Clifton guidebook

Royal Crescent, Clifton 

Clifton is one of the oldest suburbs in the city - it was the site of an Iron Age camp and a stop-off for the Romans - and the grand houses that fill nearly every street are testament to the money that poured into Bristol from the tobacco and slave trades.

Clifton was originally separate from Bristol, but continuous development in the Georgian era paved the way for it to be incorporated into the city in the 1830s.

Of all the beautiful Georgian buildings, the piece de resistance is Royal York Crescent, which, with 46 houses, is believed to be the longest crescent in Europe; from here there are panoramic views across the city to the Dundry Hills in North Somerset.

Clifton’s fame today owes a huge amount to Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s magnificent Suspension Bridge, which spans the Avon Gorge and links Bristol to Leigh Woods in North Somerset - but this charming district has plenty more to offer.

Culture vultures will love it. The Victoria Rooms theatre and concert hall, which was the venue for readings by Oscar Wilde and Charles Dickens, now hosts the best amateur and professional theatre and opera, and The Redgrave is another highly acclaimed theatre.

Clifton Suspension Bridge 

There’s also St George’s Bristol, a former church that is now one of Britain's leading concert halls and is famed for its acoustics, and The Royal West of England Academy, one of only five Royal Academies of Art in the UK, is nearby.

Clifton Village itself is one of Bristol’s most desirable residential areas and is full of independent antique shops, cafes, bars and restaurants.

North east of here you'll find Whiteladies Road with fantastic shops and eating places, the Triangle and Park Street, Bristol’s main entertainment district and shopping mecca.

The northern edge of Clifton is made up of Durdham Downs, or The Downs, as they are known locally.

This 400-acre expanse of parkland and woods stretches from the Avon Gorge all the way across to Westbury Park, and is a haven for picnickers, joggers and kite-flyers.

Some of Bristol’s most exclusive schools - Bristol Grammar School, Clifton College and Clifton High - can be found in the suburb, and Clifton is also home to the world’s oldest provincial zoo, Bristol Zoo.

Property in Clifton
 

The BS8 postcode is among the most exclusive in Bristol, reflected in its high property prices and wealthy residents - typically affluent professionals and Bristol University students with generous parents.

There is a multitude of grand period architecture, primarily Georgian, in the suburb; some properties remain intact while many have been converted into flats. 

Terraces make up the biggest proportion of housing in Clifton, closely followed by flats; the percentage of detached homes is lowest at less than ten per cent.

Some new-build is also available in this prosperous suburb, such as the recent Contemporis development of luxury apartments in the heart of Clifton Village.

Living Here

Transport:

Road: The A4018 at Clifton connects with the M5 or the M32 which leads to the M4.

The A4018 runs from Westbury-on-Trym in the north, across The Downs, into Blackboy Hill, Whiteladies Road, Queen’s Road on the Triangle and ends up on Park Street.

Bus: Clifton is well served by buses, particularly the 8, 8A, 9 and 9A.

Train: Clifton Down station is just off Whiteladies Road.  Trains run across Bristol and to Temple Meads, Bristol's main rail station.

Air: Bristol International Airport is about 20 minutes' drive to the south west of Clifton, down the A370 and the A38.
 
Shopping:
 
You are spoilt for choice in Clifton, from the boutiques and exclusive shops of Clifton Village to the plethora of independent fashion retailers on Park Street.
 
If you can stomach a whole day of it, start at the top of Blackboy Hill and work your way down to the bottom of Park Street, taking in artists’ shops, photographic galleries, antique furniture stores and High Street names.

Then head over to Clifton Village to round off the day with a wander around its independent boutiques and stores selling all sorts from fashion to furniture.

Whiteladies Road also has a great choice of independent shops with a very wide range of products, and there are lots of cafes and bars here if you need a break.

For fans of good food, the Sheepdrove Organic Farm butcher shop is just off Blackboy Hill, and nearby Fishworks is a restaurant and fishmonger that also runs a cookery school.

On the Triangle, Fresh and Wild sells fantastic fruit, vegetables and cheese, and Clifton Village has its fair share of organic shops and quality grocers.

Eating and drinking:

There are dozens of fantastic pubs, bars and restaurants in Clifton, from the Coronation Tap cider pub in Clifton Village to Browns Bar & Brasserie on the Triangle, and from Le Monde fish restaurant to the many options in Whiteladies Road.

Clifton also has Bristol’s greatest density of clubs, from the underground La Rocca to Joe Publics next to Habitat. You can’t miss them.

Entertainment:

Theatregoers have a very good choice: try the Victoria Rooms, St George’s Bristol, the Redgrave Theatre, the Alma theatre above The Alma Tavern, the Mackay Theatre at Bristol Grammar School or the QEH Theatre. All are within two miles of each other.

Museum lovers might want to check out the Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery, famed for its Egyptology exhibition; The Royal West of England Academy - a brilliant art gallery; and the ss Great Britain.

This latter is an award-winning museum set in and around the Brunel-designed ship; she was the world's first screw-propelled ocean-going ship and the largest afloat at the time of her launch in 1843.
 
Sport and Leisure:

The Downs Football League, the biggest amateur football league in the country, plays on 32 pitches just on the northern edge of Clifton.

For a workout, try the Cannons Health Club on the Triangle or Clifton College and Bristol Grammar School gyms, which are both open to the public.

Bristol and Clifton Golf Club is a members' course located close to the Suspension Bridge.

Parks and Open Spaces:

The Downs is a vast area of open parkland and woodland on Clifton's doorstep and is the place to be for everything from a casual kick-around to kite-boarding, or simply a Sunday afternoon stroll.

Bristol Zoo is located just off The Downs, and has a fantastic collection of animals from across the world, including a highly-acclaimed gorilla island, complete with baby Komale.

Brandon Hill is the oldest park in Bristol city centre and has a children's play space, a nature conservation area, and the Cabot Tower monument which is free to climb and offers panoramic city views.

This 105ft tower was built to celebrate the 400th anniversary of John Cabot’s voyage to Newfoundland in America in 1497 aboard his ship the Matthew, which is now anchored in the Floating Harbour.