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Royal York Crescent

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barbara
barbara
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Longest Georgian Terrace in Europe

  • February 6, 2009
  • Rated 5 of 5 by barbara from Atlanta, Georgia
Longest Georgian Terrace in Europe

The Royal York Crescent is more of a thing to see rather than an attraction to do. It's an especially interesting site if you've gone to Bath as well as Bristol and seen the beautiful Royal Crescent perched overlooking the city there. Perhaps not as famous of a structure, the Royal York in Bristol is longer than the crescent in Bath. In fact, funnily enough, there are more Georgian buildings in Bristol than in Bath, which is a world heritage site because of all its fine examples of this type of architecture! The problem is that these Georgian buildings are scattered around the city of Bristol so there isn't the same visual impact to be had as there is in Bath. But I digress...

If you have any interest in architecture at all, and you're in Bristol, it's a must for you to walk from the Clifton Suspension Bridge and down the hill to see the Royal York Crescent.

So, what is a Georgian crescent??

Georgian architecture is called "Georgian" because the movement existed during the reign of three kings named George in the 18th century. The movement stressed balance and clean lines... Neo-Palladianism. A Georgian crescent is what it sounds like. It's a collection of buildings---townhouses---that are connected together and form a shape like a crescent moon.

What's special about the Royal York Crescent?

Well, as stated, the Royal York is reputed to be the longest structure of its type in Europe. Construction began in 1791, but it wasn't completed until 1818 due to some funding issues.

As you approach it from the direction of the Clifton Suspension bridge, you'll see you can stay on the street beneath the crescent or you can take a staircase up on the left to walk along it. Back in the day, whether you stayed on the street or whether you went up the staircase was a matter of class. Servants and merchants would have been down in the muck. Owners would have walked in the higher place, keeping their feet and dresses clean. Personally, I suggest you walk in both places so that you can look up from below---see the horse stable doors and merchant entrances that have been converted to garages or storage areas for modern day owners---and then down across the city.

When you're walking along the crescent, notice the plaque on one townhouse that marks where Empress Eugenie, wife of Napoleon III in France, once lived. Further along you'll see a plaque for another famous resident, a military leader of England.

You can also look at the red mailbox around the middle. Notice the letters on the iron. In England, the ruling monarch's initials are put on mailboxes, so you can derive who was on the throne when these boxes were put in place. I used to make a game of this as I walked around Bristol. When a Queen is in charge, the script is more flowery and pretty.

Mostly, the thing for you to take in on the Royal York Crescent is the view. On a nice day, you can see for miles, and it is lovely.

After you're done, poke around the shops and cafes in Clifton Village. There are plenty of places to find a cup of coffee or a mid-day meal... After all, seeing the Royal York Crescent is completely free, so you can afford a pint after your stroll!

From journal Beautiful Bristol

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