Hallen, Gloucestershire

Hallen is a village near the northern Bristol city boundary, but is actually in South Gloucestershire. It is southwest of Easter Compton and northeast of Avonmouth. Henbury (in Bristol) is located to the southeast of Hallen. The village is sandwiched between the M49 and M5 motorways and lies on the Severn floodplain.

A large underground petroleum storage facility was built into the hillside behind the village during World War II, to provide protection from German bombing. The facility is still in use today.

In the 19th and early 20th centuries, Hallen was a popular stop off point for travellers making their way from the South West to the Aust ferry, which would cross the River Severn to Wales. There were three inns in the village, one with its own brewery. The brewery structure is still visible today attached to the last remaining pub, The King William IV.

The village retains some old world charm in places (War Memorial and Oakhill Lane cottages), but has been bisected by the M5 motorway which has left it somewhat desolate.