Durdham Down History Trail
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Trail 1 - v3 _Layout 1 03/11/2011 10:42 Page 1 The Downs History Trails No 1 A little background history Continue along the joggers’ path (or the tarmac path which is also a The postcard’s viewpoint The Downs shepherd was to complain How did such a large and dramatic landscape that is so close to the centre of a cycle route) running parallel to Stoke Road. Go past the two benches B2 was probably between that the Clifton Cricket Club cut the grass great city remain open and free from development for so long? close together to the third bench facing north (B1 and B2 on the map). you and the Seven Sisters – and drove away the sheep, but ultimately the three forlorn pines you it was the refusal of the Downs For many centuries the tenants or commoners of the two adjoining medieval can see in the distance to Committee to permit the manors of Clifton and Henbury had the right to graze their animals on Clifton the north-west. They building of a permanent Durdham Down Down and Durdham Down. But by the mid-nineteenth century grazing was mark the site of one of pavilion, forbidden under declining as the city expanded and development pushed in at the edges of the the vast quarries on the the terms of the Downs Act, common land. Mines and quarries also scarred the Downs. Downs that were filled that led to the club’s move to “... for ever hereafter open In 1856 the Society of Merchant Venturers, owners of Clifton Down, promised “to in around 1870. Henbury in 1930. maintain the free and uninterrupted use of the Downs.” The following year Bristol On the far left of the postcard Sheep also got in the way of golf City Council purchased two small properties in Stoke Bishop, together with one of is the marquee of the Clifton Cricket Club balls and there were reports of injuries in and unenclosed...” the few remaining commoners’ rights to graze animals on Durdham Down. In the beside Saville Road and there is a 1906. Clifton College had set up a nine- spring of 1858 the City of Bristol turned out sheep stamped ‘CB’, keeping alive the considerable crowd nearby. It was here in hole course in the 1890s on either side of medieval rights of pasturage. It is 150 years since The Clifton and Durdham Downs (Bristol) Act, 1861 1870 that Dr W.G.Grace played in Ladies Mile, but there were complaints of Gloucestershire’s earliest first-class match near misses and the use of the course was secured the Downs as a place of recreation for us all – forever. This trail and Then, in equal partnership, the council and the Merchant Venturers promoted against Surrey. restricted to odd hours, necessitating a second trail exploring the Promenade and Observatory Hill celebrate this The Clifton and Durdham Downs (Bristol) Act, 1861. This act allowed the council to purchase Durdham Down. It preserved the Downs for us all ‘for ever hereafter’. notices hammered into trees. anniversary and explore the rich and fascinating history of the Downs. And it set up the method of management that continues today: the Downs Committee, made up equally of councillors and Merchant Venturers under the Where to start How far and how long chairmanship of the lord mayor. At the café on Stoke Road by the Water It is 3.6km long and takes about Sheep sheltering off Stoke Road, Ladies Mile in the distance, c.1910; postcard by Fred Little (BRO3207.9.35.17) Tower in the centre of the Downs, but 90 minutes. It is all on the flat; some START at the café on Stoke Road you can join at any point on the map. paths can be muddy and the grass can A hundred years ago you the growth of scrub on many of the be wet. Loos and don’ts As you leave the café turn sharp estates. In a charter of 883 AD, the site B1 would have been almost inaccessible slopes along the The nearest toilets are by the Water Further information right along the worn joggers’ path of the three stones at your feet is called surrounded by sheep – over fifty sheep Avon Gorge. can be seen in this postcard of about Tower (disabled and baby-changing) and Go to www.bristol.gov.uk/page/ for a few yards to the clump of ‘Sweordes Stan’ (sword stone) and the The extent of grazing declined in 1910. It was the sheep that had ensured at Sea Walls, see map. Please do not park downs for further history and to site of a surviving parish boundary stone the nineteenth century and in 1925 three stones. the survival of the Downs. The tenants of on the grass; no barbecues. download other trail leaflets on trees, at the top of Walcombe Slade leading it ceased altogether on the Downs. down to the the two medieval manors of Clifton and birds, lichen and other subjects. For Mere stones: a line of these The University of Bristol, the only How to get there river is called Henbury could pasture their animals educational visits, events, guided tours, carved stones march across owner of commoner’s rights still By bus: 1, 8, 41, 42, 54, 55, 99, 586, and A ‘Eowcumb’, here, a right that had been carefully news and volunteering go to the Avon the Downs. They are parish boundary possessing sheep, maintains these 587 all run past the Downs. the valley of managed for centuries to avoid Gorge and Downs Wildlife Project’s site: markers and most date from around ancient rights by grazing sheep By train: the nearest station is Clifton the yew. over-grazing. www.avongorge.org.uk or e-mail 1800. Here, one is inscribed WP for periodically on the Downs. Down Station, 10 minutes walk away. [email protected]; for the Sheep, especially, maintained the Westbury Parish and there was once CP The trees on Ladies Mile in the distance Friends of the Downs and Avon Gorge open grassland characteristics of this for Clifton Parish on the opposite side. are Huntingdon Elms planted around email [email protected]. limestone down land. They controlled The parish boundary was also the 1880. Dutch Elm disease led to their Cricket and badminton on Durdham Down, 1911; postcard (BRO 43207.9.35.367) the growth of self-sown seedlings such boundary between the two medieval replacement in 1980 by the young as ash and sycamore and of other manors of Henbury and Clifton and thus Limes that you can see today. The Downs also between Durdham Down and invasive species and they prevented Committee Clifton Down. Earlier still the same Mere stones by Stoke Road 2011 boundary divided two Anglo-Saxon Cross the busy Stoke Road behind you with care and head for the Continue south-west at right angles to the bench, crossing over the Continue south-west towards Sea Walls, the cliff edge, to the bench by On to Sea Walls itself and the spectacular views up the Avon Gorge to right hand of the two benches by the rather haphazard circle of young tarmac path and then passing through the avenue of trees to the bench the next tarmac path overlooking the Plateau. the Clifton Suspension Bridge and down river to the Bristol Channel ash trees. just beyond the three ash trees. and the Welsh hills. Take a seat to the left of the information panels. Monsieur Tetard would have One local reporter tried vainly to About ten metres before you watercolour. The outline of the quarry flown over our heads. match the occasion: “On he sped, over reached the bench you will can still be traced today for it was to be E C We can tell that this postcard rugged rocks and cliffs... to the have crossed the tapering end of a low filled in with good Avon mud – rich photograph is a composite image for Suspension Bridge. Here a picture was grass-covered bank running east-west alluvial soil that produces greener grass the crowd is milling about on the take- presented which will live long in the for 100m. Below this slight ridge is the than the paler and thinner down land off area, oblivious of the box kite above. memory of those who saw it – the Roman road which ran between Portus turf that surrounds it. The aeroplane was inserted later. But the wonderful bridge and the aeroplane as Abonae, the Roman port at Sea Mills, The filling in of the three substantial great excitement of the event is gems of modern science in a natural and Aqua Sulis, Bath. If you visualise the quarries on the Downs and many smaller conveyed; the deception is justified. setting of unrivalled beauty...” You may continuing line of the road you will see ones was an early priority of the new be reminded of Concorde’s final flight that it skirts Bristol to the north – In November 1910 Sir George White Downs Committee. Great improvements over the bridge and Observatory on understandably, for Bristol did not yet organised these spectacular flying to the Floating Harbour and its 26 November 2003. exist. The road may date from around displays on the Downs to draw attention approaches provided the huge quantities 50 AD. to his new company, The Bristol and Until 1847 the main cricket pitch on the of spoil required. A special tramway was Colonial Aeroplane Company, and its Downs was in front of us and it would Turning in the opposite direction and built in 1867 to bring the spoil up the Detail of a poster advertising the Clifton and Bristol Races on the Downs, May 1st & 2nd 1833 box kites built at Filton to a have been here that Bristol’s earliest looking south-east towards Ladies Mile, face of the Avon Gorge with a steam (private collection) French design.