Brislington The place-name Brislington is Anglo Saxon in origin, and means “Beorhthelm’s Farmstead”, with Beorhthelm being an Old English personal name (Mills 1998,56) Brook A natural freshwater stream that is smaller than a river St Anne’s Wood The steep sided semi-ancient woodland probably named after the pilgrimage site Nightingale Valley “Miss Alma Coombs remembers the warm evenings in her childhood when sitting with her friends on the wall at the top of Nightingale Valley, they listened to the song of the Nightingale and the notes of the Nightjar.” p. 51-52 of St Anne’s Bristol a History by Evelyn Winchester (1986, White Tree Books) 1 Introduction .................................................................................................................. Brislington Brook runs through Nightingale Valley in Brislington and offers the perfect location for outdoor study. It is one of Bristol’s best kept secrets and it’s incredibly accessible for junior schools in St Anne’s, St Anne’s Park, Broomhill and Brislington village. The Brook is a hidden gem. It is set in a well-established broadleaved woodland with mature and semi-mature trees and shrubs filling much of the steep and wide valley. As well as its great environmental value as a wildlife corridor, the Brook has a fascinating history, the remains of which are evident everywhere; ranging from St Anne’s Holy Well, a 13th century pilgrimage site, to the remnants of a Victorian pleasure garden. In 2011, the Brislington Community Partnership received three-year funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund and Bristol City Council for an exciting new community project, Discover Brislington Brook. The project has brought the river to life and enabled people to discover its history and wildlife through fun activities, walks, talks and events. This pack forms part of this project’s legacy. It draws together the work that has taken place to discover and interpret the human, built and natural heritage of Brislington Brook as a resource for your future local area study. 2 Acknowledgements Bristol Museum & Art Gallery and Bristol Record Office for their kind permission to reproduce many illustrations and copies of documents Bob Jones and Pete Insole, Bristol City Council Archaeologists Matt Scammell, Environmental Technical Support Officer, Bristol City Council Rowan Mattheissen, Brislington Brook Project Officer Rosie Tomlinson for her research into Land Rights and the Sinnott case Ken Taylor, for advice, information and permission to reproduce images Sam Wyatt and Brislington Conservation & History Society (sketch of flood/St Anne’s Chapel: artist impression) Eddie House, for pageant photography Ruth Coleman, additional research and writing, compiling and editing Sophie Cook, for cover photography – bristolfestivalofnature.wordpress.com Sources and Books Pilgrimage in Medieval England – Diana Webb, Hambledon and London, 2000 A Collection of Pilgrim Signs and Other Badges in Bristol City Museum – Susan Barker, From the Transactions of the Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society, 1977 The Book of Margery Kempe - Penguin Books, 1985 The Canterbury Tales – Geoffrey Chaucer – there are many children’s versions of this story as well as several editions of the original published by Penguin and Oxford Press 3 ...................................................................................................................Contents Section 1: Resources 5 Section 3: Teachers’ area 43 (Maps, Charts and Images) Activity Plan 44 Where to find St Anne’s Wood & 6 Using this Pack 45 Nightingale Valley Brislington Brook Rubbings Trails 46 Brislington Brook 1791 7 Geography Activities 47 Brislington Brook 1844 8 How Can Maps Help Us? 47 Discover Brislington Brook 9 Compass Skills 48 Project Area Magic Valley Shapes 49 St Anne’s Wood Contour Map 10 Science Activities 50 Water Quality 50 Nightingale Valley Contour Map 11 Woodland and 52 Wildlife Hotspots Map 12 Minibeast Survey Geology of Brislington Brook 13 Litter Picking Session Plan 54 Chapel Relics/Pilgrim 14 Ideas for Other Science 56 Activities Paraphernalia Water Quality Data 15 Maths Activity 57 Wild Poetry Worksheet 17 Art/Literacy Activities 58 Wild Poetry Session Plan 58 Litter Survey Worksheet 19 Literacy/History Activities 60 Magic Valley Shapes Plotter 20 Pilgrim’s Way Session Plan 60 Trainspotter Maths Worksheet 21 Pilgrim Badge Session Plan 63 Pilgrim Puppet Templates 23 Pilgrim Puppets Session Plan 66 The Story of Roger and the 69 Line Drawing Examples 24 Stag ....................................................... ..... Ideas for Other Art Activities 73 ....................................................... ..... Section 2: Factsheets 25 Section 4: Paths for People 75 Factsheet 1: Context and Geology 26 Game Factsheet 2: Archaeology 27 Factsheet 3:Medieval Bristol, St 29 Teachers’ notes 76 Anne’s Well, Mill and Ferry Children’s brief 78 Factsheet 4: St Anne’s Chapel 31 1891 Footpaths Map 80 Factsheet 5: Pilgrimage 33 Verdict Recorded in the Press 81 Factsheet 6: Ownership of Land 35 Cast of Characters 82 Factsheet 7:The Railway 37 Factsheet 8: What lives in and 39 around Brislington Brook Factsheet 9: Water Quality 41 Section 1 Maps and Resources Images supplied by Rosie Tomlinson Discover Brislington Brook 5 Where to find St Anne’s Wood & ........................................................................................................................Nightingale Valley Maurice Pullin n r e v e S r e v 9 Brislington Brook i 4 R M M5 A4 32 8 M 3 A BRISTOL A432 A420 A 36 9 A4 31 A 3 7 0 7 A A3 4 38 A 6 ........................................................................................................................Brislington Brook 1791 This is a map of the Gore-Langton estate in Brislington and clearly shows that the Brislington brook corridor was wooded as it is today. You can also see the buildings of Langton Court which is still visible from the carpark of the Langton Court Hotel on Langton Court Rd, St Anne’s. 7 ........................................................................................................................Brislington Brook 1844 This map is orientated with South at the top and North at the bottom. You can see where the brook flows into the Avon in the bottom right hand corner. 8 ........................................................................................................................Discover Brislington Brook Project Area N 9 ........................................................................................................................St Anne’s Wood Contour Map N 10 Nightingale ValleyTe nnContis Courts our Map ........................................................................................................................Brislington Brook ¯ N Junior 2 1 o t 5 to 16 Infants School Mile Post urch 1 Ch 17 to 28 ne's St An Hillside Brisl ington Brook 15 2 5 0 4 35 H ea lth F irf ie ld 0 3 k Broo Foot Bridge Jubilee 5 2 k o (hostel) o r B n o t g n i sl i r B Allotment Gardens 5 (s 4 5 co 0 ut ce nt re) St Peter's Fox House 6 0 © Crown Copyright. All rights reserved. 5 Bristol City Council. 100 023406. 2014. 0 1530 60 90 120 Produced by Corporate GIS Team Meters April 2014 Map Ref 14-018 11 Wildlife Hotspots Map ........................................................................................................................ Small leaved limes indicator of ancient woodland. Lime River edge plants leaves are edible and flowers Signs of otter n Watercress used to make medicinal teas activity n Flag Irises n Bistort n Hogweed n Cuckoo flower River creatures n Himalayan Balsam Species you are likely to find (invasive) n Water snails n Hemlock water dropwort n Caddisfly larvae (poisonous) n Freshwater hoglouse n Freshwater shrimp n Leeches n Flatworm n Sticklebacks (fish) St Anne’s Well n Damselfly larvae n Mayfly larvae Elm trees small elms can be found in the woods, Trees these are suckers from trees affected by dutch There are many native and elm disease and will never non-native trees in the woods reach maturity including: n Hazel n Willow n Hawthorn n Rowan Woodland plants n Oak n Yew • Wild Garlic (Sessile and n Elm Kingfisher • Wood Anenomies English) n Field maple often spotted • Red Campion n Ash by Packhorse • Bluebell n White poplar n Sycamore bridge (English and Spanish) n Holly n Wild cherry • Hearts Tongue Fern • Lords and Ladies (poisonous) Badgers these are • Hemlock water dropwort found in the woods (poisonous) but for security Plants found in both reasons their sets are Nightingale Valley and St not marked on the Anne’s Wood not map Tawny owl often seen but can be heard on Autumn key London Plane tree nights Good spot for river bricked up to dipping activities prevent vandalism, Forest school area with this hollow tree is Himalayan Balsam logs for sitting on a good start for and Japanese Eastwinds Scout hut with stories! invasive Knotweed indoor space and facilities species which out- bookable through Graham compete our native the caretaker on plants 07808794334 12 ........................................................................................................................Geology of Brislington Brook 13 ........................................................................................................................Chapel Relics/Pilgrim Paraphernalia Early tiles Well pottery Head of St Belt stud – Katherine Known as a Small pierced Thomas made a medieval wheel – badge ‘vera icon’, this leaf of no of lead. Pre- status