property, homes and houses for sale in Bristol

The town of Brycgstow - Old English, "the place at the bridge" - was in existence by the beginning of the 11th century and, under Norman rule, acquired one of the strongest castles in southern England. Growth in Bristol came with the 17th-century rise of England's American colonies and the rapid 18th-century expansion of England's part in the slave trade. Between 1700 and 1807, more than 2000 slaving ships were fitted out at Bristol. The 19th century is particularly associated with the Victorian engineer, Isambard Kingdom Brunel, who designed the Great Western Railway between Bristol and London, two pioneering Bristol-built steamships, and the Clifton Suspension Bridge.

Bristol's city centre suffered severe damage from bombing during World War II. The original central shopping area near the bridge and castle, is now a park containing two bombed out churches and some tiny fragments of the castle.

Houses for sale in Bristol are incredibly varied and range from modest ex-local authority flats and houses, to post-war private development, 1930s' semis, substantial Victorian terraced houses, and attractive new-build. One of Bristol's smartest areas is Clifton and here the average price for a two-bedroom flat in a Victorian house conversion is in the region of £330,000. You will find flats for sale in Bristol for a lot less but in Clifton, that is a typical price quoted by Bristol Estate agents. New homes in Bristol, in the city's suburbs, cost in the region of £500,000 for a four or five-bedroom house in its own grounds. The same accommodation in Victorian townhouses in the Clifton area would be advertised by estate agents in Bristol at well over £700,000. Flats to rent in Bristol, near the city centre, offering one bedroom in a Victorian conversion, are available for under £500 per month.

Amenities for Bristol properties

The Theatre Royal is a Grade I listed building and the oldest continuously-operating theatre in England. The Bristol Hippodrome is a larger theatre that hosts national touring productions, while the 2000-seat Colston Hall is the city's main concert venue. Other local theatres include the Tobacco Factory, QEH and Redgrave. Bristol is home to many live music venues, of which The Old Duke is perhaps the best known. The Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery houses a collection of natural history artefacts, archaeological finds, local glassware, Chinese ceramics and paintings. The City Museum also runs three preserved historic houses: the Tudor Red Lodge, the Georgian House, and Blaise Castle House. The Bristol Industrial Museum, on the dockside, displays local industrial heritage and operates a steam railway, boat trips, and working dockside cranes.

Bristol is home to two major institutions of higher education: the University of Bristol, a "redbrick" chartered in 1909, and the University of the West of England, formerly Bristol Polytechnic, which gained university status in 1992. The city also has two dedicated further education institutions and two theological colleges. For children there are 129 infant and primary schools, 17 secondary schools, and three city learning centres. There are also many independent schools of high quality including Queen Elizabeth's Hospital, an all-boys school, and Red Maids' School, the oldest girls' school in England.

Transport in Bristol

Principal railway stations in Bristol are Bristol Parkway and Bristol Temple Meads. The city is connected by road on an east-west axis from London to Wales by the M4 motorway, and on a north-southwest axis from Birmingham to Exeter by the M5 motorway. The M32 is a spur from the M4 to Bristol city centre. The city is also served by its own airport, Bristol International (BRS) at Lulsgate.

Surrounding areas

While searching for property to buy or property to rent in Bristol, which is covered by the postcode BS, you may also like to consider neighbouring areas such as Bath, Chippenham and Gloucester.