The Wellington
The Wellington, previously known as The Ship,
is the local Inn which stands at the corner of the North Common. Due to the
popularity of The Duke of Wellington in the area, who opened Horfield Barracks
in 1847 and came to inspect the soldiers, The Ship was renamed in his honour. Similarly,
Wellington Hill was so named for the same reason. In the summer of 1852 the
Wellington was described in a Bristol newspaper as being 'altogether a good specimen of a good inn', situated on a
picturesque and elevated spot, surrounded by fertile fields and happy horses
with beautiful scenery, and bracing air, only two miles from Bristol 'but as rural as if it were a hundred'. This
report was published after a new landlord had taken ownership of the Inn, and
invited 30 guests to a special opening dinner. The report described it as a
dinner that the top chef of the day 'aided
by all the celebrities of his art could scarcely surpass'.
The Inn was later rebuilt and opened for business as The Wellington Hotel in 1895, under the stewardship of Ashton Gate Brewery. During the 1930’s it was taken over by George’s Brewery, before being taken over by Courage’s in the 1960’s. The Wellington is currently rented by Bath Ales.
The Inn was later rebuilt and opened for business as The Wellington Hotel in 1895, under the stewardship of Ashton Gate Brewery. During the 1930’s it was taken over by George’s Brewery, before being taken over by Courage’s in the 1960’s. The Wellington is currently rented by Bath Ales.
Review of The Wellington Hotel from The Bristol Mercury and Western Counties Advertiser,
August 1852, after it was taken over by a new proprietor
Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Image reproduced with kind permission of The British Newspaper Archive (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) PLUS ADD IMAGE URL