Broadmead
Encyclopedia
Broadmead is a street in the central area
of Bristol
, England, which has given its name to the principal shopping district of the city.
The area lay just to the north of the town walls of the historic Bristol. In about 1227 Blackfriars
was founded as a Dominican
priory in the area. After the dissolution of the monasteries
the site had various secular uses, and in 1749 became the location of a Quaker meeting house, now known as Quakers Friars
. In 1739 John Wesley
built his Methodist chapel, known as the New Room
, in the street. Shops were also built in the area. In the 18th century a covered arcade
was built between Horsefair and Broadmead, which still survives.
When the old shopping district of Corn Street and Wine Street was heavily damaged in the Bristol Blitz
, it was decided to redevelop the Broadmead area as the main shopping district of the city. Rebuilding began in 1950. The existing street, which ran between Union Street and Merchant Street, was extended north to include the former Rosemary Street. Like most 1950s buildings in Britain, affordable but architecturally uninteresting utilitarian buildings form the bulk of the Broadmead area. In the 1980s some of these were demolished to make way for the Galleries shopping centre, which is a three level covered street. Broadmead and several of the surrounding streets were pedestrianised.
, which opened in September 2008. This area had been named Merchants Quarter but in April 2006 the name was abandoned after a campaign claiming the name was offensive because it was the Bristol Merchant Venturers who dealt in the trade of African slaves.
To the northwest is St James' Park.
In 1987, the shopping centre was the scene of an abduction that received national attention. On 8 October 1987, 29 year old newly-wed Shirley Banks was abducted by Serial Killer John Cannan
as she walked back to her car. Her body was found on Easter Day 1988. Cannan was convicted of her abduction and murder.
Bristol city centre
Bristol city centre is the commercial, cultural and business centre of Bristol, England. It is the area south of the central ring road and north of the Floating Harbour, bounded north by St Pauls and Easton, east by Temple Meads and Redcliffe, and west by Clifton and Canon's Marsh...
of Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
, England, which has given its name to the principal shopping district of the city.
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History
The name of the street was first recorded in 1383 as Brodemede. The name either means "broad meadow" or refers to brodemedes, a type of woollen cloth woven only in Bristol.The area lay just to the north of the town walls of the historic Bristol. In about 1227 Blackfriars
Blackfriars, Bristol
Blackfriars, Bristol was a Dominican priory in Broadmead, Bristol, England. It was founded by Maurice de Gaunt in 1227 or 1228. Llywelyn ap Dafydd, son of Dafydd ap Gruffydd, the last native Prince of Wales, was buried in the cemetery of the priory...
was founded as a Dominican
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
priory in the area. After the dissolution of the monasteries
Dissolution of the Monasteries
The Dissolution of the Monasteries, sometimes referred to as the Suppression of the Monasteries, was the set of administrative and legal processes between 1536 and 1541 by which Henry VIII disbanded monasteries, priories, convents and friaries in England, Wales and Ireland; appropriated their...
the site had various secular uses, and in 1749 became the location of a Quaker meeting house, now known as Quakers Friars
Quakers Friars
Quakers Friars is a historic building in Broadmead, Bristol, England.The site is the remains of a Dominican friary, Blackfriars that was established by Maurice de Gaunt, circa 1227....
. In 1739 John Wesley
John Wesley
John Wesley was a Church of England cleric and Christian theologian. Wesley is largely credited, along with his brother Charles Wesley, as founding the Methodist movement which began when he took to open-air preaching in a similar manner to George Whitefield...
built his Methodist chapel, known as the New Room
New Room, Bristol
The New Room is a historic building in Broadmead, Bristol, England.It was built in 1739 by John Wesley and is the oldest Methodist chapel in the world. Above the chapel are the rooms in which Wesley and other preachers stayed. The chapel includes a double decker pulpit, which was common at the...
, in the street. Shops were also built in the area. In the 18th century a covered arcade
Arcade (architecture)
An arcade is a succession of arches, each counterthrusting the next, supported by columns or piers or a covered walk enclosed by a line of such arches on one or both sides. In warmer or wet climates, exterior arcades provide shelter for pedestrians....
was built between Horsefair and Broadmead, which still survives.
When the old shopping district of Corn Street and Wine Street was heavily damaged in the Bristol Blitz
Bristol Blitz
Bristol was the fifth most heavily bombed British city of World War II. The presence of Bristol Harbour and the Bristol Aeroplane Company made it a target for bombing by the Nazi German Luftwaffe who were able to trace a course up the River Avon from Avonmouth using reflected moonlight on the...
, it was decided to redevelop the Broadmead area as the main shopping district of the city. Rebuilding began in 1950. The existing street, which ran between Union Street and Merchant Street, was extended north to include the former Rosemary Street. Like most 1950s buildings in Britain, affordable but architecturally uninteresting utilitarian buildings form the bulk of the Broadmead area. In the 1980s some of these were demolished to make way for the Galleries shopping centre, which is a three level covered street. Broadmead and several of the surrounding streets were pedestrianised.
Broadmead today
Broadmead is undergoing regeneration. The shopping area has been extended over the central ring road to produce a new shopping centre, Cabot CircusCabot Circus
Cabot Circus is a shopping centre in Bristol, England. It is adjacent to Broadmead, a shopping district in Bristol city centre. The Cabot Circus development area contains shops, offices, a cinema, hotel and 250 apartments. It covers a total of floor space, of which is retail outlets and leisure...
, which opened in September 2008. This area had been named Merchants Quarter but in April 2006 the name was abandoned after a campaign claiming the name was offensive because it was the Bristol Merchant Venturers who dealt in the trade of African slaves.
To the northwest is St James' Park.
In 1987, the shopping centre was the scene of an abduction that received national attention. On 8 October 1987, 29 year old newly-wed Shirley Banks was abducted by Serial Killer John Cannan
John Cannan
John David Guise Cannan is a British criminal and former car salesman who was convicted in 1988 of murder and sexual offences...
as she walked back to her car. Her body was found on Easter Day 1988. Cannan was convicted of her abduction and murder.