Bristol is mentioned as Bristou in Domesday and belonged to the Bishop of Coutances. It derived its name from 'assembly place by the bridge' and became famous as a seaport crossing the River Avon and more recently for the nineteenth century Clifton Suspension Bridge designed in 1830. In the middle ages Bristol was an important port for merchant adventures and John Cabot sailed for the Americas from Bristol in 1497.
Today Bristol is a vibrant city rich in old buildings with Regency crescents and Georgian terraces, including Royal York Crescent, possibly the longest of its kind in Europe. Bristol has a fine Cathedral, renowned University and and a well-known Zoo. |
