Features / history
What did Bristol’s centre used to look like?
From flowers to fountains and toilets to trams, Bristol’s centre has had a number of incarnations over the years.
One curious aspect is the name itself. The area that we know today as the centre takes its name from the ‘tramways centre’: once the heart of the city’s tram network.
The historic city centre is in fact the intersection of Broad Street, Corn Street, Wine Street and High Street, where Bristol’s medieval High Cross used to stand.
is needed now More than ever
The centre in January 2021 is even more of a mess than usual thanks to work underway to replace the wooden slats.
These slats are located between the fountains which were infamously described by former Venue editor Tom Phillips as “a load of dead men peeing”.
Unlikely to be used in Visit Bristol’s next tourism brochure – photo: Martin Booth
Do you see those silver columns in the picturesque scene above? They are meant to represent the masts of ships that once could sail on the River Frome right up to St Mary-on-the-Quay (the clue is in the name) on Colston Avenue.
The Frome now re-emerges close to No. 1 Harbourside after travelling underneath the city from Wade Street in St Jude’s.
Since the river disappeared from view, there have been various attempts to beautify the centre.
With thanks to Bristol Archives, here are a few of the efforts over the years.
The centre in 1895, with horse-drawn carriages waiting on St Augustine’s Bridge which had only been constructed a few years’ previously – photo: Bristol Archives
An early 1900s view looking towards the Colston Hall – photo: Bristol Archives
The tramway centre in the 1910s as seen from Colston Avenue – photo: Bristol Archives
Looking across to St Stephen’s Church in the 1920s – photo: Bristol Archives
Potential conflict between pedestrians, motorists and bicycles is not only a modern phenomenon as this photo from the 1920s shows – photo: Bristol Archives
In the 1930s, much of the centre was used as a car park – photo: Bristol Archives
A postcard from the 1940s of two ships in the quay, with the statue of Neptune in the middle close to where the Cascade Steps are located today – photo: Bristol Archives
The rotating Hippodrome sign on top of its former pavilion roof can be seen in this 1940s view – photo: Bristol Archives
A 1940s view showing the toilet block to the left of the trees – photo: Bristol Archives
The city centre gardens looking prim and proper in 1957 – photo: Bristol Archives
A closer view of the gardens in 1957 with the Co-operative Wholesale Society (CWS) building on the corner of Narrow Quay and Prince Street that was erected in 1906 and demolished in 1973 – photo: Bristol Archives
The ‘ornamental gardens’ in the 1950s – photo: Bristol Archives
The statue of Neptune is pride of place in this 1950s scene – photo: Bristol Archives
The gardens were described as ‘new’ in this postcard from the early 1950s – photo: Bristol Archives
What looks like a brand new Trenchard Street car park sparkles in the middle distance in this 1960s view – photo: Bristol Archives
Main photo courtesy of Bristol Archives: the city centre gardens in the 1950s
Read more: Some of Bristol’s rare ‘hidden treasures’ unveiled
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