It's where community spirit thrives
Overview Southmead is a northern suburb of Bristol bordered by Monks Park, Horfield, Henleaze and Westbury-on-Trym. Though not Bristol's most salubrious location, on account of the large local authority estates, buyers can get a lot for their money. A very smart three-bedroom semi, for example, can be had for £150,000- £180,000.
History Southmead was a manor of the parish of Westbury- on-Trym. The manor house, mentioned in a document of 1319, was near the Southmead Road police station. Most of the estate was sold in the late 19th century.
By 1888 Southmead was a small hamlet on Southmead Road. Southmead Hospital, formerly the Barton Regis Workhouse, was opened there in 1924.
Large-scale development of the area started in 1931, when the Bristol Corporation built 1,500 homes, partly to house families relocated from the slums of central Bristol, and partly to address the housing shortage at the time.
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A further 1,100 houses were built after World War II.
Southmead today The centre of Southmead is along Greystoke Avenue, a wide road with grassy areas some distance to the north of the original hamlet on Southmead Road.
The area to the south, around the old manor house, is now in Westbury-on-Trym ward, and the parts of Southmead to the south east of Southmead Road, including the hospital, are in Horfield ward.
Southmead Youth Centre Efforts have been made to improve the area's social issues, which include drug, alcohol and health problems, and implement environmental improvements, many of which have been successful.
Many of the youth are socially deprived and not as likely to go to university as others in the country.
Open spaces The River Trym rises in Southmead and flows south west through Badock's Wood, a 10-hectare nature reserve donated to the city by local industrialist Sir Stanley Badock in 1937.
There is a Bronze Age round barrow near the northern end of the wood and a swimming lake to the south. Entrances to the woods are on Lakewood Road or Doncaster Road. For details, see the Friends of Badock's Wood website www.fobw.co.uk.
The swimming lake is a flooded quarry that's owned by Henleaze Swimming Club and the location of open water contests, other events and angling.
Long Live Southmead As of 2009/10, average lifespan in Southmead is 76 years, three years below the city average of 79. To help change this statistic for the better, Long Live Southmead is 10-year project aiming to improve health and fitness and longevity.
It has set up support groups for teenage parents, for those recovering from alcohol dependency and for young carers, while a North Bristol food co-op will bring affordable fruit and vegetables to local people.
The Greenway Centre This is a business centre and a local community hub off the top of Doncaster Road. The building, a former school, is run by the Southmead Development Trust as a centre for the community, as well as providing business facilities at competitive rates.
As a part of its commitment to the community, the centre hosts various different community groups, as well as maintaining a gym, cafe and other facilities, some of which are available for hire.
Hospital On the site of the present hospital, off Monks Park Avenue, a £430million, 800-bed hospital is now under construction and due to open in 2014.
Pubs Treble Chance and The Pegasus, both on Greystoke Road and The Wayfarer on Pen Park Road.
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