Bristol

We spent the day in Bristol today with many many other thousands of people celebrating the Harbour Festival of 2013, didn't know what we were coming to and were more than surprised when we arrived.

Another city with many hills and of course we had to head to the top of the highest one with the tower on Brandon Hill to catch the views over the city.

Our first stop was to see the Cathedral Church of the Holy & Undivided Trinity. A church has probably stood on this site for over a thousand years but it came to prominence in 1148 when Robert Fitzhardinge founded the Abbey of St. Augustine. The first of the cathedral the Chapter House built between 1150-60 then the last to be built the Western Tower in 1888 make up the changes made over 700 years can be seen along with  Abbey Gatehouse today.

City Hall has been the seat of local government in Bristol, England since 1956. The foundation stone for was laid in 1938 and the building was opened by the Queen in 1956.

City Hall

The Abbey Gatehouse & Library

We then climbed Brandon Hill and to the top of Cabot Tower the century old 34m (102ft) high tower that offers panoramic views over the city. Built in 1897 with the angelic Lady of Commerce statue at the very top. It was constructed in memory of John Cabot, 400 years after he set sail in Matthew from Bristol and landed in what was later to become Canada. The foundation stone was laid on 24 June 1897 and the tower was completed in July 1898. It consists of a spiral staircase and two viewing platforms which overlook the city.

University of Bristol

The Clifton Suspension Bridge spanning the Avon Gorge built in 1754 a dream of a Bristol Wine merchant

The back of City Hall & Cathedral

Cabot Tower 

The Georgian house was built in 1790 for John Pinney, a wealthy slave plantation owner and sugar merchant, it was also where the enslaved African, Pero lived. It is displayed as it might have looked in the 18th century and provides an insight into life above and below stairs.

Georgian House Museum is an 18th Century 6 storey townhouse

Study

Dining Room

Cold Water Plunge Pool

Kitchen

Laundry

Library

Drawing Room

Bedroom

Wills Memorial Building of the University of Bristol

The Red Lodge house, built in 1580, is furnished in Elizabethan, Stuart and Georgian styles and contains the impressive Great Oak Room, with its original Elizabethan plasterwork ceiling, oak panelling and carved chimneypiece. It was built as a lodge for a Great House, which once stood on the site of the present Colston Hall. It was subsequently added to in Georgian times. It has had several uses in its past, including a reform school for girls. This was set up in 1854 by Mary Carpenter and a room is dedicated to her memory.

The Red Lodge

Bedroom

Knot Garden

Bristol Museum

Funery Jar 800BC - 500 AD

Greek Goddess Breotia Greece 600BC