College Green, Bristol
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College Green is a public open space in Bristol, England.
Originally a small hill north of the Avon, separated from Brandon Hill to the north by a narrow gully, it was enclosed to form the precincts of St Augustine's Abbey in the 12th century. After the Dissolution the Abbey church became Bristol Cathedral. The hill was levelled in 1950 during the building of the Council House to form its present roughly triangular shape. A plaque near the centre records that the Green still belongs to the Dean and Chapter of the Cathedral.
On the south side of the Green stand (from west to east) the Bristol Central Library, Abbey Gatehouse (mid 12th century); Bristol Cathedral; the facades of four 18th century terraced houses, now converted into offices; the Royal Hotel (1864).
On the northwest side of the Green stands the Council House behind a water feature.
On the east side of the Green runs a busy street, also known as College Green. On the far side is a mixture of shops and offices of various dates, together with the Lord Mayor's Chapel, St Mark's Church.
On the Green are statues of Queen Victoria and Raja Rammohun Roy.
These days, the greeen is used as a "hang out" area for the teens and university students of Bristol, especially the goth and emo communities.
It is currently under a group dispersal order until April, where the police may appeal to keep it in place longer. The order was a result of repeated disruption started by the skater community and underage drinking in the area.
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[edit] References
- Andrew Foyle, Bristol, Pevsner Architectural Guides (2004) ISBN 0-300-10442-1
