Our River and Woods

The river, - one of 9 “Avons” in the UK is 75 miles long but its source and mouth are just 20 miles apart.  It forms the southern boundary of Hanham and was important for the transport of coal and pennant stone from our quarries.  Fresh water was at one time taken from the river at Hanham Mills to supply Bristol.

The Bristol Avon Navigation, which runs the 15 miles from the Kennet and Avon Canal at Hanham Lock to the Bristol Channel at Avonmouth, was constructed between 1724 and 1727; the first cargo of 'Deal boards, Pig-Lead and Meal' arrived in Bath in December 1727.

Until the completion of the Navigation and the Floating Harbour in 1809, the river was tidal, this made transport slow.  At one time at low tide the river could be crossed at Hanham Mills by stepping stones.  The Highest tides were known to run as far as Bath. And so we have Saltford, and the other side of Bath is Freshford. There were two ferries regularly running; the one at Conham, and one at Hanham Mills. Only the one at Conham now runs for access to the Beeses Tea Gardens.  We have an old map that shows the river running through “Hanham Gorge”  How much of a gorge it was I do not know, but it was massively quarried leaving the landscape that we have today,

This leads us into the woods. There are 4 named woods, we start to the east of The Chequers with Cleeve Woods, known to me when a lad as Fry’s woods. This is a private area with no public access on a steep south facing slope. So far as I know it has never been quarried and is a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest 

There is a particularly large population of Bath Asparagus. The Bath Asparagus in Cleeve Wood represents what is considered to be the largest and most stable population of this plant in the country.  The wood has been planted with Beech, Sycamore, Horse Chestnut, Cypress; Ash is dominant with the occasional Oak.

The undergrowth in many areas is dominated by Ivy; other common ground flora includes Dog's Mercury, Bluebell , Stinking Iris, Traveller's Joy and Slender False Brome.

Next we have Bickley Woods, if you cross the river by way of the ring road you pass across these woods.

Walk down common road, keep going and you are in Hencliffe woods, here in the 1940s the Nott’s murder took place.

Further west we have Conham woods, Conham, Hencliffe and Bickley woods have all been quarried, 13 different quarries taking many tons of stone every day. This stone was transported in barges into Bristol and Bath.

                                Roy Crew and Roger Williams