Longwell Green
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| Longwell Green | |
  Longwell Green shown within Gloucestershire |
|
| OS grid reference | |
|---|---|
| Unitary authority | South Gloucestershire |
| Ceremonial county | Gloucestershire |
| Region | South West |
| Constituent country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | BRISTOL |
| Postcode district | BS30 |
| Dialling code | 0117 |
| Police | Avon and Somerset |
| Fire | Avon |
| Ambulance | Great Western |
| European Parliament | South West England |
| List of places: UK • England • Gloucestershire | |
Longwell Green is a suburb just outside the east fringe of Bristol. It is located within the ceremonial county of Gloucestershire and the unitary authority of South Gloucestershire (previously Avon). It lies along the A431 Bath Road, near the river Avon at grid reference ST658710.
Until relatively recently this was a small rural community but this changed in 1977 when 1.62 km² of land were developed for housing and businesses as part of Bristol's recent rapid expansion.
The centre of Longwell Green, and the site of the original village, is based along a stretch of the A431 Bath Road. The A431 is a Roman road and runs from Bath to Bristol. Longwell Green sits five miles from Bristol and seven miles from Bath.
Contents |
[edit] History
[edit] The Queen's Head public house
History of Queen's Head Public House Willsbridge
At the bottom of Willsbridge and Brockham hills, on a busy Bath to Bristol road, stands an unassuming little building called The Queen’s Head public house.
Unlike other pubs in the vicinity, The Queen’s Head has never been wrapped up in all the usual alehouse folklore of highwaymen, cut-throats, and kings, and very little, by way of fact, or fiction, has ever been written about it. What follows is fact, and research reveals a fascinating history that tells the story of an establishment that not only served up ale, but which performed a whole variety of other hamlet, and old Bitton Parish functions.
[edit] Earliest days
Willsbridge hamlet before The Queen’s Head - The name "Willsbridge" means ‘the spring, (or well), by the bridge", and is Anglo Saxon in origin. In those days it was known as "Wylsbrugge". Now much extended, the original settlement was a hamlet at the Mill Clack Brook (now called Siston Brook) bridge - in other words the little bridge and immediate surrounding area where The Queen’s Head is situated.
Roman remains have been found nearby at Oldland Bottom and Stout’s Hill. It may be that the section of the A431 on which the original Wylsbrugge hamlet is situated is part of the Roman road, the Via Julia. It is possible that a house of refreshment has stood near, or on, the site of the present Queen’s Head since Roman times.
The Goldwell was an important Anglo Saxon public well formerly situated at the roadside (near present day Oldbury Chase and Willsbridge Mill on the A431). It was still operating when in c.1779 the historian Rudder wrote of the water being "reckoned very fine and pure. There is a pump erected, and a tin cup chained to it, for the use of travellers, to drink as they go along".
The Rev. H.T. Ellacombe called the well "a place lying on the south of Stout’s Hill, near which place was a gate entering the forest. By the mid nineteenth century, however, this public well was no more.
[edit] Willsbridge Mill 1712 - 2004, Parish of Bitton Gloucestershire
These mills were erected on the site of the ancient Manor House of Oldland on a stream called the Mill-Clack Brook.
It is a continuation of the Siston brook and runs through the valley of Southern Wood also known as 'catscliffe'. In 1800 to 1850, there was a stone quarry at Catscliffe, farther up the valley of Southernwood, and this was owned by a family named Caines. There are to this day flagstones which came out of this quarry, still to be found in some old houses in Longwell Green.
[edit] Pearsall family
On the other side of the road, opposite the mill and mill pond, is Willsbridge House commonly referred to as ‘The Castle’ by reason of the mock battlements which were added during 1848 by the then owner of the property Captain Stratton. The house had been built, by an ancestor of R.L.Pearsall, Robert Pearsall was celebrated for his musical ability. He was born at Clifton, but the family and his ancestors lived at Willsbridge for many years prior to his birth.
The madrigal writer, who had come to Willsbridge in the early eighteenth century. He lived for many years in an old thatched house by the brook (there is no trace of it now) and towards the end of his life had Willsbridge House built. Originally, it was quite small, being little more than a house extension to a cottage already standing there. The house was further enlarged and completed by his son, whilst his grandson, around 1802, added a coach house and stables.
It is thought that the son of the first John Pearsall constructed ‘The Limes’ an old house near the Mill, possibly once Oldland Manor or certainly built on the site of the manor, opposite Willsbridge House, and most of the cottages built in that area, but not those adjoining the Queen‘s Head, were constructed by the son of the first John Pearsall.
Here as early as 1712 Mr John Pearsall set up mills for rolling iron, especially for hoop iron. Also for making steel. The works were carried on by the family for many years and on the 30 December 1811, Mr Thomas Pearsall took out a patent for his invention of applying hoop iron instead of timber for the construction of roofs. However it proved a failure as one roof set up over London Docks collapsed and after this the work was discontinued.
One of the last places in our locality to have a hoop iron roof was Rose Cottage, near All Saints Church at Longwell Green.
Mr Pearsall retired to Bath where he died in 1825, the premises in the meanwhile having been sold, and in 1816 converted into a flour mill.
[edit] Mills family
The Mills family worked the flour mill from around 1840 and the three brothers and one sister were all born in Mill Cottage near the works alongside the-brook.
Flours were milled at these premises until 1931 when Edward Mills retired.
When the Mills family took over the mill it was powered by two water wheels, one on each side of the mill. There was always plenty of water to keep the machine moving and day and night large quantities of water were pumped from California pit and went into Mill-clack brook. To this day the waters still flow the same from the disused Kingswood coal field via the levels, an ingenious method of underground drainage.
The two large wheels were subsequently replaced by a much more powerful single wheel made and fixed by Torrance & Sons Ltd., engineers of Bitton. It was never idle and worked 24 hours a day, including Sundays.
The reason why there was always an adequate volume of water was due to the fact that when Mr Pearsall originally built his dam for the power needed by the mill he flooded a meadow and an orchard which was until that time known as Swan flats.
[edit] Bull family
The Bull family lived in a large house on top of Willsbridge Hill named Albert Villa this is now the modern day veterinary surgery in Court Farm Road.
After the Mills family finished the premises had several owners, who during their various short stays, never really carried on as the previous owners· It was not until it was taken over by Alfred Bull in 1942 that it became once more successful under the name of the Willsbridge Milling Company Limited. This time it was not used as a flour mill but for milling animal feeds.
The old water wheel was still used until after the Second World War but by now it was getting beyond repair and was replaced by a turbine, which was supplied and fitted by a Belfast firm. At this time the only electricity used was for lighting purposes, so that cost of purchasing outside power must have been minimal.
The mill is tucked away out of sight and is unknown to many new residents of the area. As the mill worked quietly it was almost unnoticeable by sight or sound in this rural setting, and although its machinery was old, it was well suited for running by water power. A great deal of work was undertaken cutting wheat, polishing peas for pigeon food etc.
Originally the grinding was done on the old stones driven by a water wheel, but these stones were taken out when the new turbine was fitted.
[edit] Townsend family
After Mr Bull died in 1960 the milling was subsequently carried on by the Townsend family, who had been his employees.
In 1928 Walter Townsend had been employed by the Mills family - he remained at the mill when the Bull family took over - for many years Walter would cycle from his home in Frogmore Street in the centre of Bristol to the mill at Willsbridge - and back again the same day - a round trip of twelve miles.
Later in 1947 Sidney Townsend Walter's son also worked at the mill - In later years when his father retired Sidney ran the mill single handed for the Bull family.
[edit] The great flood of July 1968
During the great storm of 10/11 July 1968 which was probably the worst in living memory, had been lashing the West Country for most of Wednesday increased in intensity during the evening and deposited an incredible 6 ins of rain on Bristol in 24 hours.
The mill pond at Willsbridge became so flooded that the old dam beside the mill could not contain the pressure of water and during the early hours the dam burst, allowing teeming millions of gallons of water to devastate the lower lying areas of Willsbridge below the mill.
The village of Willsbridge was hit by a tidal wave of water from the mill so great was the pressure that it swept away everything in its path.
People were trapped in their homes - cars were swept down stream some never too be seen again.
Willsbridge Mill suffered a tremendous battering as the, by now unrecognisable, Warmley Brook roared through it. Several tons of animal feed disappeared when the store and outbuildings were washed away.
A massive tree trunk was swept into the dam walls which were unable to withstand the force of the impact and gave way.
The resulting ‘tidal wave’ which descended into the valley below demolished the walls on both sides of the main road near the Queen’s Head and washed cars out of the car-park. The public house, adjacent cottages and houses and bungalows at The Tanyard opposite were all flooded to a depth of several feet.
The publican’s wife, of the local public house "The Queens Head" Mrs Gwen Tucker said that they had to stop serving drinks at about 8.00pm as water was pouring down the hill and entering the bar. The main flood following the mill dam bursting, happened in the early hours when they heard a series of loud bangs and the force of the water burst open their doors.
As the water receded during Thursday morning, it revealed the main road littered with cars, blocked by a tree trunk and covered in a thick layer of mud and rubble.
That night, seven people lost their lives, hundreds more suffered a terrifying ordeal of hardship and loss, bridges that had stood for centuries were washed away or severely damaged and countless houses, shops, factories and other properties were engulfed.
As night gave away to day and the full extent of the disaster was revealed it became obvious that for a great many people life would not return to normal for a number of days yet to come...for the mill it never did.
After the disaster of the flood the mill machinery was taken out and Willsbridge Milling Company was sold off to a local farming family the Rennalds Brothers who ran a large farm at Hicks Gate Brislington.
And the mill buildings at Willsbridge fell into disrepair. The Great Flood of 1968
[edit] Avon Wild Life Trust
The Mill was later bought, together with the adjoining land by George Wimpey & Co Ltd., the civil engineers and builders.
In 1979 George Wimpey donated the mill and its pond to the Kingswood District Council who have now entered into an agreement with the Avon Wild Life Trust for the restoration of the premises.
Altogether there are twenty acres of steep-sided river valley of the Siston Brook with wood, scrub and meadow vegetation on its slopes and the Trust intends to malie the mill and the valley into the County’s first Wild Life and Countryside Centre.
The historic mill and adjoining barn are to be used as a public visitors centre and school field study centre where there will be displays of the local and natural history, slide and film shows, a library, laboratories and a trust shop.
The ‘topping outs ceremony was held on 5th May 1982 when repairs to the roof and the structure of the building were completed.
[edit] Tribute to Nellie
A wheelchair friendly path at the Willsbridge Valley nature reserve has been opened in the memory of a local woman.
Nellie Broome was born at Willsbridge Mill in 1906 and died last year leaving a generous legacy to the Wildlife Trust.
The path has been created as a tribute to Nellie who had fond memories of walking through the meadow and valley every day to the local village school in Oldland Common.
[edit] Transport
There are a number of transport links which connect Longwell Green with both Bristol and Bath. The much criticised 45 bus route travels from Cadbury Heath to the centre of Bristol via Hanham, St. George and Redfield, whilst the 332 connects the centres of both Bristol and Bath via Longwell Green. Keynsham is reachable on the 318 bus, and from here it is possible to travel by train Bristol and Bath, both of which have services to London. The Bristol ring road also passes through the outskirts of Longwell Green.
[edit] Amenities
Set in a valley on the edge of Longwell Green, Willsbridge Mill is a restored 19th Century Corn Mill and Long Barn, located within a 22 acre (89,000 m²) nature reserve that is bisected by Siston Brook.
Most noticeable in the area is Aspects Leisure Park due to its elevated location alongside the A4174. The Park includes a multi-screen Vue cinema, Bowlplex 10-pin bowling alley, several restaurants and a gym. There is a new swimming pool being built and a new Frankie & Benny's restaurant opened in early September 2006. A Laser Quest centre, called Laser Fusion, has also just opened next to the Pizza Hut.
Several large companies have chosen to set up branches in Longwell Green. Asda superstore allegedly attracts more customers than the larger Asda Cribbs Causeway also in Bristol. It is also the home to what used to be the largest B&Q in the south-west, and several other DIY stores such as Wickes and Homebase. A Marks and Spencer's food outlet, Boots and Next are also being currently built. For animal lovers, there is also Jollyes pet superstore and Jenny's tack shop. Smaller shops include Tesco Express, Cherry Art Centre and several food outlets.
Longwell Green County Primary School is the only school in Longwell Green, and has just received an "outstanding" Ofsted report. The local secondary schools include Hanham High, The Grange Community School, Wellsway and SBL, although due to fierce competition for places, many students have to travel into Bristol or Bath for their education.
The community is also very well served by three pre-schools. Longwell Green Pre-School, Busy Bees and Footprints. All receive good ofsted reports are well supported by local businesses and parents and act as feeders for the local primary school.
Longwell Green Community Centre is a large local centre in the heart of the old village which provides function rooms for hire and host a variety of activities from Salsa Dancing to Pantomimes. The latter are staged in the main hall, which also contains a Badminton court.
In the grounds of the community centre is the HQ of the 46th Kingswood Scout Group. The HQ also plays host to the 2°29' West Explorer Scout Unit.
[edit] Sport
Longwell Green Sports F.C. is the local football club. It plays in the Gloucestershire County League. As for major football clubs, Longwell Green is predominantly a Bristol Rovers area. It also boasts a number of fans on the England scene.
[edit] External links
- Willsbridge Mill
- Longwell Green 'Then & Now' photography
- [1]
- Longwell Green Pre-School
- Laser Fusion Longwell Green
