Frenchay
Frenchay | |
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Avon and Somerset | |
Fire | Avon |
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Frenchay is a village in the north east of the city of Bristol.
Frenchay was designated as a conservation area in 1975 in recognition of its unique architectural and historic character and appearance.
The village is situated between the B4058 road, which runs parallel to the M32 motorway, and the wooded River Frome valley.
Frenchay Park, an adjacent suburb, is situated within Bristol city limits.
History
Frenchay was first recorded in 1257 as Fromscawe and later as Fromeshaw, meaning the wood on the Frome.[1]
Frenchay's largest place of worship is the
Cricket was played on Frenchay Common from early in the nineteenth century, apparently on the initiative of the Wadham family who lived at Frenchay Manor House and who owned farms locally at Doynton, Pomfrey, Mangotsfield, Downend and Frenchay, and many of whom are buried in the graveyard of St John the Baptist Church.[2]
Frenchay's earliest place of worship was the
Many Quaker merchants from nearby Bristol made their homes here, including
John Wadham (1762–1843) of Frenchay Manor House, was from 1789, a co-owner and director of Wadham, Ricketts & Co, later Wadham, Ricketts, Fry & Co, which manufactured
His son Thomas Wadham (1797–1849) was High Sheriff of Bristol in 1843, the year that Isambard Kingdom Brunel launched his ship SS Great Britain in Bristol Harbour. Thomas Wadham and his son the Rev. John Wadham were active in setting up the Winterbourne National School and his daughters were involved on the school's women's committee.
Thomas's son Edward Wadham (1828–1913), Mineral Agent to Walter Montagu Douglas Scott, 5th Duke of Buccleuch took his skills as a civil engineer who had worked under Brunel and his love of cricket to Barrow-in-Furness where, from 1851 until his death in 1913, he played an important part in the development of what had been a tiny hamlet into the biggest iron and steel centre in the world, and a major shipbuilding force, in just forty years.[6]
Frenchay was the home to
Frenchay gives its name to the Frenchay Campus of the University of the West of England, though the campus itself is situated in the neighbouring parish of Stoke Gifford.
Frenchay village has much green space, including the common, walks along the River Frome, and a moor owned by
Notable people
- Peter Donald (born 1957), cricketer
- J.S Fry, English type-founder and chocolate maker, founding the family chocolate company that would later become J. S. Fry & Sons, and founder of the Bristol branch of the Quaker Fry family.
- John Wadham (1762–1843) of Fry & Co, which manufactured Bristol blue glass at the Phoenix Glassworks near Temple Gate, Bristol.
- W.G. Grace, Famous Victorian cricketer.
- racing driver from Bristol.
References
- ISBN 0-289-79804-3.
- ISBN 0-9528673-2-X
- ^ "Frenchay Village Museum - Current Exhibits". Archived from the original on 4 February 2012. Retrieved 21 October 2012. Details can be found in the village museum
- ISBN 0-9528673-2-X
- ISBN 0-905459-56-3
- ^ Wadham diaries held by the Cumbria Archive Service.
- ^ "Frenchay-to-Southmead hospital move for A&E cases". BBC. 19 May 2014. Retrieved 29 May 2014.
- ^ flower show official website frenchayflowershow.com