Ashley, Bristol

infobox UK place
country = England
official_name= Ashley, Bristol
latitude= 51.4739
longitude= -2.5819
map_type= nomap
static_

static_image_caption= Boundaries of the Council Ward, shown within Bristol.
civil_parish=
population = 11,168 [cite web | title=Ashley | work=2001 Census Ward Information Sheet | url=http://www.bristol.gov.uk/WardFinder/pdfs/ashley-wis.pdf | accessdate=2007-02-21]
unitary_england= Bristol
lieutenancy_england=Bristol
region= South West England
constituency_westminster= Bristol West
post_town= BRISTOL
postcode_district = BS7
postcode_area= BS
dial_code= 0117
os_grid_reference= ST598755

Ashley is one of thirty-five council wards in the city of Bristol in the United Kingdom. The ward contains the areas of Ashley Down, Baptist Mills, Montpelier, St Andrews, St Pauls and St Werburghs. [cite web |url=http://www.bristol.gov.uk/WardFinder/pdfs/ashleymap-high.pdf |title=Ashley ward map |author=Bristol City Council |accessdate=2007-10-31 |format=PDF]

Ashley Down

Ashley Down is a small area of Bristol sandwiched between Bishopston, Horfield and St Werburghs. The main artery is the Ashley Down Road. Places in Ashley include Ashley Down, Montpelier and St Pauls.

Its centre piece is the City of Bristol College, Brunel Campus. This has in its past been used as the film set for the BBC television series Casualty, and started out in life as an orphanage.

In 1845 George Müller entered into a contract for the purchase of 7 acres (28,000 m²) of ground at £120 per acre (£0.03/m²) for the accommodation, feeding, clothing and education of 300 destitute and orphan children. On 18 June 1849 the orphans transferred to the new building, designed by local architect Thomas Foster. By 1886 Müller had received £700,000 through prayer and had over 2,000 children in his care.Whilst these buildings stand mainly whole today they are being slowly converted into flats and other affordable housing.

In 1958 the children and organisation headquarters had moved from Ashley Down and the buildings became Bristol College of Science and Technology (more recently changed to City of Bristol College, Brunel Campus).

As an aside, Muller Road which runs near the site of the orphanage and is named after its founder, is the longest road in Bristol without a pub on it.

The majority of Ashley's residents are students but this is only apocryphal as the area is not included in the Census statistics being included in the larger area of Bishopston.

Ashley Down Old Boys' RFC is a rugby club playing in Gloucestershire League I. They are members of the Bristol Combination. It is also the location of the Gloucestershire County Cricket Club ground.

Baptist Mills

Baptist Mills is a small and not very well known area of Bristol, which is located between St Werburghs and Easton. It was home to a brass works between 1700 and 1840, [cite web |url=http://www.cems.uwe.ac.uk/~rstephen/livingeaston/local_history/brass1.html |title=The Brass Industry |work=Living Easton |accessdate=2007-10-31 |format=HTML] and a pottery between 1840 and 1891. [cite web |url=http://www.cems.uwe.ac.uk/~rstephen/livingeaston/local_history/baptist_mills_pottery.html |title=Baptist Mills Pottery |work=Living Easton |accessdate=2007-10-31 |format=HTML] The area is now often regarded as part of St Werburghs. In the 19th Century part of Baptist Mills was also known as Botany Bay and regarded as a fairly lawless area.

Montpelier

Montpelier is an area of North Bristol. It is bounded by the Cheltenham Road to the west, St Pauls to the south, St Werburghs to the east and St Andrews to the north. It has its own railway station, and a reputation for being bohemian and 'alternative'. Picton Street is a haven for lovers of organic and vegetarian cuisine.Picton Street was built and named in honour of Sir Thomas Picton who, as Captain Picton, in 1783 endeared himself to Bristolians by bravely facing the rebellious 75th Battalion on College Green and averting a military mutiny. There is also a fine double-bayed villa in the street named after him, Picton Lodge.

There is a strong feeling of community spirit in Montpelier, especially around Fairfield School. Street parties and fundraising events have recently been held there to light up the iconic railway bridge.

t Andrews

St Andrews is a suburb of Bristol situated about 3 km (1.8 miles) north of the city centre. The area was developed in the late 19th century as St Andrew's Park Estate, and consists mostly of large Victorian villas, with some inter-war housing and some rebuilding following enemy action in World War II.

The area is roughly bounded by the Severn Beach Railway Line stations of Montpelier and Redland, Gloucester Rd, Somerville Rd and Cromwell Rd; however as is often the case the boundary is debatable: According to the Ordnance Survey map this area is Montpelier, whereas according to the National Gazetteer of 1868 Montpelier is a hamlet within the Parish of St Andrew's. St Andrew's church, which gave the area its name, was in St Andrew's Road, Montpelier. It was demolished in 1969.

In the middle part of the 20th century the area became unfashionable and many of the houses were converted to multiple occupation. However during the 1990s living in the City Centre became fashionable once again and consequently these houses are now being converted back into family homes, their owners once again taking pride in them and restoring their period features.

St Andrews is well served by public transport, with frequent buses to all parts of the city from Gloucester road, buses to UWE's Frenchay Campus and a local train service from Montpelier to Bristol Temple Meads, Clifton and Avonmouth on the Severn Beach Line.

t Andrews Park

St Andrew's Park is at the heart of the area. The park was laid out in 1895, [ [http://www.bristol.gov.uk/ccm/content/Environment-Planning/Parks-and-open-spaces/st-andrews-park.en?page=2 Bristol City Council: Parks and open spaces: St Andrews Park ] ] and is home to events such as 'Music in the Park' during the summer, and 'Carols in the Park' at Christmas. The park features a well-sized children's play area, permanent paddling pool (serviced and used only in the summer months) and public toilets (limited opening hours). Despite being located on a hilly incline, the park is well used for football and frisbee throughout the year. A community group, the [http://www.friendsofstandrewspark.com Friends of St Andrews Park] may be of interest to anyone that uses the park.

t Pauls

St Pauls is an inner suburb of Bristol, England, situated just north east of the city centre and west of the M32. In the early 18th century it was laid out as one of Bristol's first suburbs.

t Werburghs

St. Werburghs is an area in central north-east Bristol, England. Surrounded by the M32 motorway, railway embankments and allotment slopes it has the feel of a green village in the inner city. The area became known as St.Werburghs when St Werburghs Church was relocated (and substantially rebuilt) to Mina Road in this district from Corn Street, Bristol in 1879. It is now a Climbing Centre by Undercover Rock. Before then the northern part was Ashley Vale and the southern part Baptist Mills.

References

External links

* [http://www.wholesomewords.org/biography/bmuller2.html George Muller entry at Christian Biography Resources]
* [http://deeperlife.phpnet.us/georgemuller/ Narrative of the Lord's Dealings with George Müller]
* [http://www.dbolitho.co.uk/orphans.html Joshua and Susan Bolitho's story]
* [http://www.geograph.org.uk/search.php?i=1130389 Geograph of the Ashley Down area]
* [http://www.montpelierpages.co.uk/ Montpelier Website]
* [http://www.montpeliervillage.ning.com/ Montpelier Village's Website]
* [http://www.friendsofstandrewspark.com/ Friends of St Andrews Park Website]