Horfield is a suburb of the city of Bristol, in southwest England. It lies on Bristol's northern edge, its border with Filton marking part of the boundary between Bristol and South Gloucestershire. Bishopston lies directly to the south. Monks Park and Golden Hill are to the west. Lockleaze and Ashley Down are on the eastern fringe. The Gloucester Road (A38) runs north/south through the suburb.

Horfield is also the name of a ward for Bristol City Council. The ward includes Monks Park and Southmead Hospital, but does not include the southern part of Horfield, including Horfield Common and Horfield Prison, which is in Bishopston ward.

History

The name 'Horfield' is Anglo-Saxon in origin, meaning 'Filthy open land' (Old English 'horu' and 'feld').

Horfield was a parish in Gloucestershire, which included Bishopston, Golden Hill, Lockleaze and part of Ashley Down.

Historically, the area had a reputation as a lawless place because Horfield Wood was the haunt of thieves and vagrants. The area remained rural until the early 19th century.

Horfield Prison was built in 1847 to replace the Bristol Gaol burnt down in the 1831 Bristol Riots. There was also a large Army barracks in Horfield from 1845, which was for a time headquarters of the South Gloucestershire Regiment. By the 1940s the buildings were too old to be used and the depot was closed, and most of the buildings apart from the Chapel were demolished in 1966. There are several war graves in churches in Horfield. A Territorial Army building remains, but most of the site was converted to a General Post Office (later British Telecom) engineering works, which in turn was redeveloped as housing since 2000.

Horfield was mostly developed from the mid 19th century onwards. In 1859, Bishopston became a separate parish. In 1894 Horfield Urban District was formed, but in 1904 it was absorbed into Bristol.

In 1908 Horfield Common was acquired by the Bristol City Council, and remains a public open space.

Much 1920s (originally local authority) housing in Upper Horfield is currently in the process of being redeveloped due to structural problems caused by concrete cancer. The new development is of higher density than the original housing.

Amenities

Horfield is home to the Memorial Stadium: a sports stadium built in 1921 for Bristol Rugby Club in memory of the rugby union players of the city who died in World War I, and rededicated to also commemorate the dead of World War II. In 1996, the ground also became home to Bristol Rovers Football Club who now own it.

Near the Stadium is The Wellington, CAMRA Bristol & District [123249] joint winner of Pub of the Year for 2005. The 2006 Pub of the Year is also in Horfield, The Inn on the Green (on the Gloucester Road)

Horfield has a leisure centre that was updated to have a 25 metre swimming pool in 2005.

Transport

Horfield is served by bus services on Gloucester Road (First Bristol routes 73, 75, and 76 and Wessex Connect routes 71, 72, U1 and U2), and Muller Road (Wessex Connect routes 586 and 587) and Wessex Connect route U5.

Between 1927 and 1964, the northeast part of the district was served by Horfield railway station.

Notable residents

Famous sons of Horfield include Hollywood actor Cary Grant, who was born at 15 Hughenden Road, in 1904, and composer Ray Steadman-Allen was born at 64 Muller Road, in 1922.

Politics

The parish of Horfield includes Horfield ward to the north, part of the Bristol North West parliamentary constituency, of which the incumbent Member of Parliament is Doug Naysmith, a Labour/Co-operative Party member. On Bristol City Council, Horfield ward sends two councillors. Currently, these are Cllr Martin Kerry, a Conservative, and Cheryl Ann, of the Liberal Democrats.

The southern part of the parish is in Bishopston ward, in Bristol West parliamentary constituency. The sitting Member of Parliament is Stephen Williams, Liberal Democrat. The current councillors are Cllr David Kitson and Cllr Bev Knott, both Liberal Democrats.

Churches

There are a number of interesting church in Horfield. Church of the Holy Trinity with St Edmund - the parish church was possibly founded as early as 603 but the earliest remnant is an old pillar and the circular churchyard. The tower is late 15th century or early 16th century with the nave and aisles added to by William Butterfield in 1847. The central tower was erected in 1893 by local firm Crisp & Oately and the transepts later in 1913 and 1929. It is a grade II* listed building.

St. Edmunds Church - erected in the lancet style in 1860 by ST Welch erected as a school and then given a tower and side asiles in 1930 by Hartland Thomas. A building with a roof (similar to Horfield Parish), anglo catholic interior, and a high church tradition. The church closed 1979 and was a printers but was demolished in 2006 - the local planning authority did not request obligatory photos.

Horfield Barracks chapel - erected 1859 (not 1847 as in Buildings of England). A fine lancet styled chapel with some good handling of dressings and very good bellcote. Closed in the 1920s and has been converted to offices. It is grade II listed.

Methodist Chapel - 1899 by La Trobe - very good essay in late Victorian Arts and Crafts Gothic with a fine wooden interior.

The former Salvation Army chapel - in Ashley Down Road.

Horfield Baptist Chapel - a twin towered perpendicular chapel by Milverton Drake with an organ by Hele.

Quaker meeting house of 1906 - domestic red brick.

Whitefield Tabernacle Muller Road - Contains the 18th century pulpit removed from Penn Street Tabernacle when that was demolished to make way for the city centre. It also contains the superb 1815 wooden organ case.

References

1. http://cameron.english.nottingham.ac.uk/GENmap1/maps.jsp?county=GLO cameron.english.nottingham.ac.uk
2. Horfield by Brenda Hardingham
3. Vision of Britain website
4. About Bristol website

External links

• Ward Map (PDF)