbour: Bristol Classic Boat Company and the Slipway Co-operative at the Underfall Yard . The harbour is now a tourist attraction with museums, galleries, exhibitions, bars and nightclubs . Former workshops and warehouses have now largely been converted or replaced by cultural venues, such as
455-399: Is a rural area, Borough is an urban area. Floating Harbour Bristol Harbour is the harbour in the city of Bristol , England. The harbour covers an area of 70 acres (28 hectares). It is the former natural tidal river Avon through the city but was made into its current form in 1809 when the tide was prevented from going out permanently. A tidal by-pass was dug for 2 miles through
520-480: Is powered by water pressure from the Underfall Yard hydraulic engine house at 750 psi (5,200 kPa; 52 bar). The new Plimsoll Bridge, completed in 1965, has a more modern electro-hydraulic system using oil at a pressure of 4,480 psi (30,900 kPa; 309 bar). Since the 1980s, millions of pounds have been spent regenerating the harbourside. In 1999, Pero's Bridge was constructed, linking
585-640: Is situated within Bristol city limits. Around November 2022, the village school moved site nearer to the now-closed hospital. The previous site was closed promptly. Frenchay gives its name to the Frenchay Campus of the University of the West of England , though the campus itself is situated in the neighbouring parish of Stoke Gifford . Frenchay was first recorded in 1257 as Fromscawe and later as Fromeshaw , meaning
650-505: Is speculated that sailors from Bristol had made landfall in the Americas before Christopher Columbus or John Cabot . After Cabot arrived in Bristol, he proposed a scheme to the king, Henry VII , in which he proposed to reach Asia by sailing west across the north Atlantic. He estimated that this would be shorter and quicker than Columbus' southerly route. The merchants of Bristol, operating under
715-580: Is the national average. In 2005, the then Chancellor of the Exchequer recognised the City of Bristol's ties to science and technology by naming it one of six "science cities", and promising funding for further development of science in the city, with a £300 million science park planned at Emersons Green , in South Gloucestershire. The area is served by BBC West and ITV West Country broadcasting from
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#1732854718074780-676: The @Bristol exhibition with Bristol tourist attractions. In 2000, the @Bristol centre opened on semi-derelict land at Canon's Marsh and some of the existing Grade II listed buildings were refurbished and reused. It was funded with £44.3 million from the National Lottery , the Millennium Commission , South West of England Regional Development Agency , and a further £43.4 million from Bristol City Council and commercial partners, including Nestlé . Private investors are also constructing studio apartment buildings. The regeneration of
845-613: The A38 and M32 ) and to Bath , as well as westward to South Wales and Cardiff via the two Severn bridges . The M5 and M4 motorways provide access to Gloucester and London. Bristol's northern and eastern ring road, the A4174 , passes through South Gloucestershire. The Metrobus express bus network extends from Bristol into South Gloucestershire, and is supported by the district council. The area also has an important and well used railway network, with many direct routes to towns and cities across
910-633: The Arnolfini art gallery, Watershed media and arts centre , M Shed museum, Antlers Gallery and the We The Curious science exhibition centre, as well as a number of fashionable apartment buildings. The Bristol Harbour Railway , operated by M Shed, runs between the museum and the CREATE Centre on some weekends and bank holidays. Historic boats are permanently berthed in the harbour. These include Isambard Kingdom Brunel 's SS Great Britain , which
975-643: The Bristol Byzantine style with coloured brick and Moorish arches. The Arnolfini art gallery occupies Bush House, a 19th-century Grade II* listed tea warehouse. and the Watershed Media Centre occupies another disused warehouse. In 1908, the Royal Edward Dock was built in Avonmouth and in 1972 the large deep water Royal Portbury Dock was constructed on the opposite side of the mouth of
1040-525: The Bristol Harbour Festival is held, resulting in an influx of boats, including tall ships , Royal Navy vessels and lifeboats . There is a bylaw that prohibit swimming in the docks, with a fine of up to £1,000 for infringement. Bristol Harbour hosts the Bristol Harbour Festival in July of each year, attended by tall ships and hundreds of ships and boats of all kinds. About 200,000 visitors view
1105-515: The Canon's Marsh area is expected to cost £240 million. Crest Nicholson were the lead developers , constructing 450 new flats, homes and waterside offices. It is being carried out under the guidance of The Harbourside Sponsors’ Group, which is a partnership between the City Council, key stakeholders, developers, businesses, operators and funders. The Cumberland Basin & Baltic Wharf are used by
1170-565: The Greater Bristol urban area surrounding the city of Bristol . South Gloucestershire was created in 1996 to replace the Northavon district of the abolished county of Avon . It is separate from Gloucestershire County Council , but is part of the ceremonial county and shares Gloucestershire's Lord Lieutenant (the Sovereign's representative to the county). Because of its history as part of
1235-460: The Mendip TV transmitter. Radio stations for the area are: The River Severn forms the north-western edge of the area, with a wide coastal plain terminated by an escarpment. East of this is the wide River Frome Valley drainage area. Further east is another escarpment running roughly north–south, passing between Yate and Chipping Sodbury and west of Pucklechurch. The Cotswolds Escarpment forms
1300-720: The River Thames , but her 48 ft (14.6 m) beam was too big to pass through the lock. Thus the SS Great Britain was moored in the Floating Harbour until December 1844, before proceeding into Cumberland Basin after coping stones and lock gate platforms were removed from the Junction Lock. At one time there were dozens of Bristol shipyards, the largest in the harbour being Hilhouse , who became Charles Hill & Sons in 1845. The harbour cost more than anticipated and high rates were levied to repay loans, reducing any benefit
1365-654: The US Army , which treated wounded soldiers returning from the D-Day landings in Normandy . Facilities merged with Southmead Hospital , further towards the centre of the city, in 2014. A&E services closed on 19 May 2014. The closure of Frenchay Hospital has made way for a new housing development. John Wadham (1762–1843) of Frenchay Manor House was, from 1789, a co-owner and director of Wadham, Ricketts & Co, later Wadham, Ricketts, Fry & Co, which manufactured Bristol blue glass at
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#17328547180741430-634: The Underfall Yard , serving landing stages in the city centre and close to most of the harbour-side attractions. A separate cross-harbour ferry carries pedestrians from the ferry landing at the Great Britain to the new harbour inlet opposite. Bristol Packet Boat Trips offer regular harbour tours with commentaries and river cruises on the Tower Belle up the River Avon to Conham , Hanham and Bath and downstream to Avonmouth . In late July each year,
1495-429: The hydraulic engine house dates from 1888, and is grade II* listed, as is the hydraulic engine house itself. It is built of red brick with a slate roof and contains pumping machinery, installed in 1907 by Fullerton, Hodgart and Barclay of Paisley , which powers the dock's hydraulic system of cranes, bridges and locks. The former pattern-maker's shop and stores date from the same period and are grade II listed, as are
1560-656: The Avon, making the Bristol City Docks in the floating harbour redundant as a freight dock. However, the city centre docks continued to be used for smaller trading ships until the early 1970s, despite suffering significant damage to its infrastructure during the Bristol Blitz. In 1977 Charles Hill & Sons, the last shipbuilder at the Albion Yard, closed after delivering the 1,541 tonne beer tanker Miranda Guinness . Part of
1625-538: The Bristol General Steam Navigation Company from Broad Quay in St Augustine's Reach. By 1867, ships were getting larger and the meanders in the river Avon prevented vessels over 300 ft (91 m) from reaching the harbour. A scheme to install a much larger lock at Avonmouth to make the entire river a floating harbour, and to straighten the sharper bends, was dropped after work began on
1690-567: The Cumberland Basin, and is a grade II listed building. B Bond Warehouse dates from 1908 and was the first in Britain to use Edmond Coignet's reinforced concrete system. It is now used by Bristol City Council and houses Bristol Archives , the CREATE Centre and council offices. Robinson's Warehouse built in 1874 by William Bruce Gingell , and the Granary on Welsh Back are examples of
1755-543: The M4/M5 Almondsbury Interchange . Employers with sites in this area include EE and the RAC . South Gloucestershire is home to 99 primary schools, 16 secondary schools, and post-16 colleges and centres. There is one university, the University of the West of England , which was a former polytechnic. In 2008, DCSF figures revealed that there was a 6.6% overall absence in the district's secondary schools, whilst 7.4%
1820-457: The Patent slip and quay walls. A large number of warehouses were built around the harbour for storage and trade. Many survive today and some are being converted into apartment blocks but many have been demolished as part of the regeneration of the area. One which has survived is the A Bond Tobacco Warehouse, which was built in 1905 and was the first of the three brick built bonded warehouses in
1885-714: The Phoenix Glassworks near Temple Gate, Bristol , examples of which can be seen in Bristol Museum , and was a director of the Bristol Floating Harbour Company in 1820. His son Thomas Wadham (1797–1849) was High Sheriff of Bristol in 1843, the year that Isambard Kingdom Brunel launched his ship SS Great Britain in Bristol Harbour . Thomas Wadham and his son the Rev. John Wadham were active in setting up
1950-536: The Quaker chocolate manufacturer, who styled his company J S Fry & Sons , which manufactured the first ever commercially available chocolate bar in the world. He moved to Grove House (now Riverwood House) in 1800. He died in 1835 and is buried in the burying ground behind the Meeting House along with his wife and daughter, Pricilla. Frenchay was the home to Frenchay Hospital , greatly expanded during World War II for
2015-574: The UK to return to a Committee System , abolishing the single party Cabinet, as allowed under the Localism Act . This was later reverted to a leader and cabinet system in 2017 during the Conservative majority. For Westminster elections, the area is covered by three constituencies , all lying within the authority boundary. These are: County/Borough is a legal term denoting the type of constituency. County
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2080-621: The UK. This includes eastward to London and westward through the Severn Tunnel to Cardiff and the rest of South Wales. There are also routes to the South-West counties and north to England's second city, Birmingham . Many routes cross in Stoke Gifford at Bristol Parkway station . There are six stations within the district, mainly located near the border with Bristol in the west of the district. The Conservatives held an overall majority on
2145-502: The Winterbourne National School and his daughters were involved on the school's women's committee. Thomas's son Edward Wadham (1828–1913), Mineral Agent to Walter Montagu Douglas Scott, 5th Duke of Buccleuch took his skills as a civil engineer who had worked under Brunel and his love of cricket to Barrow-in-Furness where, from 1851 until his death in 1913, he played an important part in the development of what had been
2210-477: The area that now forms South Gloucestershire formed part of the shire county of Gloucestershire , comprising the urban districts of Kingswood and Mangotsfield and the Rural Districts of Warmley , Sodbury and Thornbury . However, under the terms of that act, the area was removed from Gloucestershire, and became part of the county of Avon , forming the districts of Kingswood and Northavon . In 1996,
2275-569: The boats, and watch live music, street performances and other entertainments. In 1996, the harbour was the setting for the first International Festival of the Sea . A larger version of the annual harbour festivals, this was attended by many tall ships, including the Eye of the Wind , Pride of Baltimore , Rose , Kaskelot and Earl of Pembroke . The key theme was John Cabot 's pioneering voyage of discovery to
2340-532: The council from 2015 until 2023; previously no party had overall control, except for 1999–2003 when the Liberal Democrats had a majority. After the 2023 elections, Labour and the Liberal Democrats formed a coalition which took control of the council, this being Labour's first time in control and the Liberal Democrats for the first time in twenty years. In 2012, it became one of the first authorities in
2405-527: The county of Avon was abolished, and South Gloucestershire was created as a unitary authority area comprising the former districts of Kingswood and Northavon. The area borders the city and county of Bristol , the Bath and North East Somerset unitary authority area, and the shire counties of Gloucestershire and Wiltshire. The geographic area currently known as South Gloucestershire should not be confused with Southern Gloucestershire. Nor should organisations or bodies in
2470-462: The county of Avon, South Gloucestershire works closely with the other unitary authorities that took over when that county was abolished, including shared services such as Avon Fire and Rescue Service and Avon and Somerset Police , together with co-operation in planning strategy for transport, roads and housing. Prior to the implementation of the Local Government Act 1972 on 1 April 1974,
2535-522: The diversion of the River Frome in the 1240s into an artificial deep channel known as "Saint Augustine's Reach", which flowed into the River Avon. Saint Augustine's Reach became the heart of Bristol's docks with its quays and wharfs. The River Avon within the gorge, and the River Severn into which it flows, has tides which fluctuate about 47 feet (14 metres) between high and low water. This means that
2600-559: The eastern edge of South Gloucestershire, while the western half is mainly urbanised. A small part of the Cotswolds and the National Trust site of Dyrham Park are also in the district. South of the motorways are suburbs of Bristol while areas north are rural. Some of the inner green belts have been taken away by developments like the new town of Bradley Stoke. Many areas of South Gloucestershire have easy commuting access to Bristol (via
2665-533: The famous Victorian cricketer, whose family lived in the next village of Downend, was captain of the village cricket team. The Frenchay Cricket Club, which is said to have been the first village club in the county, was established in 1846. Frenchay's earliest place of worship was the Quaker Meeting House , established in 1670 and replaced with a new building in 1809. Many Quaker merchants from nearby Bristol made their homes here, including Joseph Storrs Fry ,
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2730-531: The fields of Bedminster for the river, known as the "River Avon New Cut", "New Cut", or simply "The Cut". It is often called the Floating Harbour as the water level remains constant and it is not affected by the state of the tide on the river in the Avon Gorge, The New Cut or the natural river southeast of Temple Meads to its source. Netham Lock at the east end of the 1809 Feeder Canal is the upstream limit of
2795-453: The floating harbour occupies the former natural course of the River Avon, whilst the tidal River Avon flows through an artificial channel known as the New Cut . This separation of the floating harbour and the tidal River Avon allows boats in the harbour to remain floating at low tide, reduces currents and silting and prevents flooding. Between Bristol Temple Meads railway station and Hotwells ,
2860-477: The floating harbour. Beyond the lock is a junction: on one arm the navigable River Avon continues upstream to Bath , and on the other arm is the tidal natural River Avon. The first 1 mile (1.6 kilometres) of the floating harbour, downstream from Netham Lock to Totterdown Basin , is an artificial canal known as the Feeder Canal , while the tidal River Avon follows its original route. Downstream of Totterdown Basin,
2925-575: The harbour and remains sited at this location to the present day. William Jessop had created a weir in the dam at Underfall to allow surplus water to flow back into the New Cut, this was known as the 'Overfall'. By the 1830s, the Floating Harbour was suffering from severe silting. Isambard Kingdom Brunel was, however, able to devise a solution to this problem. In place of the Overfall he advised better use of three shallow sluices and one deep scouring sluice between
2990-512: The harbour and the New Cut, together with a dredging vessel. This drag boat would scrape the silt away from the quay walls. When the deep sluice opened at low tide, a powerful undertow sucked the silt into the river to be carried away on the next tide. The shallow sluices enabled adjustment of the dock water level according to weather conditions. Several old buildings, which date from the 1880s, remain at Underfall Yard and have listed building status. The octagonal brick and terracotta chimney of
3055-454: The harbour and the River Avon run parallel at a distance of no more than 5 ⁄ 8 mile (1 kilometre) apart. Downstream of Bristol Temple Meads railway station, the floating harbour meanders through Bristol city centre , Canon's Marsh and Hotwells . At Hotwells, the floating harbour rejoins the tidal River Avon, via a series of locks, and flows into the Avon Gorge . Bristol Harbour was
3120-496: The harbour. The Feeder Canal between Temple Meads and Netham provided a link to the tidal river so that boats could continue upstream to Bath. However, the new scheme required a way to equalise the levels inside and outside the Dock for the passage of vessels to and from the Avon, and bridges to cross the water. Jessop built Cumberland Basin with two entrance locks from the tidal Avon, of widths 45 and 35 ft (13.7 and 10.7 m), and
3185-617: The heavily developed area between the northern edge of Bristol and the M5 motorway , an area sometimes described as the North Fringe of Bristol . This includes the Cribbs Causeway shopping centre , comprising The Mall regional shopping centre and the surrounding retail parks. East of Patchway are the Aztec West and Almondsbury business parks either side of the A38 , extending to Bradley Stoke and
3250-423: The local authority with 9,500 people and the Ministry of Defence Headquarters for Defence Procurement and the Naval Support Command with 7,000 employees. Other key employers include Airbus , Rolls-Royce and the Royal Mail , which dominates the Filton - Patchway area of South Gloucestershire. Friends Provident and Hewlett-Packard also have major offices in nearby Stoke Gifford . Many employers operate in
3315-457: The locks, into Clifton . The original Bristol Harbour Railway was a joint venture by the GWR and the Bristol and Exeter Railway, opened in 1872 between Temple Meads and the Floating Harbour. Its route included a tunnel under St Mary Redcliffe church and a steam-powered bascule bridge over the entrance locks at Bathurst Basin. In 1876 the railway was extended by 1 ⁄ 2 mi (800 m) to Wapping Wharf . In 1906, new branches from
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#17328547180743380-406: The much cheaper docks at Avonmouth and Portishead . The present entrance lock was designed by Thomas Howard and opened in July 1873. This has a width of 62 ft (18.9 m) and is the only entrance lock now in use at the City Docks. From 1893 until 1934 the Clifton Rocks Railway provided a funicular railway link, inside the cliff face, from the western end of the harbour, which is close to
3445-448: The name of the Society of Merchant Venturers , agreed to support his scheme. They had sponsored probes into the north Atlantic from the early 1480s, looking for possible trading opportunities. In 1552 Edward VI granted a Royal Charter to the Merchant Venturers to manage the port. By 1670, the city had 6,000 tons of shipping, of which half was used for importing tobacco. By the late 17th century and early 18th century, this shipping
3510-499: The new harbour had at drawing companies back from Liverpool. In 1848 the city council bought the docks company to force down the rates. They employed Isambard Kingdom Brunel to make improvements, including new lock gates, a dredger and sluice gates designed to reduce siltation . By the middle of the nineteenth century there was a regular steam packet passenger service to Cork, Waterford, Dublin, Tenby, Carmarthen, Haverford West, Milford Haven, Swansea, Cardiff and Newport operated by
3575-406: The original Port of Bristol , but as ships and their cargo have increased in size, it has now largely been replaced by docks at Avonmouth and Portbury . These are located 7 mi (11 km) downstream at the mouth of the River Avon. [REDACTED] Bristol grew up on the banks of the Rivers Avon and Frome . Since the 13th century, the rivers have been modified for use as docks including
3640-421: The past titled 'South Gloucestershire' (meaning Southern Gloucestershire) be confused with the area covered by the unitary authority. At the 2001 census , the population of South Gloucestershire was 245,641. At the 2011 census, the population had increased to 262,767. At the 2021 census , the population estimate for South Gloucestershire is 290,400. According to the 2001 census estimates, 97.6 percent of
3705-510: The population was described as white, 0.8 percent as dual heritage, 0.7 percent as Asian or Asian British, 0.4 percent as Black or Black British and 0.5 percent as Chinese or other. Much of the population is in towns that form the 'suburbs' to the north and east of Bristol. There are also the large towns of Yate and its neighbour Chipping Sodbury , Thornbury , the large villages of Winterbourne and Frampton Cotterell , Wickwar , Alveston , Olveston and Tockington . The main employers are
3770-458: The river is easily navigable at high tide but reduced to a muddy channel at low tide in which ships would often run aground. Ships had no option but to be stranded in the harbour for unloading, giving rise to the phrase " shipshape and Bristol fashion " to describe how ships and their secured cargo were capable of taking the strain of repeated strandings on the mud. As early as 1420, vessels from Bristol were regularly travelling to Iceland and it
3835-419: The south via the Ashton Avenue swing bridge were built to Canons Marsh on the north side of the Floating Harbour and to Wapping via a line alongside the New Cut. A Coal Concentration Depot owned by Western Fuels was established at Wapping Wharf just behind the Industrial Museum but this closed in 1987. The docks maintenance facility was established on the land exposed by the damming of the river to construct
3900-423: The west, and the wooded River Frome valley to the south and east. To the north, the built-up area ends at the A4174 Avon ring road , beyond which is the Avon Green Belt . Frenchay village has much green space, including the common, walks along the River Frome, and a moor owned by The National Trust . The Village Hall is a village hub, and there is an annual village flower show. Frenchay Park, an adjacent suburb,
3965-452: The wood on the Frome . Frenchay's largest place of worship is the Anglican Church of St John the Baptist , adjacent to the large village common, which is overlooked by a number of 18th-century houses principally built by wealthy Quaker families. These include the very fine former Rectory, Bradford's House and the adjacent Frenchay Common House. Also overlooking the common is the village school which dates from 1842. The village also contains
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#17328547180744030-523: The yard reopened in 1980 when Abels Shipbuilders began operating. It produce a steady stream of small ferries, survey vessels, tugs and other craft before going out of business in 2006. Amey Roadstone (formerly T R Brown and Holms Sand & Gravel) sand dredgers worked from Poole's Wharf in Hotwells until 1991. Occasionally coastal trading vessels enter the Cumberland Basin to be loaded with large steel silos manufactured by Braby Ltd at their nearby Ashton Gate works. The old Junction Lock swing bridge
4095-473: Was also playing a significant role in the slave trade . In the 18th century, the docks in Liverpool grew larger and so increased competition with Bristol for the tobacco trade. Coastal trade was also important, with the area called " Welsh Back " concentrating on trows with cargoes from the slate industry in Wales , stone , timber and coal. The limitations of Bristol's docks were causing problems to business, so in 1802 William Jessop proposed installing
4160-444: Was the first iron-hulled and propeller -driven ocean liner; and a replica of the Matthew , in which John Cabot sailed to North America in 1497. The historic vessels of M Shed museum, which include the steam tug Mayflower , firefloat Pyronaut and motor tug John King , are periodically operated. Bristol Ferry Boats and Number Seven Boat Trips operate ferry services along the harbour from near Temple Meads station to
4225-426: Was used for the construction of many ships notably Brunel's SS Great Western in 1838 and the SS Great Britain in 1843. They were some of the largest ships to have been built at the time, and ironically hastened the decline of the city docks by proving the feasibility of large ships. The SS Great Britain was to be towed away from her builders, to have her 1,000 hp engines and interior fitted out on
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