If your house sitting assignment or holiday is in Bristol, you are staying in England’s sixth largest city which is built around the River Avon. This connection to the sea has propelled the progress of Bristol through the years, making it South West England’s centre of education, employment and culture today. In the 14th century, the city was a centre of shipbuilding and manufacturing, making it the second most important port in the country and the jump off point for expeditions to the east, west, across the Atlantic and to North America.
The ships turned Bristol into a focal point of smuggling and the slave trade, and at one time more than half a million people were carried from Africa on 2,000 ships fitted out at Bristol to live as slaves in the Americas. With the advent of air travel Bristol became a natural base for aircraft manufacturers who set up their factories in the city. The aerospace industry together with electronics and creative media industries continue to be a dominant factor in the economy of Bristol. It also welcomes almost 10 million foreign tourists every year making it the UK’s seventh most popular destination. Continue reading “Discover Bristol – A City the River Built”
