Building wonders - Bristol's Floating Harbour

Archaeologist, broadcaster, and writer, Julian Richards sails up the Avon to uncover the expertise that went into creating Bristol's floating harbour.

[@clnre]

I learned about Bristol's floating harbour at school (in Bristol) in the 1960's, but have never heard anything about it since, so its great to see this video. Very few people in Bristol know much about it's history.

[@andyreading]

i'm 67 bristol born and bred , learning new stuff about my home city for the first time , we should all be very proud of our heritage , great video, and some very nice knowledgable people ,well done .

[@simonuden8450]

A good documentary, but they missed one important aspect. Whilst the Avon flow, both tidal and natural river flow, bypasses the Floating Harbour, the Frome joins the original course of the Avon inside the Floating Harbour. For this reason, there is a weir under St.Augustine's Parade, which allows the Frome to drop into a side channel which flows roughly under Princes Street then through a syphon under the Floating Harbour and disgorges into the New Cut. There is still a small flow from the Frome, as well as some coming down the Feeder Canal, ensuring the water in the harbour doesn't stagnate, and that flows out through what is now called the Underfall Dam.

[@jeremypnet]

But the pipe for the Frome under the floating harbour wasn’t built for some decades after and the main reason they did it was because the Frome was effectively a sewer and it made the harbour a bit pungent.

[@tonystone9367]

I have always admired the Bristol Floating Harbor

[@scottjock]

Great article. You never mentioned the "Feeder canal" although we saw it up to Netham. I can see now why itvwas called "the feeder"

[@rufus1346]

Yes he did, guess you didn't watch it to the end. Watch from 18:00 to 19:00, he talks about it. The feeder is call that because it feeds water back into the harbour.

[@rufus1346]

One thing he didn't mention though was the fact we used Napoleon prisoners of war to build it, along side Irish navvies. You can still see what's left of the gates to the old prison by the Louisiana.

[@stephielulu9096]

Oooooh yeah, next to Feeder Rd!

[@jameshiggins.openworld]

Thanks for posting this love this episode

[@billybobhouse9559]

Good work. Very interesting.

[@samopurple]

The music is so ominous. I keep thinking something terrible is about to happen..

[@janeydeards1170]

100% the vibe - THE TIDE WENT OUT!!!!??

[@bibby5000]

Terminator

[@seanrm]

St Mary on the Quay would have been a better example to show how far the old harbour used to go into Bristol city centre. Also, missed the chance to explain the origins of the phrase, "Shipshape and Bristol fashion".

[@PillSharks]

Rob Salvage talking about things he doesn’t know about again I see! The ships which arrived at Bristol didn’t just rely on the tides to help them up the river.. they were towed up by men from the village of Pill, Somerset and without the skill of this ancient maritime village which sits on the muddy banks of the Avon about 5 miles down stream Bristol would have never became the city it did! Just passed Pill is an area called Hung Road where there ships would be moored up to wait for the next tide or to lighter and you can still see the heavy mooring rings in the walls today. Pill Provided the muscle and knowledge which came from the boatman, towboatman and Hobblers to tow the ships up the river and pilots to get the ship safely up the Bristol Channel and the river.. Pill still has its Hobblers which have been doing the the job for 500 plus years.. these boys now work at the Bristol Ports and are still the only licences boatman Hobblers in the river! I suggest the next time you want to get any information about the river then talk to a Pill Shark rather than a radio presenter with a nice voice and an expensive musto sailing jacket! PILL SHARKS RULE ⚓️🦈🏴‍☠️

[@john3Lee]

Interesting stuff - Thanks

[@christophernewman5027]

Not bad but how can a programme about the Floating Harbour neglect to mention the reason WHY the tides were such a problem? After all, all natural harbours have them. Bristol's tidal range is in the order of thirty feet, the second largest in the world.

[@jasper24601]

Oh that’s fascinating! Strange that they didn’t include it

[@rufus1346]

I was in Gothenburg talking to someone that was a seaman for many years. The Bristol channel has a reputation around the world for being one of the most dangerous places for shipping. It's because it acts like a funnel. Check out the Seven bore, people surf it for miles. So cool!

[@christophernewman5027]

@@rufus1346 Exactly, Rufus. 😊

[@raccoonboi969]

jessops original design did have sleuces, they were expanded by brunel.

[@mikelane4896]

I think I'm right in saying the cut was dug by French prisoners of war from the war with napoleon and his country

[@JayBee6011]

Although this a fairly common conception, there is no evidence that French prisoners of war were used in it's construction, it was all done by navvies.

[@Draxindustries1]

,£7 charge to swim in the sea. Since when did Bristol Council own the sea??

[@youarewhatyouare]

They called it floating harbour reflecting amount of rubbish in it