Weird Bristol

It is!

WHERE AM I WEDNESDAY

Before a sports ground was built in 1921 the land on which Memorial Stadium now stands was called “Buffalo Bill’s Field” as it was where, in 1891, American soldier and showman Buffalo Bill performed with his travelling Wild West Show. The spectacle attracted over 100,000 visitors.

When Bristol harbour was home to working docks, ships moored here were vulnerable to having their goods stolen by thieves.
From 1844-1960 the docks were patrolled by the Bristol River Police, who had their headquarters on this semi-circular structure by Prince Street Bridge.

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However, upon reading Wesley’s diaries, the sculptor was especially moved by the accounts of the preacher travelling the length and breadth of Britain upon a horse (possibly named “Maggot”) in order to evangelise to the public and opted to depict Wesley astride his loyal steed.

This magnificent statue of Methodism founder John Wesley outside the New Room in Broadmead was made in 1932 by sculptor Arthur George Walker.
At the time there was no statue of Wesley in Bristol and the initial plan was to depict the preacher standing alone.
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When a pair of undertakers witness the gruesome, bloody murder of a man over webcam, the police rush to the home of the victim to discover:
No body.
No signs of violence.
No trace of the man or his wife.
A fiendish, deadly plot has been set in motion…
SUSPENSION is available NOW!
Link in profile

St Mary’s Church, Henbury dates back to the 1300s and replaced an older church which was probably built during the 7th century.
This font which can be found in the churchyard belonged to the original church and is estimated to be about 1,000 years old.

Fantastic. Hope you enjoy it!

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He seems to have found the city agreeable for the following year he intended to return with his wife, Anne Boleyn but an outbreak of plague meant they were diverted to Thornbury Castle before reaching the city.

‪A long-standing rumour states that in 1534 King Henry VIII visited Bristol in disguise. His visit is thought to have been kept a secret to all but a few noblemen and he managed to remain undetected by the public. His purpose for travelling incognito was probably for reasons of safety‬.
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Two undertakers.
A murdered man.
A missing woman.
A global pandemic which has plunged the world into a state of SUSPENSION…

My murder/mystery thriller is available in hardback, paperback and ebook NOW!
Link in profile.

St John’s Churchyard (the burial ground of the nearby St John on the Wall church) dates back to 1409 and has recently been reopened to visitors.
During the 19th century, paths were laid out across the cemetery - using the worn headstones of graves which were no longer visited.

Floating wetland providing new habitat for birds and butterflies Thousands of aquatic plants have been installed to combat wildlife decline

A new floating wetland in our city's harbour is providing a habitat for wildlife like birds, otters and butterflies

Blaise Hamlet in Henbury was completed in 1811 as a retirement community for former workers of the nearby Blaise castle Estate.
Each cottage is unique and was designed by architect John Nash (1752-1835) who also designed Buckingham Palace, Marble Arch and the Royal Pavilion, Brighton.

And the answer is:
The doors to the Exchange Building on Corn Street/St Nicholas Market.
Well done if you got this one right.

WHERE AM I WEDNESDAY

In 1120, the city of Bristol was encircled by a defensive wall (built with stone from Brandon Hill)
By the late 1400s this wall had been greatly expanded and now had seven entry gates into the city.
The only one of these still standing is St John’s Gate on Broad Street - built sometime in the 1300s.

This Saturday in Bristol, a disingenuous “unity protest”, has been organised by the far right - open to people of Christian, Jewish, Hindu and Sikh faiths. Which major religion is missing from that list?...🤔

My murder/mystery novel SUSPENSION is available in paperback, hardback and ebook NOW.
A tense thriller set in pandemic era Bristol.
With a man murdered and a woman kidnapped, two friends must uncover a deadly secret which will plunge them both into mortal danger.

www.amazon.co.uk/Suspension-F...

A small white box on wheels rolling along a pavement. There is a man in a woolly hat striding alongside.

This delivery robot was trundling along Gloucester Road in Bristol yesterday. It has been covered with graffiti, of course, and this bloke kept standing in front of it to make it stop.

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They were removed from the church in 2013. Initially this was for routine cleaning but they were in such a sorry state that it was decided that they could no longer be allowed outside.
It is hoped that eventually the quarter jacks will be replaced with replicas.

These cheerful figures are now part of Bristol Museum’s collection but they once stood on the facade of Christ Church on Broad Street.
Known as “quarter jacks”, these mechanised automatons date back to 1728 and would twist their waists, move their arms and ding the church bells every 15 minutes.
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Looking up towards stone buildings with gothic arch windows against a blue sky. That on the right is of brick with a more formal style. A stone tower is seen in the centre with a circular window

Hey @weirdbristol.bsky.social , I know you like your "Where Am I?"s, so here's mine

(There was a a gate open to a courtyard that arguably was inviting. I mean, it didn't say I couldn't enter)

I’m going to hazard a guess at behind the Lord Mayor’s Chapel near College Green?

The Browns building at the top of Park Street was built in 1871 and its design was heavily inspired by the 14th century Doge’s Palace in Venice.
Initially built as a museum and library, the building was almost destroyed by an incendiary bomb during the Bristol Blitz but was rebuilt in 1950.

As the title suggests, bridges are a recurring theme in my upcoming murder/mystery novel SUSPENSION.
Templeway Bridge serves as the scene of a ghastly, violent crime committed in the dead of night.
SUSPENSION is available in ebook, paperback and hardback now!
Link in Profile.

You’re welcome. It’s truly special - both sad AND uplifting

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In order for the amphitheatre (and the Lloyds building) to be built, the height of the quay had to be lowered by several feet. The platform on which the crane-base stands is actually a section of the quay at its original height.

This structure on the Lloyds Amphitheatre was once the base for a steam crane. Built in 1891, the crane was demolished in 1969 and a weathervane was added to the top.

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