Longwell Green
Encyclopedia
Longwell Green is a suburb just outside the east fringe of Bristol
. It is located within the traditional county of Gloucestershire
and the unitary authority of South Gloucestershire
(previously Avon). It lies along the A431 Bath Road, near the river Avon at grid reference
.
Until relatively recently this was a small rural community but this changed in 1977 when 1.62 km² of land were developed for housing and businesses as part of Bristol's recent rapid expansion.
The centre of Longwell Green, and the site of the original village, is based along a stretch of the A431 Bath Road. The A431 is a Roman road
and runs from Bath to Bristol. Longwell Green sits five miles (8 km) from Bristol and seven miles (11 km) from Bath.
At the bottom of Willsbridge and Brockham hills, on a busy Bath to Bristol road, stands an unassuming little building called The Queen’s Head public house
.
Unlike other pubs in the vicinity, The Queen’s Head has never been wrapped up in all the usual alehouse folklore of highwaymen, cut-throats, and kings, and very little, by way of fact, or fiction, has ever been written about it. What follows is fact, and research reveals a fascinating history that tells the story of an establishment that not only served up ale, but which performed a whole variety of other hamlet, and old Bitton Parish functions.
in origin. In those days it was known as "Wylsbrugge". Now much extended, the original settlement was a hamlet at the Mill Clack Brook (now called Siston Brook
) bridge - in other words the little bridge and immediate surrounding area where The Queen’s Head is situated.
Roman remains have been found nearby at Oldland Bottom and Stout’s Hill. It may be that the section of the A431 on which the original Wylsbrugge hamlet is situated is part of the Roman road, the Via Julia. It is possible that a house of refreshment has stood near, or on, the site of the present Queen’s Head since Roman times.
The Goldwell was an important Anglo Saxon public well formerly situated at the roadside (near present day Oldbury Chase and Willsbridge Mill on the A431). It was still operating when in c.1779 the historian Rudder wrote of the water being "reckoned very fine and pure. There is a pump erected, and a tin cup chained to it, for the use of travellers, to drink as they go along".
The Rev. H.T. Ellacombe called the well "a place lying on the south of Stout’s Hill, near which place was a gate entering the forest. By the mid nineteenth century, however, this public well was no more.
These mills were erected on the site of the ancient Manor House
of Oldland on a stream called the Mill-Clack Brook.
It is a continuation of the Siston brook and runs through the valley of Southern Wood also known as 'catscliffe'. In 1800 to 1850, there was a stone quarry
at Catscliffe, farther up the valley of Southernwood, and this was owned by a family named Caines. There are to this day flagstones which came out of this quarry, still to be found in some old houses in Longwell Green.
was celebrated for his musical ability. He was born at Clifton, but the family and his ancestors lived at Willsbridge for many years prior to his birth.
The madrigal writer, who had come to Willsbridge in the early eighteenth century. He lived for many years in an old thatched house by the brook (there is no trace of it now) and towards the end of his life had Willsbridge House built. Originally, it was quite small, being little more than a house extension to a cottage already standing there. The house was further enlarged and completed by his son, whilst his grandson, around 1802, added a coach house and stables.
It is thought that the son of the first John Pearsall constructed ‘The Limes’ an old house near the Mill, possibly once Oldland Manor or certainly built on the site of the manor, opposite Willsbridge House, and most of the cottages built in that area, but not those adjoining the Queen‘s Head, were constructed by the son of the first John Pearsall.
Here as early as 1712 Mr John Pearsall set up mills for rolling iron, especially for hoop iron. Also for making steel. The works were carried on by the family for many years and on the 30 December 1811, Mr Thomas Pearsall took out a patent for his invention of applying hoop iron instead of timber for the construction of roofs. However it proved a failure as one roof set up over London Docks
collapsed and after this the work was discontinued.
One of the last places in our locality to have a hoop iron roof was Rose Cottage, near All Saints Church at Longwell Green.
Mr Pearsall retired to Bath where he died in 1825, the premises in the meanwhile having been sold, and in 1816 converted into a flour mill.
Flours were milled at these premises until 1931 when Edward Mills retired.
When the Mills family took over the mill it was powered by two water wheel
s, one on each side of the mill. There was always plenty of water to keep the machine moving and day and night large quantities of water were pumped from California pit and went into Mill-clack brook. To this day the waters still flow the same from the disused Kingswood coal field
via the levels, an ingenious method of underground drainage.
The two large wheels were subsequently replaced by a much more powerful single wheel made and fixed by Torrance & Sons Ltd., engineers of Bitton. It was never idle and worked 24 hours a day, including Sundays.The wheels needed tochange and this was the only option.
The reason why there was always an adequate volume of water was because when Mr Pearsall originally built his dam for the power needed by the mill he flooded a meadow and an orchard which was until that time known as Swan flats.
in Court Farm Road.
After the Mills family finished the premises had several owners, who during their various short stays, never really carried on as the previous owners· It was not until it was taken over by Alfred Bull in 1942 that it became once more successful under the name of the Willsbridge Milling Company Limited. This time it was not used as a flour mill but for milling animal feeds.
The old water wheel was still used until after the Second World War
but by now it was getting beyond repair and was replaced by a turbine, which was supplied and fitted by a Belfast firm. At this time the only electricity used was for lighting purposes, so that cost of purchasing outside power must have been minimal.
The mill is tucked away out of sight and is unknown to many new residents of the area. As the mill worked quietly it was almost unnoticeable by sight or sound in this rural setting, and although its machinery was old, it was well suited for running by water power. A great deal of work was undertaken cutting wheat, polishing peas for pigeon food etc.
Originally the grinding was done on the old stones driven by a water wheel, but these stones were taken out when the new turbine was fitted.
In 1928 Walter Townsend had been employed by the Mills family - he remained at the mill when the Bull family took over - for many years Walter would cycle from his home in Frogmore Street in the centre of Bristol to the mill at Willsbridge - and back again the same day - a round trip of twelve miles (19 km).
Later in 1947 Sidney Townsend Walter's son also worked at the mill - In later years when his father retired Sidney ran the mill single handed for the Bull family.
The mill pond at Willsbridge became so flooded that the old dam beside the mill could not contain the pressure of water (dam it !) and during the early hours the dam burst, allowing teeming millions of gallons of water to devastate the lower lying areas of Willsbridge below the mill.
The village of Willsbridge was hit by a wave of water from the mill so great was the pressure that it swept away everything in its path.
People were trapped in their homes - cars were swept down stream some never too be seen again.
Willsbridge Mill suffered a tremendous battering as the, by now unrecognisable, Warmley Brook roared through it. Several tons of animal feed
disappeared when the store and outbuildings were washed away.
A massive tree trunk
was swept into the dam walls which were unable to withstand the force of the impact and gave way.
The resulting ‘tidal wave’ which descended into the valley below demolished the walls on both sides of the main road near the Queen’s Head and washed cars out of the car-park
. The public house, adjacent cottages and houses and bungalows at The Tanyard opposite were all flooded to a depth of several feet.
The publican’s wife, of the local public house "The Queens Head" Mrs Gwen Tucker said that they had to stop serving drinks at about 8.00pm as water was pouring down the hill and entering the bar. The main flood following the mill dam bursting, happened in the early hours when they heard a series of loud bangs and the force of the water burst open their doors.
As the water receded during Thursday morning, it revealed the main road littered with cars, blocked by a tree trunk and covered in a thick layer of mud and rubble.
That night, seven people lost their lives, hundreds more suffered a terrifying ordeal of hardship and loss, bridges that had stood for centuries were washed away or severely damaged and countless houses, shops, factories and other properties were engulfed.
As night gave away to day and the full extent of the disaster was revealed it became obvious that for a great many people life would not return to normal for a number of days yet to come...for the mill it never did.
After the disaster of the flood the mill machinery was taken out and Willsbridge Milling Company was sold off to a local farming family the Rennalds Brothers who ran a large farm at Hicks Gate Brislington.
And the mill buildings at Willsbridge fell into disrepair. The Great Flood of 1968
In 1979 George Wimpey donated the mill and its pond to the Kingswood District Council who have now entered into an agreement with the Avon Wild Life Trust for the restoration of the premises.
Altogether there are 20 acres (80,937.2 m²) of steep-sided river valley of the Siston Brook with wood, scrub and meadow vegetation on its slopes and the Trust intends to malie the mill and the valley into the County’s first Wild Life and Countryside Centre.
The historic mill and adjoining barn are to be used as a public visitors centre and school field study centre where there will be displays of the local and natural history
, slide and film shows, a library, laboratories and a trust shop.
The ‘topping outs ceremony was held on 5 May 1982 when repairs to the roof and the structure of the building were completed.
has been opened in the memory of a local woman.
Nellie Broome was born at Willsbridge Mill in 1906 and died last year leaving a generous legacy to the Wildlife Trust.
The path has been created as a tribute to Nellie who had fond memories of walking through the meadow and valley every day to the local village school in Oldland Common
.
and Bath. The much criticised 45 bus route, operated by First Bristol
, travels from Cadbury Heath
to the centre of Bristol
via Hanham
, St. George and Redfield
, whilst the 332, operated by First Somerset & Avon
, connects the centres of both Bristol
and Bath via Longwell Green. Keynsham
is reachable on the 318 bus, also operated by First Group, and from here it is possible to travel by train Bristol
and Bath, both of which have services to London
. The Bristol
ring road
also passes through the outskirts of Longwell Green.
, located within a 22 acre (89,000 m²) nature reserve that is bisected by Siston
Brook.
Most noticeable in the area is Aspects Leisure Park due to its elevated location alongside the A4174. The Park includes a multi-screen Vue
cinema, Bowlplex 10-pin bowling alley
, several restaurants and a gym. There is a new swimming pool
which opened in early 2007 and a new Frankie & Benny's
restaurant opened in early September 2006. A Laser Quest
centre, called Laser Fusion, has also opened next to the Pizza Hut
in August 2006. Two new restaurants have since been opened - Chiquito
and Nando's
.
Several large companies have chosen to set up branches in Longwell Green. The Asda
superstore allegedly attracts more customers than the larger Asda Cribbs Causeway
also in Bristol, the store was used as the location for the supermarket in a 1994 episode of Chucklevision
where the Chuckle Brothers
make their own supermarket to rival the Asda. It is also the home to what used to be the largest B&Q
in the south-west, and several other DIY stores such as Wickes
and Homebase
. For animal lovers, there is also Jollyes pet superstore and Jenny's tack shop. Smaller shops include Tesco Express
, Cherry Art Centre and several food outlets. In December 2007 Gallagher Developments opened a 91,000sq.ft. retail park with Boots, Next, Outfit (Arcadia
), Clarks
and New Look
. This was followed by the opening of The Carphone Warehouse
, Clinton Cards
and River Island
stores in October 2008. A Marks & Spencer
store with clothing, food and cafe opened in April of this year.
Opposite the park is Richleys and Allied carpets along with Jakes snack shack, a fast food van which has been there for 20 years with various owners.
Longwell Green County Primary School
is the only school in Longwell Green, and has just received an "outstanding" Ofsted
report. The local secondary schools include Hanham High, The Grange Community School
, Wellsway and SBL
.
The community is also very well served by three pre-schools. Longwell Green Pre-School, Busy Bees and Footprints. All receive good Ofsted reports, are well supported by local businesses and parents and act as feeders for the local primary school.
Longwell Green Community Centre
is a large local centre in the heart of the old village which provides function rooms for hire and host a variety of activities from Salsa Dancing
to Pantomimes. The latter are staged in the main hall, which also contains a Badminton
court.
In the grounds of the community centre
is the HQ of the 46th Kingswood Scout
Group. The HQ also plays host to the 2°29' West Explorer Scout Unit.
is the local football club. It plays in the Western Football League
.
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
. It is located within the traditional county of Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
and the unitary authority of South Gloucestershire
South Gloucestershire
South Gloucestershire is a unitary district in the ceremonial county of Gloucestershire, in South West England.-History:The district was created in 1996, when the county of Avon was abolished, by the merger of former area of the districts of Kingswood and Northavon...
(previously Avon). It lies along the A431 Bath Road, near the river Avon at grid reference
British national grid reference system
The Ordnance Survey National Grid reference system is a system of geographic grid references used in Great Britain, different from using latitude and longitude....
.
Until relatively recently this was a small rural community but this changed in 1977 when 1.62 km² of land were developed for housing and businesses as part of Bristol's recent rapid expansion.
The centre of Longwell Green, and the site of the original village, is based along a stretch of the A431 Bath Road. The A431 is a Roman road
Roman road
The Roman roads were a vital part of the development of the Roman state, from about 500 BC through the expansion during the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire. Roman roads enabled the Romans to move armies and trade goods and to communicate. The Roman road system spanned more than 400,000 km...
and runs from Bath to Bristol. Longwell Green sits five miles (8 km) from Bristol and seven miles (11 km) from Bath.
The Queen's Head public house
History of Queen's Head Public House WillsbridgeAt the bottom of Willsbridge and Brockham hills, on a busy Bath to Bristol road, stands an unassuming little building called The Queen’s Head public house
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
.
Unlike other pubs in the vicinity, The Queen’s Head has never been wrapped up in all the usual alehouse folklore of highwaymen, cut-throats, and kings, and very little, by way of fact, or fiction, has ever been written about it. What follows is fact, and research reveals a fascinating history that tells the story of an establishment that not only served up ale, but which performed a whole variety of other hamlet, and old Bitton Parish functions.
Earliest days
Willsbridge hamlet before The Queen’s Head - The name "Willsbridge" means ‘the spring, (or well), by the bridge", and is Anglo SaxonAnglo-Saxons
Anglo-Saxon is a term used by historians to designate the Germanic tribes who invaded and settled the south and east of Great Britain beginning in the early 5th century AD, and the period from their creation of the English nation to the Norman conquest. The Anglo-Saxon Era denotes the period of...
in origin. In those days it was known as "Wylsbrugge". Now much extended, the original settlement was a hamlet at the Mill Clack Brook (now called Siston Brook
Siston Brook
Siston Brook rises in two separate streams which issue from a ridge just north of the village of Siston, South Gloucestershire, England. The brook is approximately long and is a tributary of the Bristol Avon. Much of its course is through the eastern suburbs of Bristol, although it remains...
) bridge - in other words the little bridge and immediate surrounding area where The Queen’s Head is situated.
Roman remains have been found nearby at Oldland Bottom and Stout’s Hill. It may be that the section of the A431 on which the original Wylsbrugge hamlet is situated is part of the Roman road, the Via Julia. It is possible that a house of refreshment has stood near, or on, the site of the present Queen’s Head since Roman times.
The Goldwell was an important Anglo Saxon public well formerly situated at the roadside (near present day Oldbury Chase and Willsbridge Mill on the A431). It was still operating when in c.1779 the historian Rudder wrote of the water being "reckoned very fine and pure. There is a pump erected, and a tin cup chained to it, for the use of travellers, to drink as they go along".
The Rev. H.T. Ellacombe called the well "a place lying on the south of Stout’s Hill, near which place was a gate entering the forest. By the mid nineteenth century, however, this public well was no more.
Willsbridge Mill 1712 - 2004, Parish of Bitton Gloucestershire
History of Willsbridge MillThese mills were erected on the site of the ancient Manor House
Manor house
A manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...
of Oldland on a stream called the Mill-Clack Brook.
It is a continuation of the Siston brook and runs through the valley of Southern Wood also known as 'catscliffe'. In 1800 to 1850, there was a stone quarry
Quarry
A quarry is a type of open-pit mine from which rock or minerals are extracted. Quarries are generally used for extracting building materials, such as dimension stone, construction aggregate, riprap, sand, and gravel. They are often collocated with concrete and asphalt plants due to the requirement...
at Catscliffe, farther up the valley of Southernwood, and this was owned by a family named Caines. There are to this day flagstones which came out of this quarry, still to be found in some old houses in Longwell Green.
Pearsall family
On the other side of the road, opposite the mill and mill pond, is Willsbridge House commonly referred to as ‘The Castle’ by reason of the mock battlements which were added during 1848 by the then owner of the property Captain Stratton. The house had been built, by an ancestor of R.L.Pearsall, Robert PearsallRobert Lucas de Pearsall
Robert Lucas Pearsall was an English composer.-Biography:Pearsall was born at Clifton in Bristol on 14 March 1795 into a rich, Quaker family. His father, Richard Pearsall , was an army officer and amateur musician...
was celebrated for his musical ability. He was born at Clifton, but the family and his ancestors lived at Willsbridge for many years prior to his birth.
The madrigal writer, who had come to Willsbridge in the early eighteenth century. He lived for many years in an old thatched house by the brook (there is no trace of it now) and towards the end of his life had Willsbridge House built. Originally, it was quite small, being little more than a house extension to a cottage already standing there. The house was further enlarged and completed by his son, whilst his grandson, around 1802, added a coach house and stables.
It is thought that the son of the first John Pearsall constructed ‘The Limes’ an old house near the Mill, possibly once Oldland Manor or certainly built on the site of the manor, opposite Willsbridge House, and most of the cottages built in that area, but not those adjoining the Queen‘s Head, were constructed by the son of the first John Pearsall.
Here as early as 1712 Mr John Pearsall set up mills for rolling iron, especially for hoop iron. Also for making steel. The works were carried on by the family for many years and on the 30 December 1811, Mr Thomas Pearsall took out a patent for his invention of applying hoop iron instead of timber for the construction of roofs. However it proved a failure as one roof set up over London Docks
London Docks
The London Docks were one of several sets of docks in the historic Port of London. They were constructed in Wapping downstream from the City of London between 1799 and 1815, at a cost exceeding £5½ million. Traditionally ships had docked at wharves on the River Thames, but by this time, more...
collapsed and after this the work was discontinued.
One of the last places in our locality to have a hoop iron roof was Rose Cottage, near All Saints Church at Longwell Green.
Mr Pearsall retired to Bath where he died in 1825, the premises in the meanwhile having been sold, and in 1816 converted into a flour mill.
Mills family
The Mills family worked the flour mill from around 1840 and the three brothers and one sister were all born in Mill Cottage near the works alongside the-brook.Flours were milled at these premises until 1931 when Edward Mills retired.
When the Mills family took over the mill it was powered by two water wheel
Water wheel
A water wheel is a machine for converting the energy of free-flowing or falling water into useful forms of power. A water wheel consists of a large wooden or metal wheel, with a number of blades or buckets arranged on the outside rim forming the driving surface...
s, one on each side of the mill. There was always plenty of water to keep the machine moving and day and night large quantities of water were pumped from California pit and went into Mill-clack brook. To this day the waters still flow the same from the disused Kingswood coal field
Coal mining
The goal of coal mining is to obtain coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content, and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from iron ore and for cement production. In the United States,...
via the levels, an ingenious method of underground drainage.
The two large wheels were subsequently replaced by a much more powerful single wheel made and fixed by Torrance & Sons Ltd., engineers of Bitton. It was never idle and worked 24 hours a day, including Sundays.The wheels needed tochange and this was the only option.
The reason why there was always an adequate volume of water was because when Mr Pearsall originally built his dam for the power needed by the mill he flooded a meadow and an orchard which was until that time known as Swan flats.
Bull family
The Bull family lived in a large house on top of Willsbridge Hill named Albert Villa this is now the modern day veterinary surgeryVeterinary surgery
Veterinary surgery is surgery performed on animals by veterinarians. Advanced surgical procedures such as joint replacement , fracture repair, ACL treatment, oncologic surgery, herniated disc treatment, complicated gastrointestinal or urogenital procedures, kidney transplant, skin grafts,...
in Court Farm Road.
After the Mills family finished the premises had several owners, who during their various short stays, never really carried on as the previous owners· It was not until it was taken over by Alfred Bull in 1942 that it became once more successful under the name of the Willsbridge Milling Company Limited. This time it was not used as a flour mill but for milling animal feeds.
The old water wheel was still used until after the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
but by now it was getting beyond repair and was replaced by a turbine, which was supplied and fitted by a Belfast firm. At this time the only electricity used was for lighting purposes, so that cost of purchasing outside power must have been minimal.
The mill is tucked away out of sight and is unknown to many new residents of the area. As the mill worked quietly it was almost unnoticeable by sight or sound in this rural setting, and although its machinery was old, it was well suited for running by water power. A great deal of work was undertaken cutting wheat, polishing peas for pigeon food etc.
Originally the grinding was done on the old stones driven by a water wheel, but these stones were taken out when the new turbine was fitted.
Townsend family
After Mr Bull died in 1960 the milling was subsequently carried on by the Townsend family, who had been his employees.In 1928 Walter Townsend had been employed by the Mills family - he remained at the mill when the Bull family took over - for many years Walter would cycle from his home in Frogmore Street in the centre of Bristol to the mill at Willsbridge - and back again the same day - a round trip of twelve miles (19 km).
Later in 1947 Sidney Townsend Walter's son also worked at the mill - In later years when his father retired Sidney ran the mill single handed for the Bull family.
The great flood of July 1968
During the great storm of 10/11 July 1968 which was probably the worst in living memory, had been lashing the West Country for most of Wednesday increased in intensity during the evening and deposited an incredible 6 ins of rain on Bristol in 24 hours.The mill pond at Willsbridge became so flooded that the old dam beside the mill could not contain the pressure of water (dam it !) and during the early hours the dam burst, allowing teeming millions of gallons of water to devastate the lower lying areas of Willsbridge below the mill.
The village of Willsbridge was hit by a wave of water from the mill so great was the pressure that it swept away everything in its path.
People were trapped in their homes - cars were swept down stream some never too be seen again.
Willsbridge Mill suffered a tremendous battering as the, by now unrecognisable, Warmley Brook roared through it. Several tons of animal feed
Fodder
Fodder or animal feed is any agricultural foodstuff used specifically to feed domesticated livestock such as cattle, goats, sheep, horses, chickens and pigs. Most animal feed is from plants but some is of animal origin...
disappeared when the store and outbuildings were washed away.
A massive tree trunk
Trunk (botany)
In botany, trunk refers to the main wooden axis of a tree that supports the branches and is supported by and directly attached to the roots. The trunk is covered by the bark, which is an important diagnostic feature in tree identification, and which often differs markedly from the bottom of the...
was swept into the dam walls which were unable to withstand the force of the impact and gave way.
The resulting ‘tidal wave’ which descended into the valley below demolished the walls on both sides of the main road near the Queen’s Head and washed cars out of the car-park
Parking lot
A parking lot , also known as car lot, is a cleared area that is intended for parking vehicles. Usually, the term refers to a dedicated area that has been provided with a durable or semi-durable surface....
. The public house, adjacent cottages and houses and bungalows at The Tanyard opposite were all flooded to a depth of several feet.
The publican’s wife, of the local public house "The Queens Head" Mrs Gwen Tucker said that they had to stop serving drinks at about 8.00pm as water was pouring down the hill and entering the bar. The main flood following the mill dam bursting, happened in the early hours when they heard a series of loud bangs and the force of the water burst open their doors.
As the water receded during Thursday morning, it revealed the main road littered with cars, blocked by a tree trunk and covered in a thick layer of mud and rubble.
That night, seven people lost their lives, hundreds more suffered a terrifying ordeal of hardship and loss, bridges that had stood for centuries were washed away or severely damaged and countless houses, shops, factories and other properties were engulfed.
As night gave away to day and the full extent of the disaster was revealed it became obvious that for a great many people life would not return to normal for a number of days yet to come...for the mill it never did.
After the disaster of the flood the mill machinery was taken out and Willsbridge Milling Company was sold off to a local farming family the Rennalds Brothers who ran a large farm at Hicks Gate Brislington.
And the mill buildings at Willsbridge fell into disrepair. The Great Flood of 1968
Avon Wild Life Trust
The Mill was later bought, together with the adjoining land by George Wimpey & Co Ltd., the civil engineers and builders.In 1979 George Wimpey donated the mill and its pond to the Kingswood District Council who have now entered into an agreement with the Avon Wild Life Trust for the restoration of the premises.
Altogether there are 20 acres (80,937.2 m²) of steep-sided river valley of the Siston Brook with wood, scrub and meadow vegetation on its slopes and the Trust intends to malie the mill and the valley into the County’s first Wild Life and Countryside Centre.
The historic mill and adjoining barn are to be used as a public visitors centre and school field study centre where there will be displays of the local and natural history
Natural history
Natural history is the scientific research of plants or animals, leaning more towards observational rather than experimental methods of study, and encompasses more research published in magazines than in academic journals. Grouped among the natural sciences, natural history is the systematic study...
, slide and film shows, a library, laboratories and a trust shop.
The ‘topping outs ceremony was held on 5 May 1982 when repairs to the roof and the structure of the building were completed.
Tribute to Nellie
A wheelchair friendly path at the Willsbridge Valley nature reserveNature reserve
A nature reserve is a protected area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological or other special interest, which is reserved and managed for conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research...
has been opened in the memory of a local woman.
Nellie Broome was born at Willsbridge Mill in 1906 and died last year leaving a generous legacy to the Wildlife Trust.
The path has been created as a tribute to Nellie who had fond memories of walking through the meadow and valley every day to the local village school in Oldland Common
Oldland Common
Oldland Common is a village in South Gloucestershire, England, on the outskirts of Bristol. It is in the civil parish of Bitton, approximately 8 miles between the centres of cities Bristol and Bath...
.
Transport
There are a number of transport links which connect Longwell Green with both BristolBristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
and Bath. The much criticised 45 bus route, operated by First Bristol
First Bristol
First Bristol is a bus operator based in Bristol, England. It is part of FirstGroup, and is the dominant public transport company in the city.-History:...
, travels from Cadbury Heath
Cadbury Heath
Cadbury Heath is a suburb of Bristol, located in South Gloucestershire, England, United Kingdom.-Banjo Island:Cadbury Heath contains the infamous council estate Park Estate aka 'Banjo Island'....
to the centre of Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
via Hanham
Hanham
Hanham is a village on the eastern outskirts of Bristol, England, situated on the A431 between Bristol, Bath and Keynsham. It is in the unitary authority of South Gloucestershire. It became a civil parish on April 1, 2003....
, St. George and Redfield
Redfield, Bristol
Redfield is an area situated in the east of Bristol. It includes the stretch of Church Road from Verrier Road to the western boundary of St George’s park and is adjacent to the neighbourhoods of Barton Hill, St George, Whitehall and Pile Marsh.-Population:...
, whilst the 332, operated by First Somerset & Avon
First Somerset & Avon
First Somerset & Avon Ltd provides bus services in Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Bath and West Wiltshire. It is part of First Group. First Somerset & Avon operates an extensive network of services in and around Bath, Bridgwater, Bristol, Taunton, Trowbridge, Wells, Weston-super-Mare and...
, connects the centres of both Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
and Bath via Longwell Green. Keynsham
Keynsham
Keynsham is a town and civil parish between Bristol and Bath in Somerset, south-west England. It has a population of 15,533.It was listed in the Domesday Book as Cainesham, which is believed to mean the home of Saint Keyne....
is reachable on the 318 bus, also operated by First Group, and from here it is possible to travel by train Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
and Bath, both of which have services to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. The Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
ring road
Ring road
A ring road, orbital motorway, beltway, circumferential highway, or loop highway is a road that encircles a town or city...
also passes through the outskirts of Longwell Green.
Amenities
Set in a valley on the edge of Longwell Green, Willsbridge Mill is a restored 19th Century Corn mill and Long BarnLong Barn
Long Barn, located in the village of Sevenoaks Weald, Kent, is a Grade II listed property and the former home of Vita Sackville-West and Harold Nicolson...
, located within a 22 acre (89,000 m²) nature reserve that is bisected by Siston
Siston
Siston is a small village in South Gloucestershire, England east of Bristol Castle, ancient centre of Bristol, recorded historically as Syston, Sistone, Syton, Sytone and Systun etc. The village lies at the confluence of the two sources of the Siston Brook, a tributary of the River Avon...
Brook.
Most noticeable in the area is Aspects Leisure Park due to its elevated location alongside the A4174. The Park includes a multi-screen Vue
Vue (cinema)
Vue Entertainment , formerly known as SBC International Cinemas, is a cinema company in the UK and the Republic of Ireland. The company was formed in May 2003 when SBC acquired 36 Warner Village cinemas. There are now 69 Vue cinemas, with 654 screens totaling 140,500 seats, including the rebranded...
cinema, Bowlplex 10-pin bowling alley
Bowling
Bowling Bowling Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule...
, several restaurants and a gym. There is a new swimming pool
Swimming pool
A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, or simply a pool, is a container filled with water intended for swimming or water-based recreation. There are many standard sizes; the largest is the Olympic-size swimming pool...
which opened in early 2007 and a new Frankie & Benny's
Frankie & Benny's
Frankie & Benny's is a chain of Italian-American restaurants in the UK with numerous outlets nationwide run by The Restaurant Group plc. Its first location was Leicester in 1995 but now the chain has over 150 locations across the UK and also abroad, and smaller branches called "Little...
restaurant opened in early September 2006. A Laser Quest
Laser Quest
Laser Quest is the name of a Canadian-based indoor lasertag game based around infrared hand held units and vests, as well as the name of the company which operates each game center. There are over 140 Laser Quest centers worldwide, including ones in Canada, the United States, the UK, France,...
centre, called Laser Fusion, has also opened next to the Pizza Hut
Pizza Hut
Pizza Hut is an American restaurant chain and international franchise that offers different styles of pizza along with side dishes including pasta, buffalo wings, breadsticks, and garlic bread....
in August 2006. Two new restaurants have since been opened - Chiquito
Chiquito (restaurant)
Chiquito is a UK-based restaurant chain specialising in Mexican food. The company was established in 1989 and has 68 restaurants across the country. It dubs itself as 'The Original Mexican Grill & Bar' and has been described as the United Kingdom's best-known Mexican chain...
and Nando's
Nando's
Nando's is a casual dining restaurant group originating from South Africa with a Portuguese/Mozambican theme. Founded in 1987, Nando's operates in thirty countries on five continents....
.
Several large companies have chosen to set up branches in Longwell Green. The Asda
Asda
Asda Stores Ltd is a British supermarket chain which retails food, clothing, general merchandise, toys and financial services. It also has a mobile telephone network, , Asda Mobile...
superstore allegedly attracts more customers than the larger Asda Cribbs Causeway
Cribbs Causeway
Cribbs Causeway is a road in South Gloucestershire, England, just north of Bristol, which has given its name to a large out-of-town shopping centre, including retail parks and an enclosed shopping centre known as The Mall...
also in Bristol, the store was used as the location for the supermarket in a 1994 episode of Chucklevision
ChuckleVision
ChuckleVision is a popular British television series shown mainly on CBBC. New episodes are always first aired on BBC One, and occasionally episodes are shown on BBC Two. The first episode was shown on 26 September 1987. It follows the adventures of the Chuckle Brothers & the Patton Brothers, who...
where the Chuckle Brothers
Chuckle Brothers
Barry Elliott and Paul Elliott , better known as the Chuckle Brothers, are British comedians. They are best known for their work on their BBC show ChuckleVision, which celebrated its 21st anniversary in March 2010 with a tour called An Audience with the Chuckle Brothers, which started in January...
make their own supermarket to rival the Asda. It is also the home to what used to be the largest B&Q
B&Q
B&Q plc is a multinational DIY and home improvement retailer headquartered in Eastleigh, United Kingdom. It was founded in 1969 and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Kingfisher plc, which is listed on the London Stock Exchange....
in the south-west, and several other DIY stores such as Wickes
Wickes
Wickes is a do-it-yourself retailer based in the United Kingdom and owned by Travis Perkins, with more than 190 stores throughout the country. It focuses on supplies and materials for homeowners and the building trade...
and Homebase
Homebase
Homebase is a British home improvement store and garden centre, with 350 stores across the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. It is well known by its green and orange colour scheme. Together with its sister company Argos , it forms part of Home Retail Group. Homebase recorded sales figures...
. For animal lovers, there is also Jollyes pet superstore and Jenny's tack shop. Smaller shops include Tesco Express
Tesco
Tesco plc is a global grocery and general merchandise retailer headquartered in Cheshunt, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest retailer in the world measured by revenues and the second-largest measured by profits...
, Cherry Art Centre and several food outlets. In December 2007 Gallagher Developments opened a 91,000sq.ft. retail park with Boots, Next, Outfit (Arcadia
Arcadia Group
The Arcadia Group Limited a British company that owns the high street clothing retailers Burton, Dorothy Perkins, Evans, Miss Selfridge, Topman, Topshop, Wallis and BHS, and the out of town chain Outfit, which sells lines from the other group chains...
), Clarks
C&J Clark
C. and J. Clark International Ltd, trading as Clarks, is a British, international shoe manufacturer and retailer based in Street, Somerset, England...
and New Look
New Look (store)
New Look is a British global fashion retailer with a chain of high street shops in Britain, Belgium, France, The Netherlands, Republic of Ireland, Malta, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates.-History:...
. This was followed by the opening of The Carphone Warehouse
The Carphone Warehouse
Carphone Warehouse Group PLC , known as The Carphone Warehouse, is Europe's largest independent mobile phone retailer, with over 1,700 stores across Europe. It is based in the United Kingdom and is a 50% subsidiary of Best Buy...
, Clinton Cards
Clinton Cards
Clinton Cards is a chain of stores in the UK founded in 1968 by Don Lewin. Mostly selling greeting cards, as the name suggests, the chain claims to be "the largest specialist retailer of greetings cards, plush merchandise and related products in the UK with over 700 shops." They used to be...
and River Island
River Island
River Island is one of Britain's best known high street fashion brands and can be found in most cities across the UK. The brand also has stores in Singapore, Turkey, Poland, Ireland, the Netherlands, and the Middle East.-History:...
stores in October 2008. A Marks & Spencer
Marks & Spencer
Marks and Spencer plc is a British retailer headquartered in the City of Westminster, London, with over 700 stores in the United Kingdom and over 300 stores spread across more than 40 countries. It specialises in the selling of clothing and luxury food products...
store with clothing, food and cafe opened in April of this year.
Opposite the park is Richleys and Allied carpets along with Jakes snack shack, a fast food van which has been there for 20 years with various owners.
Longwell Green County Primary School
Primary education
A primary school is an institution in which children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as primary or elementary education. Primary school is the preferred term in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth Nations, and in most publications of the United Nations Educational,...
is the only school in Longwell Green, and has just received an "outstanding" Ofsted
Ofsted
The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills is the non-ministerial government department of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools In England ....
report. The local secondary schools include Hanham High, The Grange Community School
The Grange Community School
The Grange Community School & Sports College is a mixed-gender comprehensive secondary school for 11–18-year-olds in Warmley, South Gloucestershire, England....
, Wellsway and SBL
Sir Bernard Lovell School
Sir Bernard Lovell School is a comprehensive school in North Street, Oldland Common, South Gloucestershire, England. It has been on the same site since the 1960s, when it was a girls school, later the main school was added and now takes boys and girls from 11 to 18 years old...
.
The community is also very well served by three pre-schools. Longwell Green Pre-School, Busy Bees and Footprints. All receive good Ofsted reports, are well supported by local businesses and parents and act as feeders for the local primary school.
Longwell Green Community Centre
Longwell Green Community Centre
Longwell Green Community Centre is in the heart of the old village of Longwell Green a suburb of Bristol in England.It serves the local area with many activities and has many rooms that are available for rent. The community centre also provides rooms for Longwell Green Pre-School.They also have...
is a large local centre in the heart of the old village which provides function rooms for hire and host a variety of activities from Salsa Dancing
Salsa (dance)
Salsa is a syncretic dance form with origins in Cuba as the meeting point of Spanish and African cultures.Salsa is normally a partner dance, although there are recognized solo forms such as solo dancing "suelta" and "Rueda de Casino" where multiple couples exchange partners in a circle...
to Pantomimes. The latter are staged in the main hall, which also contains a Badminton
Badminton
Badminton is a racquet sport played by either two opposing players or two opposing pairs , who take positions on opposite halves of a rectangular court that is divided by a net. Players score points by striking a shuttlecock with their racquet so that it passes over the net and lands in their...
court.
In the grounds of the community centre
Community centre
Community centres or community centers or jumping recreation centers are public locations where members of a community tend to gather for group activities, social support, public information, and other purposes. They may sometimes be open for the whole community or for a specialised group within...
is the HQ of the 46th Kingswood Scout
Boy Scout
A Scout is a boy or a girl, usually 11 to 18 years of age, participating in the worldwide Scouting movement. Because of the large age and development span, many Scouting associations have split this age group into a junior and a senior section...
Group. The HQ also plays host to the 2°29' West Explorer Scout Unit.
Sport
Longwell Green Sports F.C.Longwell Green Sports F.C.
Longwell Green Sports F.C. is a football club based in Longwell Green, South Gloucestershire, near Bristol, England. They are currently members of the Western League Premier Division which is Step 5 of the National League System...
is the local football club. It plays in the Western Football League
Western Football League
The Western Football League is a football league in the south west of England, covering Bristol, Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, western Dorset, parts of Gloucestershire and Wiltshire and parts of South Wales...
.