Maurice Fells – författare

Bristol's history is packed with peculiar customs and curious characters. This book explains why the vicar in one church goes on an annual trek to peer down a manhole; why captains of industry sing an eighteen-verse song in memory of Queen Elizabeth I; and how the Flower of Bristol got its name. You will meet some unusual contraptions, like the bed with in-built exercise equipment, or the thrashing machine for naughty boys. You will also discover why a public clock still runs to Bristol time. This compendium of the weird and wonderful will surprise even those Bristolians who thought they really knew their city.

A rich, and indeed sometimes bizarre, thread of history weaves its way through the Bristol story. Find out all manner of things, from why a ‘Bristol Diamond’ would never be found in a jewellery shop to why local by-laws restrict carpet beating to certain hours. Along with a fresh look at city life past and present, these and many more anecdotes will surprise even those Bristolians who thought they really knew their city.

No one knows for certain when Bristol was founded. What we do know is that for more than 1,000 years it has been at the centre of national and international history.From its earliest days Bristol’s prosperity was linked to its port, with the importation of wine and tobacco and its involvement with the slave trade. In those days, explorers sailed from Bristol on epic voyages and discovered new lands. In more recent times its economy has been built on creative media and the aerospace industry, including the construction of Concorde, the world’s first supersonic aircraft.From the Avon Gorge’s formation, Iron Age settlers and Norman castle construction, to civil war, riots and bus boycotts, The Little History of Bristol is guaranteed to enthral both residents and visitors alike.

Did you know?The town of Wincanton is twinned with a place that does not exist. William Gibbs of Tyntesfield House made his fortune by importing bird droppings from Peru. A song by ‘Scrumpy and Western’ singer Adge Cutler was banned by the BBC for being too raunchy. Nine villages in Somerset are known as the ‘Thankful Villages’. From seaside to countryside and villages to towns, Somerset is a county where it’s difficult to separate history and mystery.This fast-paced, fact-packed compendium of places, people and trivia reveals all sorts of answers to questions you might have wondered about – and some you didn’t. The facts, stats and anecdotes will surprise even those familiar with this beautiful and historic county.

Bristol’s importance in medieval England was demonstrated when it became the first borough in the country outside of London to be given county status in 1373. It has been one of the largest settlements in the kingdom since this time and the wealth brought through its port and industries spurred the building of numerous churches that has continued through the centuries. Churches of Bristol looks at a range of the city’s churches, from early examples to recent years, telling the fascinating story of how they were built alongside some of the colourful history of the city, for both are intertwined. Included are those still standing in the original part of the city and more modern examples built in the suburbs for Bristol’s growing population. Fully illustrated throughout, this captivating look at ‘the City of Churches’ will be of interest to all those who live in Bristol or are visiting the city.