Bristol UK Postcards
High Cross
High Cross
This unused postcard has the printed text...
Plan of Bristol in the Middle Ages from the
Calendar compiled by Robert Ricart,
Town Clerk in 1479
Bristol Record Office
Printed by the City of Bristol Printing & Stationary Department
This is another of Bristol's monuments that has been moved all over the city and is now kept at Stourhead, Wiltshire.
In 1373, the city erected the High Cross at the main junction of the main streets, Wine, High, Corn and Broad Streets. This was a tribute to Edward III who had just granted Bristol it's County Charter. Niches in the cross contained the the statues of Kings John, Henry III, Edward III and Edward IV. At this time the cross was guilded and coloured.
In 1663, the cross was repaired and enlarged to contain another four statues. The cross now contained eight. On the north side facing Broad Street there were Kings Charles I and John. East, facing Wine Street were Hentry VI and Henry III. West facing Corn Street were Queen Elizabeth I and King Edward III and to the south, facing High Street were Kings James I and Edward IV. A liitle later it was painted vermilion, blue and gold and surrounded by an iron railing. The cross now stood 39 feet, 3 inches high.
A century later and the siting of the cross was causing problems. It was in the middle of a busy junction and in 1733, the deputy chamberlain, Mr Vaughan, who lived at the corner of High and Wine Street, claimed his life and house were in danger from it every time the wind blew. At first the city council wanted to simply store the cross in the Guildhall but in 1736 it was moved to College Green.
It didn't stay here long as the city dandies declared that the cross impeded their promenading. IN 1768 it was given to Henry Hoare, grandson of a London mayor, by the Dean of Bristol who moved it to his estate at Stourbridge, Wiltshire.
In 1850, a copy was made and erected near College Green. For nearly forty years seven of the niches were empty but then statues based on the originals were commissioned from the sculptor Harry Hems. The statues were added in 1888 when the new version of the Cross was moved to the centre of College Green in because its site was required for the erection of a statue of Queen Victoria.
Even this copy fell out of favour and during the building of the Council House in the 1950's the cross was dismantled and the top portion was moved to Berkley Square in Clifton.
High Street
High Street
This postcard, posted in Easton, Bristol on November 25th, 1904, has the printed text...
Raphael Tuck & Sons' "Oilette" (Regd.) Postcard 1454 "Modern Bristol"
Art Publishers To Their Majesties The King And Queen
Printed in England
The four streets, High, Broad, Corn and Wine, are probably the oldest in Bristol and were the main streets of the early settlement here. On the left, in front of the yellow/brown St. Nicholas Church, the earliest version of which dates from around 1400, is the original position of the Samuel Morley statue. He was MP for Nottingham in 1865 and later for Bristol, 1868 - 1885. The statue was in this position from 1887 to 1921, then spent several years in the Haymarket before moving moved again to Lewin's Mead.
The spired church in the centre of the postcard is Christ Church. The full name of this church is Christchurch with St Ewens and St George. The original church, St Ewens, was built on this site in the early 12th Century.
Hippodrome
Hippdrome
This unused postcard has the printed text...
3002
Copyright, Burgess & Co.
"Bee" Series, Burgess & Co., Bristol
Printed in Britain
The Hippodrome stands on St. Augustines Parade in the city centre. The theatre was designed by Frank Matcham, and opened on 16 December, 1912. It has a seating capacity of 1951 and stages many West End and Broadway plays.
Holy Trinity Church, Westbury-on-Trym
Holy Trinity Church, Westbury-on-Trym
This unused postcard has the printed text...
2276
M.J.R., B.
Holy Trinity chuch is the Parsish Church of Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol. Parts of the church date from 1194, for a fuller history of the church see the Holy Trinity website.
Horse Fair
Horse Fair
This unused postcard has the printed text...
2772
M. J. R., B. 2772
Printed in Germany
The horsefair has always been a trading centre. The great fairs of medieval times were held here. One of the largest was the festival of St James. The Horsefair is most famous for being the location of John Wesley's Methodist New Room.
The church in the postcard image is NOT St. James Priory Church - a mistake I originally made and which was kindly pointed out by Phil Draper who writes the excellent ChurchCrawler site. St. James Priory Church is still standing and a little way from this church which was St James Presbyterian. This church was built in 1859. Designed by J. C. Neale in 1859, the church was destroyed during the Blitz on 24th November 1940. The spire was demolished in 1956. The tower and one wall are all that remain of this structure. See Phil Draper's ChurchCrawler site for more images and information on this church.
The traffic island was later home to Morley's statue. Samuel Morley was MP for Nottingham in 1865 and later for Bristol, 1868 - 1885. The statue was in the High Street from 1887 to 1921, then spent several years on this traffic island before moving moved again to Lewin's Mead.
Lovers Walk
Lovers Walk, Cotham
This postcard, posted in Bristol on July 10th, 1908, has the printed text...
2730
M. J. R. - B
Lovers Walk is a tree-lined promenade that runs near Cotham Gardens. The walk runs down a slight hill, over a small railway bridge towards the impressive front of Redland High School. Cotham Gardens is a small, narrow Victorian park with a number of mature trees and a good children's play area. It is bounded by Elmgrove Road, Redland Grove and Redland Railway Station. Lovers Walk runs along the Redland Grove part of the Gardens.
This page created 8th September 2009, last modified 11th February 2010
