Clifton, Bristol
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Clifton | |
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| Population | 10,293[1] |
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| OS grid reference | |
| Unitary authority | Bristol |
| Ceremonial county | Bristol |
| Region | South West |
| Constituent country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | BRISTOL |
| Postcode district | BS8 |
| Dialling code | 0117 |
| Police | Avon and Somerset |
| Fire | Avon |
| Ambulance | Great Western |
| European Parliament | South West England |
| UK Parliament | Bristol West |
| List of places: UK • England • Bristol | |
Clifton is the name of both one of the thirty-five council wards in the city of Bristol in the United Kingdom, and of a suburb of the city that lies mostly within that ward. The Clifton ward also includes the areas of Cliftonwood and Hotwells.
Notable places in the Clifton ward include Clifton Suspension Bridge, Clifton Cathedral, Clifton College and Goldney Hall.
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[edit] Clifton
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Clifton is an inner suburb of the English port city of Bristol. Clifton was recorded in the Domesday book as Clistone, the name of the village denoting a 'hillside settlement' and referring to its position on a steep hill. Various sub-districts of Clifton exist, including Whiteladies Road, an important shopping district to the east, and Clifton Village, a smaller shopping area near the Avon Gorge to the west.
Although the suburb has no formal boundaries, the name Clifton is generally applied to the high ground stretching from Whiteladies Road in the east to the rim of the Avon Gorge in the west, and from Clifton Down and Durdham Down in the north to Cornwallis Crescent in the south. This area corresponds roughly with the city wards of Clifton and Clifton East, although the former also includes the river side suburb of Hotwells.[2][3]
Clifton is one of the oldest and most affluent areas of the city, much of it having been built with profits from tobacco and the slave trade. Situated to the west of Bristol's city centre, it was at one time a separate settlement but became attached to Bristol by continuous development during the Georgian era and was formally incorporated into the city in the 1830s. Grand houses, that required many servants, were built in the area. Although some were detached or semi-detached properties, the bulk were built as terraces, many with three or more floors. One famous terrace is the majestic Royal York Crescent, visible from the Avon Gorge below and looking across the Bristol docks. Berkeley Square which was built around 1790 is an example of Georgian architecture. The ABC Cinema on Whiteladies Road has now been converted into offices and gymnasium. Clifton Lido was built in 1850 but closed to the public in 1990, it is planned for redevelopment.
Clifton ward, which includes Hotwells, has a population of 10,452 in 5,007 households, according to adjusted figures for the 2001 census. On the same basis, Clifton East ward has a population of 9,538 in 4,741 households. In Clifton ward, 27% of the adult population (aged 16 to 74 years) is in full-time education.[4][5]
Immediately north of Clifton is Durdham Down, a relatively flat and open area, used for recreation purposes. On the western edge of Clifton is Clifton Down, a less open/more wooded area, adjacent to the gorge. Clifton is home to many buildings of the University of Bristol (such as Goldney Hall, Victoria Rooms and the Wills Memorial Building); Isambard Kingdom Brunel's Clifton Suspension Bridge; the Roman Catholic Clifton Cathedral; Christ Church, Clifton Down; Clifton College; Clifton High School; Queen Elizabeth's Hospital School, Bristol Zoo; The Royal West of England Academy; The Coronation Tap (a pub); and BBC Bristol.
Clifton is served by Clifton Down railway station, located in Whiteladies Road on the local Severn Beach railway line, and by frequent bus services from central Bristol. It has road links to the city centre and outer western suburbs, and across the Clifton Suspension Bridge to Leigh Woods in North Somerset. Between 1893 and 1934, it was connected to Hotwells by the Clifton Rocks Railway. Royal York Crescent in Clifton is used as a location in the film Starter For Ten.
[edit] In Fiction
Part of the background to Philippa Gregory's historical novel "A Respectable Trade" - dealing mainly with the slave trade in late 18th century Bristol - is the start of construction at Clifton, then a far area outside the city limits as they were at the time. In some passages characters debate whether Clifton could ever become viable and whether investment in real estate there would not be too risky - questions which were evidently quite relevant at the time though to the modern reader the answers are obvious.
[edit] Cliftonwood
Cliftonwood is a small suburb of the English port city of Bristol. It is bounded approximately by the Hotwell Road to the south, Jacob's Wells Road and Constitution Hill to the East and North East, Clifton Vale to the West, and by the gardens of Goldney Hall, a University of Bristol hall of residence, to the north.[2] Due to the geography of the area, there are only two roads in and out: Ambra Vale in the south-west corner, and Clifton Wood Road in the north-east, though there are many footpaths. On some sources the area is spelled Cliftonwood (one word), and in some Clifton Wood (two words).
The suburb is primarily a residential area, with the only commercial premises being the Lion pub. Housing is largely large Victorion terraces, which are often painted bright colours - the coloured houses one can see when standing on Bristol's harbourside and looking up at Cliftonwood (such as here) are the backs of houses on Ambrose Road and Clifton Wood Terrace.
[edit] Hotwells
Hotwells is a district of the English port city of Bristol. It is located to the south of and below the high ground of Clifton, and directly to the north of the Floating Harbour. The southern entrance to the Avon Gorge, which connects those docks to the sea, lies at the western end of Hotwells. Bristol Cathedral is situated at the eastern end of Hotwells, adjacent to The Council House and College Green. Hotwells forms part of the city ward of Clifton.[2][6]
[edit] References
- ^ "Clifton". 2001 Census Ward Information Sheet. Retrieved on 2007-02-21.
- ^ a b c "Super Output Areas(lower level)- Clifton". Bristol City Council (citing ONS). Retrieved on April 23, 2007.
- ^ "Clifton East Ward Map". Bristol City Council. Retrieved on June 16, 2006.
- ^ "Clifton Ward Profile". Bristol City Council. Retrieved on June 16, 2006.
- ^ "Clifton East Ward Profile". Bristol City Council. Retrieved on June 16, 2006.
- ^ Ordnance Survey (2005). OS Explorer Map 155 - Bristol & Bath. ISBN 0-319-23609-9.
[edit] External links
- Clifton Online
- Clifton Hill House, University of Bristol
- map of Clifton circa 1990
- Hotwells and Cliftonwood Community Association
- Clifton and Hotwells Improvement Society
- Clifton Rocks Railway
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