Explore Bristol of Foot: Cliftonwood by Julia Killingback and Michael Pasco

Julia Killingback and Michael Pascoe take you on a walking tour of the fascinating area of Cliftonwood and uncover many hidden delights along the way.

As the name suggests, for many centuries the slopes below Clifton, down to the River Avon, were wooded. In the Middle Ages Cliftonwood was home to much wildlife and until stopped by their bishop, the monks of St Augustine's Abbey (now Bristol Cathedral) ran a pack of hounds there. Later the area provided much-needed timber for building both ships and houses. A vital industry developed - burning limestone - which was used for mortar, plaster, limewash paint and quick lime. Lime was also used as a disinfectant to make outdoor privies less smelly. For hundreds of years the majority of the local population lived along the banks of the River Avon, earning their living from shipbuilding, rope and sail-making, seafaring, and later, the manufacture of glass. In 1784 there were no fewer than 43 shipwrights and anchor smiths living by the waterside. Gradually the population expanded and moved up the hill which has resulted in a delightful network of historic paths and steps leading to St Andrew's, Clifton's parish church. These are now mainly known only to locals.

Paperback, 44 pages

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