In the next in our series of posts about budget travel, we’re looking at some of the things that you can see and do for free in the city and historic port of Bristol, in the South West of England.
1. Visit Bristol Cathedral
The site on which Bristol Cathedral now stands was once the site on which the Abbey of St. Augustine stood, and the present building incorporates many of the abbey’s architectural features. The abbey was founded in 1140 by Robert Fitzhardinge, who was then the Provost, or Governor, of Bristol. It was dissolved in 1539 and the partially rebuilt nave was demolished.
In 1542, the remains of the abbey became incorporated into the new Cathedral Church of the Holy and Undivided Trinity and, in 1868, architect George Edmund Street began to rebuild the nave. The height of the roof is the same throughout the nave, choir and aisles, making the Cathedral a “Hall Church”, and it is one of the best examples of this type of building in the world.
You can take a guided tour of Bristol Cathedral or explore it by yourself, and you’ll also find a refectory and a shop there. Admission to the building is free, although Bristol Cathedral Trust does appreciate donations, which are used to pay for the cathedral’s maintenance.
2. Explore The Georgian House
The Georgian House (7 Great George Street, Bristol) is an 18th century property, which was built for John Pinney, a West Indian merchant and slave owner. The house looks as it would have done during the 18th century and you can explore its eleven rooms, which include a library, bedrooms, drawing rooms and a cold water plunge pool.
There is also a display relating to Pinney and his part in the sugar trade, and you can download a free leaflet highlighting objects in the house which relate to the sugar trade and slavery from Bristol County Council’s website.
The Georgian House is usually open between 10am and 5pm, Saturdays and Wednesdays, but check the Bristol County Council website before visiting.
3. Walk across Clifton Suspension Bridge
The Clifton Suspension Bridge was designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel and was his first major engineering commission. Brunel won a competition, held in 1830, to design a bridge across the Avon Gorge. The idea for the bridge came from a local wine merchant, William Vick, who had left £1,000 for the project in his will when he died in 1754.
Construction on the bridge began in 1836, but the money ran out in 1843 and, by the time Brunel died in 1859, the bridge still hadn’t been completed. It was eventually finished and opened in 1864 as a tribute to Brunel.
You can walk across the bridge for free (motorists have to pay a toll) and you can download free audio guides from the Clifton Suspension Bridge website. There is also a visitor centre at the Leigh Woods end of the bridge.
4. See the City on a Walking Tour
The Visit Bristol website has five free MP3 audio walking tours which you can download. Each of the tours is based on a different theme. Tours available are: Bristol Quayside Adventure, which takes you to locations linked with Robert Louis Stevenson’s novel, “Treasure Island”; Brunel’s Clifton and the Brunel Mile, on which you’ll learn more about Isambard Kingdom Brunel; The Bristol Heritage Walk, which takes you to some of the city’s historic buildings; and The Slave Trade Trail, which explores the city’s links with the slave trade.
5. Visit the Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery
The Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery (Queens Road, West End, Bristol) will keep you occupied for several hours. Its nineteen galleries include a new “Egypt” exhibition, which includes more than 600 objects relating to Ancient Egyptian life and beliefs. There are also wildlife galleries, a dinosaur gallery, displays of fossils and minerals, and a gypsy caravan.
The art galleries include Old Masters, British art works and contemporary art works, and the museum also has collections of silverware, porcelain and ceramics.
There are a number of museum trails for children to follow and there is also a play area for the under-fives.
Image courtesy of: © Helen Panphilova | Dreamstime.com
Tags: Bristol, budget travel, England, free attractions, UK holidays, UK travel
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