Ward profiles 2021: St George Troopers Hill – ‘A city suburb with country lanes’

Due to its commanding views across the city, parliamentarian troops camped on Troopers Hill prior to the siege of Bristol in 1645 during the English civil war, and possibly gave the area its name.

On Good Friday there is usually a service on the top of the hill involving all the local churches, but this popular annual community event has been cancelled for two years in a row due to the pandemic.

“Go and have a look at the views from the top of Troopers Hill,” urges Labour councillor Fabian Breckels, St George Troopers Hill ward’s one elected representative, when asked what makes the area a special place to live.

“This is a ward with some stunning views and country lanes, even though it’s a city suburb. I love that.”

The famous chimney is 15.92m (52ft 3in) high and originally would have been half this tall again, with a brick section once on top of the existing stone structure.

It is thought that the chimney was probably built in the 1790s to serve a new copper works, with Stone & Tinson chemical works continuing to use it until the First World War. Bristol City Council is now responsible for its maintenance.

The famous chimney at the top of Troopers Hill is 15.92m (52ft 3in) high – photo: Martin Booth

In 2019, St George Troopers Hill had the lowest rates of recorded crime out of all of the wards in Bristol.

Rob Acton-Campbell, a member of Friends of Troopers Hill, has lived in the  area with his wife Susan since 1998 “and are very pleased we found it”.

“The green spaces are obviously its main attractions, particularly from our point of view Troopers Hill, but also Dundridge Park and Magpie Bottom.

“Having the river is also a big plus, allowing various circular walks almost giving the feeling of being in the countryside will only being three miles from the centre of Bristol. There is also of course access to Beese’s via their ferry.”

Acton-Campbell told Bristol24/7 that traffic is the major issue (in normal times at least) in the ward, “with long queues in the mornings on Crews Hole Road as well as the main road”.

“Litter and dog mess are always concerns but we have a very good team of volunteers who keep on top of it on the Hill, which in itself reduces the problem. Also the early morning dog walkers do a brilliant job at picking up litter.”

This part of Conham Road is known by locals as ‘suicide corner’ because of the limited visibility – photo: Martin Booth

During his time as St George Troopers Hill’s ward councillor, Breckels has secured a new crossing on Bryants Hill, opposite the Trooper pub; and has secured funding to make the dangerous crossing on Conham Road safer, with bollard protected crossing points on both sides due to be installed later this year.

Staying with roads, he has also worked with officers and residents to create a calming scheme in Troopers Hill Road; and when the entrance to Dundridge Park from Furber Road needed replacing, a new kissing gate was installed.

Breckels has also secured match funding so two Friends groups, for Troopers Hill and Dundridge Park, could receive grant funding to revamp two children’s play areas, worth £100,000 in total.

During lockdowns, Nicholas Wanderers Football Club were able to transform the pavilion in Dundridge Park. “As the council is the landowner I made sure they had permission to crack on with that and they have literally transformed it,” said Breckels.

The pavilion in Dundridge Park, a triangular piece of land on the eastern border of St George – photo: Martin Booth

So what are the specific issues in the ward for Breckels?

“Traffic and parking is a big one. It’s dominated all the time I’ve been a councillor in these parts. Right now legislation is coming in to allow councils to use traffic enforcement cameras so I want to get one at the Furber Road / Raeburn Road junction to stop ongoing misuse of the one-way system.

“I’m supporting Nicholas Wanderers FC in extending their lease of the Dundridge Park pavilion and in bidding for funding to extend it. They have ambitions to make it available to the wider community which I’m backing 100 per cent.

The River Avon marks much of the boundary of St George Troopers Hill ward, with the St Anne’s footbridge built in 1957 replacing the St Anne’s ferry which had been existence since the Middle Ages – photo: Martin Booth

“I’m also getting council officers to address the appalling repair job done in the Dundridge Park car park and getting them to continue with the fencing improvements at the back of the park.

“The fencing I had put in back in 2019 is excellent but there are areas where people are still getting through to the cliff-edge on the other side so we need to deal with that.

“The recent stabbing on Troopers Hill means we need to work to make the area feel safe – but I’ve a good relationship with the local police and I am already talking to them about it.”

Main photo: Martin Booth

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