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Stay at Jurys Inn, Bristol, England 4**** rating: With an unrivalled site along the river quayside in the centre of the city, this hotel's location is uniquely beautiful. Within strolling distance are the city's dynamic business districts and a wide variety of shops, art galleries, theatres and the famous science museum at Bristol. Whether you are in Bristol for business or for leisure, you'll find that our staff take genuine pride in ensuring that out guests feel comfortable and relaxed. Add to this the fact that you are only eight miles from Bristol Airport, with easy access to the whole south-western region and beyond, and you'll appreciate why this dynamic city is such a popular destination.
Address: Prince Street, Bristol, BS1 4QF, England.
Tel: (+44 117) 923 0333 |
 Obtain a 10-day Weather Forcast for the Bristol, England area |
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| About Bristol: Bristol itself was a Saxon town and coins were minted here in the 10th century. Harold Godwinsson is recorded as sailing from Bristol, but there is very little else documented until after the subsequent Norman conquest of England and the building of the Castle shortly afterward. The fortifications were obviously adequately in place quite soon because in 1068 the sons of the dead King Harold Godwinsson besieged Bristol but were driven off. At the end of September 1118 there was a violent earthquake which shook the town. Earthquakes here are unusual but there are several reports of such occurrences down the centuries, the last experience being in the 1980s. Flood, fire, famine and pestilence far more frequently destroyed innumerable inhabitants of Bristol, both rich and poor. In the 1140s St Augustine's Abbey was founded and twenty years later Robert of Gloucester rebuilt Bristol Castle as a formidable fortress dominating the town. The castle was used over the years for the confinement of numerous political prisoners, some of royal status whose imprisonment was often for life. In 1204 King John visited the town. Bristol became an important part of royal itineraries as monarchs traversed the country on their 'progresses' holding court in various places. There was great building activity, especially of churches, which were often associated with the guilds. Very little of the original fabric of these churches survive, as they were enlarged and rebuilt over the years with bequests and donations from wealthy parishioners. It was the diversion of the River Frome in the 13th century, giving extra quayside space, which increased Bristol's value as a port. There was considerable trade with Ireland, France, Portugal and Spain, as well as the English and Welsh coastal towns. Numerous examples of non-English names turn up in the pages of old Bristol documents and many Bristol names are similarly found in surviving papers of foreign ports. Several English rulers granted charters to Bristol but the most important was that of 1373. In this year Edward III granted a Great Charter of Liberties to the mayor and burgesses giving the borough county status in its own right. This made a tremendous difference to the way the town could conduct its affairs, creating a Corporation of Bristol. A sheriff was appointed with his own courts and all sorts of markets and fairs were set up. Bristol took off in a big way. The number of ships involved in overseas trade was considerable. It was always a risky business and many vessels fell prey to pirates, foreign wars and the elements. They also discovered new territory, sometimes by accident because they were escaping danger or blown off course, sometimes because they were adventurous. The merchant businessmen were always looking for new opportunities. Some went themselves, others preferred to finance expeditions based on information received from their captains. John Cabot's 1497 voyage in the Mathew and his landfall on mainland America was apparently predated by Bristol fishing boats sailing to Newfoundland's Grand Banks. Colonisation followed discoveries and Bristol ships were in the forefront, carrying settlers, supplying and trading with them. In 1542 prosperous Bristol was granted city status by Henry VIII and the church of the dissolved St Augustine's Abbey became the Cathedral. Some well-placed Bristolians became more wealthy at the Reformation when they took over lands belonging to the local monasteries. When Queen Elizabeth visited in 1574 there was a great show of pomp and speechmaking, gun salutes and torchlight processions. No doubt the citizens were keen to make a good impression for their privileges. However, during the Civil War Bristol favoured the Parliamentary side. It was captured by the Royalists in 1643, but the tide turned and Oliver Cromwell himself came to see Prince Rupert surrender two years later. Bristol Castle was subsequently demolished on his orders, much to the delight of the Corporation who promptly set about redeveloping the redundant area for commercial purposes, a trait which has continued to this day. In fact the city was now expanding outside its mediaeval walls. The narrow dirty streets of closely-packed houses with their primitive sanitary arrangements, cheek by jowl with workshops was not the most savoury of places. The more affluent moved into houses in places such as Queen Square, St Michael's Hill, Kingsdown, Ashley and, a little later, Clifton. |
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