Bristol and Almondsbury

Bristol and Almondsbury - Visit on Friday 19th July 2024

These above photos are:-

1. Almondsbury Cottage on Gloucester Road

2. View from Over Lane towards the M4 over Tockington and Lower Almondsbury

3. Gloucester Road and Old Almondsbury Hospital

4. Enterance/Exit onto Over Lane and Gloucester Road Almondsbury

5. Bristol Channel under Severn Bridges between Wales and England

Where is the District of Almondsbury Located?

Almondsbury is a large village near junction 16 of the M5 motorway, on the outskirts of the city of Bristol, in South Gloucestershire, England, and a civil parish which also includes the villages of Hortham, Gaunt's Earthcott, Over, Easter Compton, Compton Greenfield, Hallen and Berwick.

Almondsbury is in the South Gloucestershireunitary authorityarea. Theelectoral wardof Almondsbury covers the same area as the civil parish, stretching from Gaunt's Earthcott east of the M5 motorway south-west to Hallen on the boundary withBristol.

The village is split by a steep hill, part of the escarpment overlooking theSevernfloodplain. At the bottom of the hill is Lower Almondsbury where a pub and hotel, The Bowl Inn, is situated.South Wales, theForest of Dean, the River Severn andboth Severn Bridgesare visible from the higher parts of the village. The other part of the village consists mainly of ribbon development along the A38, which has more of an urban characteristic.

The place-name 'Almondsbury' is first attested in theDomesday Bookof 1086, where it appears asAlmodesberie. The name means 'Æthelmod's or Ealhmund's burgh or fortified place'.^[3]

The pub takes its name from the bowl shape of the land surrounding the estuary. Parts of this whitewashed-stone inn were originally the three cottages erected in 1146 to house the monks building the adjacent church of St Mary the Virgin. The present building became a licensed inn in 1550.^[4]

St Mary's Parish church

Also at the bottom of the hill is the local church, dedicated to SaintMary the Virgin.

The church and tower were built in 1140 AD. The lead-covered spire was added some time before 1619.

In 1817, a woman purporting to bePrincess Caraboowas found in the town, in what was to become one of the more elaborate deceptions of the period.^[5]

The village is located next to theAlmondsbury Interchangemotorway junction, where theM4andM5cross.

Amenities.

Another pub, The Swan Inn, is located on theA38, in the upper part of the village, almost opposite an open space known as Almondsbury Tump.

In March 2009 a community shop was opened in the village by the not-for-profit Almondsbury Community Services Association, situated opposite the Old School Hall at 14 Church Road. The community shop is staffed entirely by unpaid volunteers. The aim of the project goes beyond avillage shop, being a service for the village, to support local suppliers wherever possible, and to be another focal point where people in the village can meet. A proportion of the surplus generated by the shop is returned to community projects and organisations in the village. In 2018, the village community purchased the premises from the church through a Community Share issue. The chairman of the shop committee is John Mclevy.

The village also has an ambulance station, a motorwaypolice station, agarden centre, and a restaurant/pub. A helicopter base is present next to theAlmondsbury Interchangeas a new home forNational Police Air Service Filtonand theGreat Western Air Ambulance.^[6]