::: the harbourside (bristol 1)

bristol grew up on the banks of the rivers avon and frome

since the 13th century, the rivers have been modified for use as docks including the diversion of the river frome in the 1240s into an artificial deep channel known as “saint augustine’s reach”

saint augustine’s reach became the heart of bristol’s docks with its quays and wharfs

the river avon within the gorge, and the river severn into which it flows, has tides which fluctuate about 30 feet (9 m) between high and low water

this means that the river is easily navigable at high-tide but reduced to a muddy channel at low tide in which ships would often run aground

many ships were deliberately stranded in the harbour for unloading, giving rise to the phrase “shipshape and bristol fashion” to describe boats capable of taking the strain of repeatedly being stranded

as early as 1420, vessels from bristol were regularly travelling to iceland

it is speculated that sailors from bristol had made landfall in the americas before christopher columbus or john cabot

much of the harbourside is under redevelopment – a plethera of questionnably styled new build appartments