Row of terraced houses could be finished 230 years after it was started

Queen’s Parade was never meant to look like it does today, but the historic Georgian terrace at the bottom of Brandon Hill could finally be finished more than 230 years after building work began.

The Napoleonic Wars are to blame for the abrupt end of Queen’s Parade at number 14, with a former school playground believed to be the site of excavation works that originally took place to construct three more houses which were never started.

Built between 1786 and 1793, the original design of the road forms part of architects’ plans for nine one-and two-bedroom flats, with three office units contained within a former chapel that once formed the annexe to St George Primary School.

The proposed design of the new buildings on Queen’s Parade as seen from Brandon Hill – image: Angus Meak Architects

Designs by Gloucester Road-based Angus Meek Architects on behalf of Snap Investments Ltd, who have a registered office in Clifton, show the continuation of Queen’s Parade in its original style.

Part of the existing boundary wall at the corner of Queen’s Parade and along York Place will also be retained.

The site was previously used as an annexe to the former St George Primary School – photo: Martin Booth

In their design statement, Angus Meak say that “there is substantive evidence that the application site was at one stage originally intended to accommodate 3no. further dwellings as part of the original Queen’s Parade development dating from the late 18th century (1786 to 1793).

“The lease plan is believed to date from 1793 and shows that the developers of 1-14 Queen’s Parade, which at the time are noted as having reached varying states of construction or occupation, intended for three additional plots to be constructed to the west of no. 14, terminating at the corner of what is known as Queen’s Parade and York Place today.

Queen’s Parade in 1793 showing the planned continuation of the buildings to York Place – image: Bristol Archives

“It appears that the outbreak of war in 1793 between Great Britain and the French First Republic, and the resulting economic crisis that consumed the construction industry, prevented the terrace from ever being completed in its envisaged entirety.

“It is believed that this is the reason that no.14, as the final (eventually) completed dwelling to the western end, brings the terrace to an abrupt halt.

“It is likely that excavation works took place to construct the 3no. additional dwellings hence the level change and construction of retaining wall to the north and west site boundaries.”

14 Queen’s Parade brings the terrace to “an abrupt halt” – photo: Martin Booth

A heritage statement produced for the developers says that from around 1786, the site is believed to have been used as a builders yard, first in connection with the construction of 1-14 Queen’s Parade and then later while York Place – sloping steeply down towards St George’s Road – was being constructed.

The site dwellings was then leased to various parties “as garden/yard space and stables/paddock” until 1888 when the Ecclesiastical Commission conveyed the land.

A chapel was built in 1890, which in 1933 was appropriated to be the infant’s school annexe of St George Primary School, which closed in 2021, enabling this proposed development of the site to take place.

Queen’s Parade could finally be completed 230 years after it was started – image: Angus Meak Architects

Main photo: Martin Booth

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