About Hotwells
A Brief History
The Hotwells district of Bristol, at the eastern end of the dramatic
Avon Gorge, Hotwells forms the western gateway to the City but has a distinct
and rich history of its own. It grew rapidly in the second half of the
18th century with the 
development
of a spa based on the supposedly curative waters of the 'Hotwell'. For
a time it was an important centre, along with nearby Bath, on the 'spa
circuit' where well-heeled gentry could recover from the excesses of their
lifestyle and sprouted elegant terraces of rooming houses, gardens, an
Assembly Room and even a theatre.
Sadly, after a brief fashionable popularity, Hotwells developed into not so much a health resort but more of a last resort for people with tuberculosis and other ailments, incurable at the time. These visitors were preyed on by the many doctors and charlatans offering dubious remedies . . . .
As
the spa declined in the early years of the 19th century, the port of Bristol
expanded. To overcome the problems for shipping caused by the second highest
tidal range in the world. A scheme was devised for damming the River Avon
to create a permanent 'Floating Harbour' in the City. Hotwells is the
site of the ship locks and basin that were central to this massive engineering
project which was completed in 1807. The fine houses for wealthy visitors
fell into disrepair and were supplemented by tenements for industrial
workers and a commercial life serving the needs of a busy port. 1930s
slum clearance by the City Council and bombing in World War 2 destroyed
much of this later Hotwells.
By the 1960s the City Docks had become too small for modern commercial
shipping and several ideas were proposed for their future, including filling
in the Floating Harbour. An insensitive scheme for improving road access
to the City by way of a massive new bridge and flyover across 
the
Cumberland Basin locks probably did nearly as much damage to the historic
fabric of Hotwells as Hitler. However, the area has been transformed yet
again, as the potential for the City Docks as a leisure resource was slowly
realised. The advantages of Hotwells waterside location, convenient for
City centre amenities, lured a new generation of residents to the renovated
Georgian and Regency terraces and new houses and apartments occupying
the sites of redundant dockside warehouses and factories. Much of the
population also lives on the precipitous slopes of Cliftonwood, a densely-packed
later Victorian neighbourhood. Many houses have stunning views across
the Floating Harbour and the City to compensate for the narrow streets
and lack of green space.
Fascinating reminders of all these Hotwells past stories can still be
found and the list of people associated with the area is like a roll call
of British history: Addison, Gay, Cowper, 
Coleridge,
Southey Pope and Sheridan visited or wrote about the Bristol Hotwell.
Humphrey Davy worked at the Pneumatic Institute in Dowry Square. Peter
Roget of Thesaurus fame also lived in Dowry Square and Jacob Schweppes
opened a shop selling fizzy drinks in 1812. Its industrial heritage was
created by the likes of William Jessop who designed the Floating Harbour
and Isambard Kingdom Brunel whose work is evident all around the Docks.
His most dramatic surviving creations dominate the views from Hotwells.
At the eastern end, the 'ss Great Britain', once the largest in the world
and now preserved in the dry dock in which she was built and to the west
the famous Clifton Suspension Bridge, high above the Avon Gorge.
Hotwells has always enjoyed a strong sense of identity and
nowadays the local concerns are not about disease or poverty but managing
the relentless flow of commuter traffic and the loss of small shops and
other community infrastructure,
as well as engaging the many newer residents in local issues that affect
the quality of life in the area. As well as the fascinating historical
sites, there are now many good pubs and restaurants to greet visitors
who take the new traffic-free harbour side walking and cycling route around
the City Docks and a frequent ferry service links Hotwells with other
sites of interest in the Floating Harbour.