Heritage walks trace history of hard-working district
Four new heritage walks will soon be launched enabling users to trace the rich history of one of Bristol’s oldest and hardest-working districts. The Barton Hill History Group explains all.
BARTON Hill has a unique heritage that was once dominated by the Great Western Cotton Works that employed 2,000 people. The growth of the cotton factory led to the development of rows upon rows of terraced houses.
During the 1950s and 1960s the built environment and community was ripped apart by so called “Slum Clearance”. Houses, pubs, businesses and churches were knocked down and replaced with high rise flats and the community of Barton Hill was split up and spread across the city.
Just a fragment of the old Barton Hill Heritage is left. In 2020 the last pub, The Rhubarb Tavern, closed and the old Barton Hill Infant & Nursery School building, and the Barton Hill Tenants Association Club hall, have both been left to continue to rot.
The Barton Hill Heritage Community are now more vocal about the diminishing heritage assets. The Barton Hill History Group has been instrumental in getting the community to identify what buildings are of heritage value. A list of over 30 key heritage assets have been created.
During 2021 and 2022 a small group of volunteers, with the support of Bridging Histories, planned and produced four high-quality heritage trails. A broad range of ages, backgrounds and skills enabled the heritage trails team to share and develop their connected histories of knowledge and develop research, writing and presentation skills.
During the Summer months of 2022 we walked the trails with members of the public. By working together we created an important community heritage project that we are very proud of.
We also aimed to make sure that the heritage of Barton Hill is better looked after, managed, understood and shared. We hope that the Heritage Trails will help people make sense and improve their experience of local heritage.
Information provided on the heritage trails are easy to use and interpret. All the trails are relatively short distances and easy walking routes that follow roads and pavements.
The four heritage trails are:
» Heritage Trail 1. Work, Rest and Pray.
This walk takes in three iconic Barton Hill buildings that provided work opportunities at the old Great Western Cotton Works, a place to relax, share and learn at The Settlement and a place of worship at the Grade 2 listed St. Luke’s Church.
» Heritage Trail 2. Down the Brillas!
This walk starts at the Feeder Canal and Marsh Lane Bridge. The key heritage assets include Marsh Lane air raid shelters, Netham playing fields (known locally as the Brillas), the huge iconic Barton House and even a stink pipe!
» Heritage Trail 3. Royalty and Rhubarb.
The key Heritage Assets are the Adult School in Salisbury Street, the old Barton Hill Infant & Nursery School and the Rhubarb Tavern in Queen Ann Road and Day’s Road railway bridge. Lost key sites include Jarvis Street School, Barton Hill Baths and the home of the famous footballer Eddie Hapgood.
» Heritage Trail 4. The Wain, the Drain and the Train.
This is the longest of the walks and takes in much of the northside of Barton Hill and the Gaunt’s Ham Estate, that was cut off from the rest of Barton Hill by a main railway line. Key heritage assets include Gaunt’s Ham Park and the St. Luke’s Church Vicarage on Barton Hill Road.
Tied to the Heritage Trails, a project called “Our Street History” will also be launched soon, and which will encourage residents of a street to explore the history of past residents who lived in their households, also giving the opportunity to share the history of their own family and connection to the street and the wider community if they so wish.
The Barton Hill History Group is being supported by Bridging Histories to lead this project, which will culminate in a community event to be held within the park at the end of Holmes Street in the Summer of 2023, where residents can create mock blue plaques containing information on past residents, or family members of their own, that they have taken an interest in and wish to share.
Gauging community involvement in this project, there is potential to expand out to cover other streets around the Barton Hill neighbourhood, and even focus on some of the tower blocks of the area too.
» The first of the trails, ‘Work, Rest and Pray’ is launched with a guided tour tomorrow (May 18) as part of Bristol Walkfest. Details at https:// tinyurl.com/24b76y6m
» For more on Barton Hill History Group, see www.bhhg.co.uk