Ward profiles 2021: Henbury & Brentry – ‘Truly a special place’

A water leak in December 2020 saw one elderly couple in a block of flats in Henbury unable to leave their home due to broken lifts.

Water coming down the lift shaft at Brookridge House on Standfast Road flooded multiple flats, with fellow residents helping their neighbours clean up and deliver food to those struggling to walk down the stairs.

Bristol City Council, who own the tower block, offered temporary accommodation to all those affected.

Construction of Brookridge House and the identical Barlands House nearby began in 1963. Each block of 15-storey flats has more than 80 homes.

The pair of flats off Crow Lane are one of the best known modern landmarks of Henbury, which can trace its history back more than 1000 years.

The nave and lower tower of St Mary’s Church in Henbury date from around 1200 – photo: Martin Booth

Henbury was a village in Gloucestershire before being consumed by the growing city of Bristol, and much of its history remains to this day.

St Mary’s Church in the picture postcard Church Close is at the centre of Henbury parish, the largest in the Bristol diocese.

Among those buried in its churchyard are the slave known as Scipio Africanus (whose elaborately painted headstone and footstone, dated 1720, was vandalised in an apparent revenge attack just days after Colston’s statue was toppled), and an obelisk in memory of  Egyptologist Amelia Edwards, who died in 1892.

Henbury Leisure Centre opened in 2005 – photo: Martin Booth

Henbury & Brentry ward encompasses most of Blaise Castle Estate and the neighbouring Blaise Hamlet, stretching as far east as the Brabazon hangars that could be turned into Bristol’s long-awaited arena.

YTL are behind the plans to transform the hangars into an arena, with their logo also on signs off Crow Lane near Brookridge House and Barlands House giving information about work currently being carried out by Wessex Water, owned by YTL.

The work is on the North Bristol Relief Sewer Scheme, a £55m new relief sewer running from Lawrence Weston to near Cribbs Causeway which will ensure that Bristol’s sewerage network can cope with ongoing and future development in the north of the city.

YTL-owned Wessex Water is spending £55m on a new 6.5km relief sewer which runs through Henbury on its way between Lawrence Weston to near Cribbs Causeway – photo: Martin Booth

“We love Henbury & Brentry and it is truly a special place, but we think what really stands it out is our collection of green spaces,” Conservative councillors Mark Weston and Chris Windows told Bristol24/7.

“Blaise is the jewel, but also Okebourne, Crow Lane, Arnall Drive and Victoria Park. These green gems are what binds the community so closely together and invariably what we rally around when then are threatened.

“There is also a fantastic sense of identity. Bordered as we are by South Gloucestershire, Brentry/Henbury Hill and the Blaise Estate we have a real sense of community spirit.

“Yes, we have some problems and some less than savoury individuals, but the neighbourhood as a whole are only too ready to help out.

“We have some great volunteers, community groups, religious organisations and charities who support the wider area.”

In their time as councillors, Weston and Windows have helped secure money to install new play equipment and a community centre for the ward, and continue to lobby for the reopening of the Henbury railway station, but they say “there is still more that we want to do and so we are hoping to be returned in May”.

St Peter’s Hospice headquarters in Brentry are within Henbury & Brentry ward – photo: Martin Booth

The two Labour candidates for Henbury & Brentry ward are Dave Mullaney and Teresa Hogan.

Dave works for Royal Mail and is a trustee on the board of the Henbury & Brentry Community Centre, while Teresa runs her own business and has been involved in local campaigns including traffic calming measures near a primary school, congestion and air pollution.

Among issues raised by Mullaney and Hogan is the uncertain future of Charlton Common, an area of open land close to the lost village of Charlton.

“Some local residents are unhappy that they were not consulted by Redrow developers about the proposed changes to Charlton Common,” wrote the Labour candidates in an election leaflet.

“The Common is enjoyed by many local people who appreciate this unspoilt wilderness and love it for that reason. Residents are now objecting and do not want the Charlton Common changed in any way.

“They are concerned that the natural beauty will be lost and the wildlife will suffer.”

The Old Crow pub in Henbury. Henbury’s name comes from the Old English ‘hēan byrig’ meaning ‘high fortified place’ and was mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Henberie – photo: Martin Booth

The two Green Party candidates for the ward are Simeon Rowsell, a website designer, and Alice Clevely, a physiotherapist working primarily in the NHS, and the chair of Sustainable Henbury and Brentry.

Rowsell said: “With the beautiful Blaise Castle estate, Henbury and Brentry is an idyllic place to live. But we know people feel left out from events and Bristol culture.

“Alice and I hope to work with our mayoral candidate, Sandy, to improve transport links across the city. We will protect greens spaces across the ward.”

Clevely added: “Henbury and Brentry is a area with a real sense of community that strives to help the more vulnerable members, like when the Brookridge tower block was flooded.

“I am concerned about local anti-social behaviour, and would like to bring in more investment in youth services and more care taken of green spaces.”

Clevely likes to cycle and dance in her spare time, and took part in Strictly Southmead in 2018, dancing the salsa in the Brunel Building at Southmead Hospital with her husband, Jacob.

Green Party candidate Alice Clevely dancing with her husband, Jacob Clevely – photo: Southmead Hospital Charity

Main photo: Martin Booth

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