Consisting of 442 acres of land, The Downs is often dubbed Bristol’s ‘green lung’. Made up of Durdham Down and Clifton Down, the area has been protected from development since 1861 and spreads from the cliffs of the Avon Gorge to the edges of the Victorian-built suburbs.
Durdham Down is owned by Bristol City Council and makes 210 acres of the land, while Clifton Down makes the remaining 204 acres of land and has been owned by the Society of Merchant Ventures since 1686.
From the 18th-century, some of the land was used as lead and stone quarries, and until the mid-19th-century, the Downs was used as a rough pasture land for sheep grazing.
Horse races were held in the 19th-century, especially during Easter, as well as wrestling and boxing contests, and cricket matches between school teams of ‘young gentlemen’ and amateur cricket clubs.
The Society of Merchant Venturers gifted Clifton Down to the public indefinitely through an Act of Parliament in 1861.
On 22 May 2011, the 150th anniversary of the signing of the Downs Act was celebrated with a Victorian-themed event. The 95th Rifles Napoleonic Military Group provided a lively reminder of how the Downs were used for military encampments and parades in years gone by.
Nowadays, the Downs is home to The Downs League – a thriving amateur football league with many pitches. The Downs also hosts many major events, charity runs, circuses, funfairs and sponsored abseiling events.
The Avon Gorge and Downs Wildlife Project supports the wildlife in the park and runs events and tours, and the Friends of The Downs and Avon Gorge is a community group that supports the park.
Almost a dozen trails are available at the Downs including seasonal family trails and history trails.
The Downs is also considered a Regionally Important Geological and Geomorphological Site, a site of nature conservation interest and a Dark Sky Discovery Site (it’s basically a good place to look at the night sky).
Here are 23 photos from our visit to the Downs:
9. Rare cast iron urinal
A Grade II-listed building located by Stoke Road which has undergone much-needed restoration. | Adriana Amor
10. Rail tunnel ventilation tower
One of the two towers ventilates the railway that runs under the Downs from Temple Meads to Severn Beach (the other is in the Gully). The line reached Clifton Down in 1874, and then three years were spent tunnelling on a steep gradient, beneath the Downs, to exit close to sea level below Sea Walls. At its peak in 1947, there were 33 daily services, but the line was singled up and services deteriorated. In recent years usage has increased. | Adriana Amor
11. Public fountain
Located near Gloucester Row and Observatory Road, the fountain was erected in 1866. The inscriptions read: "Virtute Et Industria", "Jesu, Like Streams From God Thy Spirit Give", "Coming To Thee That We May Drink And Live. Amen. Jn XV 26 & VII.37", "To The Glory Of God In The Use Of Man & Beast" and "The Receiver To The Givers Ever So We May Go." | Adriana Amor
12. Playground
Located in Clifton Down, near Observatory Road, the playground includes slides, see-saws and climbing areas. | Adriana Amor