bristol history walking tours

Historic Downtown Walking Tour

Walking Tours

Bristol has a proud heritage going back more than 150 years of being both a fun place to visit and a “Good Place to Live”. With so much to do and enjoy, everyone feels right at home in Downtown Bristol.

Take a stroll through Bristol history…

Get an up-close look at this historic town by taking a self-guided walking tour of the many wonderful sites that tell Bristol’s story. You’ll see the Bristol Sign, one of the South’s most unique landmarks; music heritage sites such as the Birthplace of Country Music Museum, the country music mural and the Burger Bar where Hank Williams allegedly stopped on the night he died; the NASCAR mural honoring such legends as Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty; and other sites that bring the history of this storied town to life.

A brochure accompanying this tour can be found at the Bristol Chamber of Commerce/ Convention & Visitors Bureau, 20 Volunteer Parkway, Bristol, Tenn. 37620, 423-989-4850.

Bristol Chamber of Commerce/ Convention & Visitors Bureau

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#1: THE NASCAR MURAL

Bristol natives Larry Carrier and Carl Moore were inspired to build a track in Bristol in 1960 after traveling to Charlotte Motor Speedway to watch a stock car race. From humble origins – scratching out ideas and designs on scrap pieces of paper – Bristol International Speedway was born the following year on what had formerly been a dairy farm.

The track had several owners through the years before it was eventually sold to Speedway Motor Sports and Charlotte Motor Speedway owner O. Bruton Smith in 1996. Several expansions were made to the track which was renamed Bristol Motor Speedway, increasing the seating capacity to approximately 150,000, making it one of the largest permanent seating facilities in the world.

NASCAR Sprint Cup and Xfinity races take place twice a year at BMS, in April and August. Drag races are held regularly in Thunder Valley at Bristol Dragway, which is adjacent to BMS, spring through fall with the main NHRA event taking place each June. Even if you don’t have time to take in a race, we still recommend the pleasant drive out to the impressive track just a few minutes away. Track tours also are available through the gift shop.

During the holiday season, Speedway In Lights at Bristol Motor Speedway offers a popular festive light show. Featuring approximately 2 million holiday lights over a 4-mile drive-thru route, there’s fun for all the family, and even an opportunity to drive around the track. In keeping with the seasonal spirit, proceeds benefit Speedway Children’s Charities.

#2: COUNTRY MUSIC MURAL & THE DOWNTOWN CENTER

The mural features a wooden stage where, every Tuesday, and Thursday, from May into October, local pickers and artists gather to play. The area also provides one of the main stages at the annual Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion music festival, held every third weekend in September, which features a variety of local, regional and nationally known artists.

The venue hosts a popular Farmer’s Market every Saturday during the months of May thru October, and on Wednesdays July thru September.

Local legend has it that somewhere near the mural there is a hidden stash of buried gold. According to the story, back in 1876, following the death of her husband, an eccentric older lady by the name of Rosetta Bachelor buried the family treasure there. At the time, the Bachelor’s were one of the wealthiest families in town. Bachelor, herself, was reputed to have been a fearsome woman. She had specially cut slits in her skirt so that she could reach her holstered pistols more easily. To this day, the treasure has never been found.

#3: HISTORIC DOWNTOWN BRISTOL SHOPPING DISTRICT

In 1899, H.P. King built the region’s first complete department store. The store offered home furnishings and decoration services with free delivery throughout the area, as well as elegant and moderately priced apparel, including locally made beaver hats.

After a brief decline (common with many U.S. cities) in the 1970’s and 80’s, Bristol’s downtown experienced a rebirth and renaissance. You will notice that many of the old department stores are being tastefully transformed, their upper floors being turned into modern and stylish loft apartments. In keeping with the original, more functional design of these buildings, many of these apartments feature stunning, restored hardwood and ceramic tile floors, high ceilings and exposed brick walls.

Here, too, are all manner of offices, banks, antique stores, restaurants, art galleries and specialty shops. If the resurgence of the downtown living experience has been a trend common to many U.S. cities, few places are managing to combine the old and the new to such simple and naturally beautiful effect as Bristol. Here the city center combines a gentle, urban spirit with a leafy, tree-lined atmosphere. Plus, there is the quirk and charm of the Tennessee/ Virginia state line running down the middle of the street. You may notice the markers between the yellow lines indicating the official state lines, all of which helps make Bristol the unique place it is today, just as it always has been and always will be.

#4: PARAMOUNT CENTER FOR THE ARTS

Throughout the coming decades, the Paramount was the heart of Bristol society, and indeed, continued to prosper right through until the 1960s. By the early 1970s, however, the twin impact of television and a nationwide drift toward suburban movie theaters, at first threatened its future, and then ultimately, forced it to close. Even closed, however, it still stood imperious, like a dusty jewel shining down on State Street.

When it was lovingly restored to its full, original splendor in 1991, it was cause for a massive celebration. The renovation included an hydraulic lift that was also installed to raise the theater’s (also restored) Mighty Wurlitzer Theater Organ to stage level.

The Paramount reopened with a gala celebration featuring a poignant hometown performance from Bristol native and international singing star Tennessee Ernie Ford, just a few months before he passed away. Be sure to look for the inlaid granite star on the sidewalk in front of the theater commemorating Ford, as well as a select few others.

Since reopening, it is renowned, not just for year-round films, lectures, concerts, dance and theater productions, but also for many special occasion gala showcases and premieres.

Over the years, major artists such as Tommy Dorsey, Ernest Tubb, Tex Ritter, Bill Monroe, Debbie Reynolds, Chet Atkins, Bob Newhart, Loretta Lynn, Dr. Ralph Stanley, and Emmylou Harris have all appeared here. In 1997, a show celebrating the 70th anniversary of the Bristol Sessions was attended by music fans from all over the world. Fittingly, it included performances from descendants of The Carter and Stoneman families.

#5: THE BIG BANG OF COUNTRY MUSIC

Okay, so the first country record may have been by Fiddlin’ John Carson in 1923, and the music itself, various strains of folk, blues and gospel, string band music, fiddle tunes and mountain balladry, had been around for years (centuries in fact). However, the 1927 Bristol Sessions were the first country music recordings to be mass produced and distributed, which would be come known as the ‘Big Bang’ of country music.

Working as a talent scout for the Victor Talking Machine Company, Peer placed an ad in the Bristol Tennessee-Virginia News Bulletin inviting local singers to attend a series of auditions and recording sessions at the makeshift studio on State Street. The initial response was slow but shortly after the Bristol Herald Courier ran a follow-up story mentioning not only that participants could be paid up to $100 a day, but also detailing how local musician Ernest ‘Pop’ Stoneman (from nearby Galax, Virginia) had earned $3,600 in royalties the previous year. It should be noted, the average farmers income at that time was in the region of $650 a year. Unsurprisingly, “this worked liked dynamite” Peer would later say.

Certainly, to A.P. Carter who sold fruit trees and ran a gristmill on isolated farmland in the shadow of the nearby Clinch Mountain, it was too good an opportunity to miss. So, A.P., along with wife Sara, their children Gladys and Joe, and (seven months pregnant) Maybelle, piled in to brother Ezra’s old Model A Hupmobile and drove the 25 miles to Bristol.

People came from all over southern Appalachia for the sessions, including Jimmie Rodgers who arrived by train from Asheville, N.C. Originally part of a group, the Jimmie Rodgers Entertainers, Rodgers performed solo following an argument with the group. His solo performance led to a legendary, but short career.

The Sessions helped launch the careers of the Carter Family, as well as Rodgers. The Carter Family has been recognized as country music’s “First Family” due to the influence of their works on succeeding generations of country music artists. Well known Carter Family songs include “Keep It on the Sunny Side”, and “Will the Circle Be Unbroken.” Rodgers is considered the “Father of Country Music” and was the first artist to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame. He passed away of TB just six years after his Bristol Sessions recording.

The Taylor-Christian Hat Company warehouse where the Sessions took place burned to the ground in the 1940’s. Today a marker stands in its place.

In 1998, the U.S. Congress passed a resolution recognizing Bristol as official the Birthplace of Country Music.

Although Peer is best known for his country music recordings (‘hillbilly’ recordings as they were known at the time), he also made many jazz and blues recordings, including some with esteemed African-American artists like Louis Armstrong, Bessie Smith and Blind Willie McTell. Peer returned to Bristol in 1928 and recorded, amongst others, the locally renowned African-American duo Stephen Tarter and Harry Gay.

#6: THE BRISTOL SIGN

Unfortunately, three years later it was found that the sign was so heavy it was causing structural damage to the building on which it sat. The sign was re-located to its present, more appropriate position, with a foot in each state, in 1915.

Over time some bulbs would persistently fail to light, and in combinations that, on one occasion, led to the sign reading “Pu– That’s Bristol” and on another ”–sh That’s Bristol”.  So, in 1921 there was a contest to find ‘a new and fitting slogan for Bristol’, which resulted in the sign’s original, slightly curious motto, being changed to the less confusing, more appealing, ‘A Good Place to Live’. (Incidentally, the runner-up was ‘Bristol, The Best Place to Live’). The new slogan was considered to be “modest in claim and truthful in statement”.

Over the next 60 years, the sign would fall into disrepair and local campaigns would be launched to save it as well as tear it down.

Today the sign is on the National Register of Historic Places and maintained by both cities. Decade after decade, it has been the subject of countless photographs. Oh, and the impact of the sign during the day is as nothing compared to the grand spectacle of it lit up at night.

#7: BRISTOL TRAIN STATION, THE CIVIL WAR & THE ``MARRYING PARSON``

Simply walking around and looking across to the lovingly restored train station building makes it almost seem possible to feel the history and sense the importance of what is actually Bristol’s fourth station.

Bristol was originally founded because of the railroad.  When surveyors picked this spot for the railway, an enterprising man by the name Joseph R. Anderson began to develop what is now Bristol.  The first train station on this spot was opened in 1856, but was burned down during the Civil War. It was hastily rebuilt in 1867, before a new station replaced it in 1881. This current structure was built in 1902.

Despite the freight trains that still regularly clank and roll their way slowly through here, it is hard to imagine just how busy and thriving this place used to be. More than 20 passenger trains a day would regularly pull in and out of these long platforms. Further adding to the bustling air of chaos and excitement, during the early years there was a break in the tracks at the state line due to different size track gauges.  This required all passengers, livestock and freight to be removed from one train and relocated onto another on the adjacent track on the other side of the state line.

Although the last passenger train pulled out of here in May 1971, the station was lovingly restored for the town’s sesquicentennial (150th birthday) in 2006. Like the nearby Bristol Sign, the station is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Civil War in Bristol

During the Civil War, Bristol was a Confederate city and an important railway stop during the war.  Not just because it was a means to travel between the North and South, but because it was home to four Confederate hospitals. Many of the injured soldiers were brought into Bristol by train.

Further up East State Street, at the top of the hill is East Hill Cemetery where the graves of soldiers from both sides of the Civil War now rest in peace. Open to the public, the cemetery is recommended for anyone who might have further interest in the heroism and tragedies of those days. Dating back to 1857, the cemetery has a special Civil War section, and includes the graves of some 300 soldiers. Most are unmarked, have faded or been made illegible by the passage of time. But some do survive for posterity, serving as moving reminders of those times.

Spread out over 27 acres, there are 4,000 known graves here, including, at the crown of the hill, that of General Evan Shelby (a hero of the Revolutionary War and French Indian War). Other notable figures buried here include Bristol co-founder Samuel Goodson. Also, off to one side, you will notice a railed off section, behind which lies the old slave cemetery.

The “Marrying Parson”

Aside from the economic and historic importance of the train station, there are other more quirky stories associated with it. Like that of the Reverend Alfred H. Burroughs, a local Baptist minister who, in the 1870s, fell on hard times and came up with a novel answer to his woes… Back then, Tennessee – unlike Virginia – had no laws requiring parental consent for a marriage. So, after performing a wedding for a young couple who had eloped on foot across the mountains in order to marry in Bristol, he got the novel idea for what was to become a surprisingly popular service…

Burroughs became known as the “Marrying Parson”. It is said that from 1879 to 1914 he was on the platform to meet almost every passenger train that steamed into the Bristol station, always on the lookout for likely eloping couples. Throughout the South, word spread and his fame grew.

By 1890 his business was doing so well that he leased the Nickels House Hotel, where he performed wedding ceremonies in a plush new bridal suite. The hotel was located across the street from the train station, where the bank now stands.  His income, which was from the weddings themselves and from renting rooms to the newly married couples, was further supplemented by the selling of engraved marriage certificates. He once remarked that he made more from selling these certificates than he did from performing the actual marriages.

When the hotel was demolished in 1898, Burroughs bought a house on Elizabeth Street where he set up an even more elaborate bridal suite. He continued to perform weddings right up until his death in 1916. Esteemed local historian Bud Phillips estimated that in his lifetime Parson Burroughs married in excess of 5,000 couples.

#8: THE STATE LINE AND PROHIBITION

In 1909 both Bristol’s were dry following very contentious liquor referendums in May and November of 1907. This prohibition mantra was not a local trend, for within two years of 1907 larger and smaller cities throughout the nation, such as Worcester, Mass, Atlanta, Memphis, Knoxville and Johnson City, went dry. By 1909 the Georgia Legislature imposed prohibition throughout the state and Tennessee was within months of passing a statewide prohibition of liquor.

In the spring of 1909 petitions were being circulated throughout the streets of Bristol, Va., to bring the matter of liquor back to a vote. By the time it was noted in the local newspapers, the solicitors had confidence that they had more than enough to call for a vote. By town ordinance they had to gather equal to 20% of those that voted in the previous election, which totaled 160 people. On June 2 of that year 275 petitions were delivered and filed in the office of John H. Gose, clerk of the Corporation Court. The next day Judge Price verified the petitions and called for a town election on July 8. Members of the pro-liquor movement in the city made the claim that the city should take advantage of their sister city going dry in order to attract the wholesale and retail industry that will bring large taxes to the city and bring prosperity.

Immediately, the local Christian Women’s Temperance Union (CWTU) fired the first shot by organizing a meeting the following day to counter claims and draw support from the women of the city. Also, some of the signers cried “foul” stating that they were deceived into signing the petition and vowing that they would not vote for liquor during the election. Others admitted that they believed in prohibition, but wanted to allow it to come to a vote.

Within days people began ringing their hands as sides were being drawn. It was commonly thought that the “wets” could not overcome the decisive majority from the last election, but not wanting to be lulled to sleep, Temperance leaders of the city organized quickly. Within weeks Temperance leaders from across the East Coast descended on Bristol and impressed both sides about the significance of the pending election. The prohibition movement was making huge strides throughout the United States, but they could not afford to back-up in the region. By July 1, 1909 every saloon and mail-order house in Lafollette, Nashville, Chattanooga and Memphis would close its doors, which would make Tennessee dry from Bristol in the East to the Mississippi in the West. This was the most far reaching bill produced to date by the Tennessee legislature.

In Virginia the battle was fierce. Prohibition advocates criticized the government of Washington & Jefferson and thought of them as being in the pocket of the liquor industry. Petersburg, which was dry, reverted back to saloons in previous months and locally the Abingdon dispensaries were counted as some of the most ardent liquor supporters. The Bristol, Va. election was essential to prohibition, which would help restrict the flow of liquor across the street into Tennessee and keep the rising tide in balance favoring prohibition.

The day of the election came, drawing spectators from every section of both states. The hotels of both cities were full, drawing their own spectators from the citizenry. Representatives from the liquor industry, now displaced in Chattanooga and other Tennessee cities, were sizing up the territory in the event the measure would pass. Both sides expressed confidence in the outcome to the largest ground swell of citizen involvement in the history of the town. There was very little violence, which was credited to the abolition of the drink two years earlier, but a contest that covered every inch of ground, educationally and politically.

The polls opened at sunrise and closed at sunset with the announcement on the floor of the Bristol Virginia Courthouse at 9:15 p.m. The town had gone wet by a majority of only 32 votes. In the view of the prohibitionists, the town went silent, with pro-liquor advocates, hundreds of them shouting in the streets, celebrating for over an hour, according to city leaders.

As a result of the election, dozens of saloons and mail order houses reopened in the city within months. The demand for retail space and storage was especially overwhelming to an already established construction boom in the city.

The Bristol, Va. election assured that Bristol, Tenn. prohibition would fall in November 1909. Bristol, Virginia-Tennessee, which was the primary business center between Roanoke and Knoxville, also remained the regional center of the liquor industry until liquor was prohibited nationally in 1916.

Along with an impressive roll-call of famous musicians, artists and dignitaries who have been featured here in Bristol is a fondly remembered local radio personality named Eddie Cowell.

Broadcasting on WCYB radio back in the 1940s and 50s, Cowell was something of a prankster. Stories about his antics still appear today in local papers, such as this one in the Johnson City Press:

Broadcasting on the night of January 23, 1954, Cowell reported live on air that an enormous monster was on the loose, reaping havoc throughout downtown Bristol. He reported that the creature was over 80 feet tall and 40 feet wide, and was smashing into buildings and swishing down trees with its powerful 100-foot tail. Redolent of the time in 1938 when Orson Wells terrified the nation with his famous ‘War Of The Worlds’ broadcast, Cowell kept updating listeners with new, spoof information as it was supposedly arriving at the station…such as the ‘fact’ that a warplane had been deployed from Washington, DC to bomb the beast in an attempt to save the city. The radio station and local law enforcement offices were inundated with more than a thousand frantic phone calls from all over the East Tennessee and Southwest Virginia area.

The monster story proved to be his undoing. As a result of it, a local resident filed a formal complaint with the FCC and Cowell was subsequently compelled to stop his outlandish antics despite a storm of protest in favor of the beloved local showman.

#10: CUMBERLAND SQUARE PARK

Plans for a community park on this site date back more than a 150 years. It’s wonderful to know that Cumberland Square Park is now finally fulfilling the original design and purpose of the city’s founding fathers. In the summer concerts are held on the stage and it is also a stage area for the Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion music festival.

#11: BIRTHPLACE OF COUNTRY MUSIC MUSEUM

How big a role did the Bristol Sessions play in country music? The legendary Johnny Cash called them “the single most important event in the history of country music.”

In 1998, Congress designated Bristol the official “Birthplace of Country Music.”  Today, the Birthplace of Country Music® (BCM) keeps local music traditions alive and continues to tell the story of the musical and cultural heritage of the region, its role in the birth and development of country music, and its influence on music around the world.

The Birthplace of Country Music® Museum, a 24,000 square foot facility, which opened in August, 2014, in affiliation with the Smithsonian Institute, tells the story of Bristol’s musical heritage. The Museum provides the BCM with a new, permanent facility to house its operations, including the museum, educational programs, and artistic programming.

The museum documents Bristol’s story as the Birthplace of Country Music and the Bristol Sessions through permanent, technology-infused exhibits, a special exhibits gallery, educational programs, multiple film experiences and a theater dedicated exclusively to live, year-round music performances.

#12: HANK WILLIAMS

Although he was doing well professionally in the early 1950s, his personal life was deteriorating. Dealing with back pain, Williams was reportedly abusing alcohol and drugs. The night Williams died, he was forced to take his car to his next show, unable to fly due to bad weather. He spent the ride from Knoxville, Tenn. lying under a blanket on the back seat of his baby blue Cadillac.

Allegedly his car stopped in Bristol, right where you’re standing, at the location of the Burger Bar. According to some, Hank got out and went inside. Others maintain he must have been dead already. Charles Carr, Hank’s driver, attests that he was very much still alive at this point. “I remember Hank got out to stretch his legs,” he recalls. “I asked him if he wanted a sandwich or something.” ’No,’ replied Hank.”I just want to get some sleep.’”

From here, the Cadillac headed north, up the narrow, winding Appalachian mountain roads. The next stop was in Oak Hill, W. Va. Carr was, by now, worried about Hank. At the stop a man came out, looked in the back and shook his head. ‘He looks dead to me,’ he muttered. By the time they got to a nearby hospital, there was no doubt that Hank had passed. He was only 29 years old.

If some of the details of this story are occasionally disputed, the facts are set. In the early hours of New Year’s Day, 1953, Hank Williams passed this way. It was the night an artist died and a legend was born. Since then, for more than half a century, more and more fans from all over the world have stopped off at this spot to pause for a moment and pay tribute to a man who touched the hearts of millions and influenced American music forever.

Incidentally, Hank’s single that was riding high in the charts at the time of his death was a peppy little number called, ‘I’ll Never Get Out Of This World Alive’.

More Signature Bristol Experiences

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The ultimate walking tour of Bristol – From Blackbeard to Banksy. With over 1000 5 star trip advisor reviews, our guided walking tour is a fun and fact filled way to explore the story of the wonderful city of Bristol.

Continually voted the U.K’s number one city to live in Bristol offers a vibrant mix of old and new. From it’s ancient roots to becoming the capital of Street Art, Bristol has to be experienced to be believed.

Join us on College Green for a tour through Bristol’s old town and beautiful harbourside where local historians and artists will guide you through 1000 years of Bristol’s history!

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Tours run most days of the week.

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£12 adults £5 children

ULTIMATE BRISTOL WALKING TOUR

Join us on the Ultimate Bristol Walking Tour and explore the city’s rich history, stunning architecture, and vibrant culture. Our expert guides will lead you through the must-see landmarks and hidden gems, ensuring you have an unforgettable experience.

• Map Marker 2 Miles
• Hour Glass 2 Hours
• User Ages 3+

Stroll along the route of the Saxon town walls taking in Pirate haunts and the highlights of Bristol’s Street art. See Long John Silver’s Inn and Robinson’s Crusoe’s first port of call. Observe evidence of Blitz damage, storm the Norman castle listen for Underground rivers and hear bizarre echoes.

Whether you are spending the day or have lived here all your life, this unique walking tour will tell you all you need to know about Bristol’s fascinating past, and exciting future along with hints and tips to make the most of your stay in the city.

Local artists and historians will share their knowledge, passion, and enthusiasm for this wonderful city.

This unique walking tour will introduce you to all aspects of this magical city leaving no stone upturned. There is no better way to get an instant feel for all aspects of Bristol, leaving you with plenty to revisit and lots of ideas for your remaining stay. You will feel like a local ready to bring friends and family back with an insider’s knowledge of the cities delights from Street Art to the best restaurants in town.

Experience the historical charm of Bristol! ★★★★★

Yesterday’s tour was a perfect combination of learning about street art, history, and architecture. Peter was knowledgeable about the city and it’s culture. We walked away with a better understanding of Bristol and lots of ideas about how to spend the rest of the day.

Pete gave a really interesting and engaging tour - the combination of history and street art, combined with local knowledge and a love of the city was excellent.

We enjoyed Luke’s Walking Tour immensely!! He had such enthusiasm for the Street Art of Bristol it was contagious. Luke’s booming voice was crystal clear that we could hear every word even with a large group of 28! Plus we learnt lots about the colourful character, Blackbeard! Thoroughly recommend this tour.

The tour was really informative and I learnt a lot about the city and parts I had overlooked. The guide was passionate and really friendly and helpful

• Old City Heritage Trail

A circular walk around the Old City of Bristol

The "Walled City Walk" follows the town walls of Norman Bristol. With the walls no longer visible, their route is little understood or used, and the rich architectural heritage of the Old City often goes unnoticed.

The guide explains the history of the area and its buildings and outlines those aspects of the social, religious and, above all, the mercantile life of the city that have greatly influenced the last 900 years of its development - and still set the context of today's bustling independent business community.

Enjoy your walk! Don’t forget to look up above the shop fronts and enjoy the great variety of sculpture and other decorations in the Old City. The walk is just over 1km, lasting about 1–1.5 hours.

Click the images below for a larger view.

The walking guide is accompanied by a set of postcards that further highlight certain buildings and businesses.

The execution of the project was carried out by a partnership of local stakeholders, each with their individual areas of expertise, using local knowledge and traditional processes. Centrespace was leading on the creative execution, Bristol Civic Society on the historic background and St Stephen's on the spiritual context. The project was funded by Bristol City Council's Active Neighbourhood Grant, supported by the University of the West of England (UWE), and coordinated by Destination Bristol.

The walking guide and postcards are available at the Tourist Information Centre on Harbourside (1 Canon's Road) and at the following locations in Old City:

Church of St John The Baptist , Broad Street

The Grand Thistle Hotel , Broad Street

Full Court Press , 59 Broad Street

St Nicholas Market , The Exchange, Corn Street

Bristol Pound , The Exchange, Corn Street

Stanfords , 29 Corn Street

Cosy Club , 31 Corn Street

The Ox , 43 Corn Street

Source Food Hall & Café , 1-3 Exchange Avenue

Small Street Espresso , 23 Small Street

Guy Fawkes Hair & Beauty , 6 St Nicholas Street

Store Next Door & Playground Coffee House , 43 & 45 St Nicholas Street

Europa Restaurant , 37-38 St Stephen’s Street

The Birdcage , 28 Clare Street

The Milk Thistle , Quay Head House, Colston Avenue

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Tour of Bristol Old City, Docks and The Harbour

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Each walk delivers a unique and fascinating user experience. Through Tourist Walks’ self guided tour application you can explore the hidden gems created by local experts. For people wanting to explore the neighbourhood and experience the local culture, we provide a unique experience of exploring the city using GPS guided audio tours. We provide a free walk to our new users.

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Each walk delivers a unique and fascinating user experience. Through Tourist Walks’ self guided tour application you can explore the hidden gems created by local experts. For people wanting to explore the neighbourhood and experience the local culture, we provide a unique experience of exploring the city using GPS guided audio tours. The App is FREE, and all the walk summaries are FREE, each walk is individually priced and you can buy all the walks for a city at a discounted price.

Visit the Best Tourist Sites & Explore Them

Tourist Walks’ audios are narrated by professionals who will keep you entertained while you are walking your way to the next destination. We help you discover the city around you in a more impressive way.

Download the Walk App & Use Offline. No Mobile Data Required.

Self-guided walks in bristol.

Bristol or “Brcygstowe”, as it was called in anglo-saxon, owed both its existence, and its name to a crossing place over the River Avon. Its earliest streets were around the , now ruined churches, of St Peter and St Mary le Port. It would grow though manufacturing, and world trade, including the slave trade, to become the second most important port, and one of the wealthiest cities in Britain. It was once thought to produce everything you could need for daily life, with a hunger for profit all around. It received a Royal Charter in 1155 and became a County in its own right in 1373. These days it lacks a symbolic centre, as the city was heavily bombed in the second world war but there is still plenty to see and experience in this city, both historical and modern. Our walks make sure you see the best, and they tell the stories that will ensure you appreciate and enjoy your time here. 

Escape the everyday and take a self-guided walking tour to explore the hidden gems in Bristol like the Royal Fort Gardens, the M shed Museum, and the Clifton Observatory as well as more well known tourist spots such as Bristol Harbour and the Clifton suspension bridge as well as much more.

Top Tourist Walks in Bristol

Clifton Village Walk

Clifton village.

See the amazing Clifton Suspension Bridge as well as the up market village of Clifton

Tourist Essentials Part 1 Walk​

Tourist essentials part 1​.

Part 1 of the must see tourist sites for Bristol, including the harbour, museums and markets.

Banksy in Bristol Walk​

Discover the Bristol work of this iconic street artist.

Bath Video Gallery

List of walks in bath.

This walk covers all you would expect to see, and much more, in the exclusive Clifton area of Bristol. This, of course, includes the beautiful suspension bridge, but also includes Victorian retail establishments, Georgian buildings and gardens, an observatory and ancient rock slide, and one of the best places in Bristol to have a coffee. A great all-round tour. Happy sightseeing.

Tourist Essentials Part 1 Walk

This walk is part of our essential places to see in Bristol tours, and covers all the great places to see in the eastern and northern sides of the city. From the famous “Nails”, to Prince Ruperts tower. We discover great pubs, theatres and the wonderful St Nicholas Market as well as the Bristol “Floating Harbour”, some great places to shop and eat, to many places of historical importance in Bristol. So, it is definitely got lots of places to see for anyone who wants to get to know this great city better. Happy Sightseeing.

Book Your Walk Now!

Banksy In Bristol

Probably one of the most famous artists to come from Bristol is Banksy. This once anonymous graffiti artist is now world famous for his, sometimes controversial, street paintings, that all have underlying social commentary. He has inspired a new generation of graffiti artists, to create innovative and dynamic art. Among Banksy’s wonderful pieces, still available for viewing free of charge, are: Girl With a Pierced Eardrum which is one of his latest creations, from 2014; Well Hung Lover, which is Britain’s first ever legal piece of street art, and Queen Ziggy which appeared in time for Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee, in 2012. All these, and more, are visited on this tour. Happy sightseeing.

View All Bristol Walks

Historic Pub Walk

Bristol Tourist Essentials Part 1

Bristol Tourist Essentials Part 2

Banksy in Bristol

Bristol Ghost Walk

SELF GUIDED WALKS

Do you wish to explore all the beautiful tourist spots? Download our application and discover the hidden beauty and mystery of your destination. Explore today!

Frequently Asked Questions

No. After the walks have been downloaded, for which you need an internet connection, no mobile data is required to do the walks.

No you can pause and resume at any point within the walk. Whether you need a coffee or a comfort break the walks are entirely flexible.

Yes you will receive both verbal guidance and a GPS enabled map to take you around each of the points of interest on the walks.

No the walks are circular so you will receive multiple options of where to start each walk.

Yes there are providing you buy them as a bundle, not one at a time. You can even buy all the walks in one package at a very generous price.

For each point of interest you will get information both verbally and in text and sometimes video form together with helpful images to get the most from each one.

You can pay by all manner of credit and debit cards as well as Paypal.

In the walk summary we point out if the walk is suitable for wheelchairs and pets, and there is also an indication of the distance of the walk, and how long it will take.

Yes we would love to hear from you through our website: www.touristwalks.co.uk

Happy Tourists

Bath is a beautiful city with plenty of things to see and do. If you’re looking for a great way to see the city and learn about its history, I recommend taking a self-guided walk. The Bath City Walks tour is an excellent option, and it’s easy to follow.

Jane Andrew

If you’re looking for a fun way to see Bath, I highly recommend the self-guided walk. The route is easy to follow, and you can stop and explore at any of the interesting sites along the way. I really enjoyed being able to take my time and wander around, and the walk was a great way to see some of Bath’s best sights.

If you’re looking for a fun and affordable way to see Bath, I highly recommend the self-guided walk. There are a number of different tours to choose from, and you can customize it to fit your schedule. The walk is easy to follow, and you can stop at any of the attractions or restaurants that interest you. I had a great time and would definitely recommend it to others. Thanks for a great experience!

Stacey Karen

If you’re looking for a great way to see the sights of Bath, I highly recommend taking a self-guided walk. The route is well-marked and takes you by all the major attractions, plus there’s plenty of interesting historical information along the way. I really enjoyed taking this walk – it was the perfect way to see everything Bath has to offer!

Miley Joseph

If you’re looking for a leisurely stroll around Bath’s city centre, then look no further than Tourist Walk. Our knowledgeable and friendly guides will take you on a fascinating journey through the city’s history, pointing out all of the must-see sights along the way. This is a perfect activity for visitors of all ages, and I can’t recommend it highly enough!

Malta Daren

Discover Bristol’s History & Culture Tours

Journey through Bristol's history with a walking tour.

Discover Bristol's Queer History 🌈

by travelwest

The Transatlantic Slave Trade Trail

Clifton Squares Part 1

Clifton Squares Part 2

A Black History Tour in Bristol

Bristol City Sculpture Trail

Bristol Street Art Tour

Bristol’s North Street Art Trail

Plaques of Central Bristol Part 1

Plaques of Central Bristol Part 2

Sea Mills to Blaise Hamlet

by seamills100

Easton to Castle Park

A Tour of Bristol Harbourside

Explore Brunel’s Two Bridges

The Changes Bristol Harbour Tour

by sophswalks

Bristol Wanderlust Walk

Over & under the Suspension Bridge

by brunelsbridge

Rhododendron Walk at Blaise Castle

Barton Hill Heritage Trail One

Barton Hill Heritage Trail Two

Barton Hill Heritage Trail Three

Barton Hill Heritage Trail Four

Blaise Castle Walk - Option 1

Blaise Castle Walk - Option 2

Blaise Castle Walk - Option 3

St Mary Church & The Royals Walk

A diversion from Feeder Road

by wfhsusan

The St George Strollers Walk

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The Best Bristol Walking Tours, Incredible Routes

Interactive walking tours of bristol, bring the city to life..

• CityDays brings an immersive new way to have a walking tour in Bristol
• Discover Bristol's historic landmarks, secret sights & hidden gems
• Solve fun challenges & puzzling clues to unlock your way
• Optional breaks at top-rated pubs, bars and cafes
• Interactive private tour, you and your team, at your own pace
• Full money back guarantee. We know you'll love it

What to expect on a CityDays Bristol Walking Tour

Don't have a great time? Simply let us know why and we'll refund you in full.

Find Your Perfect Bristol Walking Tour

Each walking tour explores a different area of Bristol, find the route that suits you best or work your way through! All bookings are fully flexible, alter your booking freely.

The Painted City

The beating heart of UK street art… more

Clues don't require any prior knowledge and are made up of two parts:

1) Obscured directions that make reference to the city around you. Unravel their meaning and be guided by your surroundings.

2) A puzzle to be solved once you've followed the directions, search nearby to find your answers.

CityDays aim for an enjoyable, just-the-right-amount, level of difficulty that is inclusive for all! Help messages are available should you need a bit of support.

Guided by clues sent to your phone

• Receive snippets of history, quirky facts and intriguing stories about the areas you visit.
• Pub/cafe breaks along your hunt, all totally optional and some with discounts on food & drinks.
• Make memories at locations along the way, get inspiration from previous teams and share a clever snap!
• Go at your own speed, or go for top spot on the game leaderboard.

Bristol is a colourful tapestry of a city packed with the historic and modern culture.

Contemporary street art mingles with medieval architecture; landscaped and wild parks sit alongside maritime industry, while haunted inns hide among modern developments.

There's no better way to experience these fabulous collisions than with a CityDays walking tour

Our aim: for you to fall in love with Bristol too

Bristol Walking Tour Reviews

The great things our customers have to say about CityDays Bristol Walking Tours

¡Día de Jenny!

Fantastically fun day out! Have been a Londoner for nearly 10 years and got to experience the city in a new way-and at …

Charli and Dharini

Had a really fun time doing the London trail, looking forward to doing it again :)

Very fun way to explore the city

Irina & Louis

We absolutely loved the experience! After 18 years living in London, I thought we can’t be surprised but it is not the …

Amazing day out! This was my teams 3rd adventure in London and it was are favourite so far. The scenery was amazing. We…

Cambridge newbies

We absolutely loved the tour! We’re new to Cambridge and loved exploring the city and finding new things! We’d love to …

Potten End Old Boys

Excellent way to spend a couple of hours in the City. I used to work there and saw things I never knew were there. Well…

Really enjoyable experience. We learnt new things about the city of Brum.There is scaffolding outside the hotel opposit…

Our second City Days treasure hunt and another fabulous day! My husband was born and bred in central London and once ag…

Windsor oldies

Great day out exploring parts of London you would never normally do

Seekers of Aravos

I was in a team with my partner and our 9 year son. We had a blast. There was something for us all!

Are you okay?

We really enjoyed the scavenger hunt! It was a great way to get outside and enjoy the city in a different way. We both …

Three Women and No Baby

Second one I have done. Such a brilliant format. The clues are well written and make you really look at what’s around y…

Great way to entertain teenagers, they loved it.

A great way to learn about a city and have fun doing it. The clues were good and the walk was about right

Team Hammond

My wife and I had a fantastic day of exploring and refreshments. We will definitely be back!

Daryls birthday

Really fun morning. Would definitely recommend

Bickle's Bongles

The clues were excellent - easy to follow without being too easy to solve! Took us on a very pleasant journey around Lo…

Donkeys@2pm

It was excellent. Only error we made was at the Plague for the Hungarian Revolution of 1956. This was because the bronz…

Ready to see lots of smiling faces? Read all our customer reviews →

Ready? Book your Bristol Walking Tour today

See more, do more, learn more with citydays.

Welcome to Bristol, a once-upon-a-time pirate’s paradise turned artist’s retreat! 

The thriving city of Bristol is a labyrinth of secrets, untold stories and fascinating figures.

Whether you’re a Bristolian looking to scrub up on your West Country knowledge or a visitor hoping to spot some hidden gems, our walking tours of Bristol are here to take you further, teach you more and, most importantly, help you enjoy yourselves!

Get The Most Out of Your Bristol Walking Tours

Our Bristol walking tours are designed to take you above and beyond your typical sightseeing experience. We’re dedicated to showing you everything you’d expect to see in Bristol while also slipping in loads of cool hidden stuff along the way.

The best part? It’s up to you to find them! 

CityDays’ walking tours of Bristol get you interacting with and learning about the city’s streets, landmarks, history and famous figures. The only way to navigate the route is by looking up, down, left and right, answering puzzles, riddles and spotting clues based on your surroundings! 

Our self-guided Bristol walking tours transform you into detectives, explorers and tour guides, giving you the freedom to discover the city your own way, in your own time, with people you know and love. 

From the moment you start until you finish the tour, you’re guaranteed to learn, have fun, make memories and get some fresh air and exercise. 

The Best Walking Tours in Bristol

No queues, no waiting around, no hassle.

That’s part of what makes CityDays’ Bristol walking tours the best in the city. 

We’ve created a model that allows you to take charge of your Bristol walking tour. This ensures that you can walk at your own pace , take breaks whenever it’s convenient for you , and tour with whoever you want! Here’s how it works . 

Instead of inviting ourselves along, we take the backseat. All you need is a good pair of walking shoes, a fully charged phone, and a sense of adventure. 

We recognise that this is your day out - not ours. So it’s up to you how it plays out: compete for first place on our leaderboard or take your time and really soak up the sights. Either way, we’re only a text message away if you get stuck. 

Bristol History Walking Tours: Uncover Bristol’s Hidden History

From being the meeting point between the two Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of Mercia and Wessex to the Bristol Bus Boycott and beyond, Bristol has seen its fair share of history - and we want to share it with you!

Our Bristol history walking tours take you on an exciting journey through Bristol’s historical timeline in a way that celebrates the city’s cultural quirks and mysterious facts. Along the way, you’ll discover street art, cosy pubs and much, much more. 

To give you a sneak peek at what you can expect from our historical Bristol walking tours, we’ve put together a few historical facts about the city!

Bristolians Sent 1000s of Shoes to German Children in 1947

Just two years after the Second World War, Bristolians rallied together to help German children struggling with economic and social disparity. 

In 1947, the Western Daily Press newspaper reported that in Bristol’s twin city in Germany, Hannover, up to 56% of children couldn’t attend school due to a lack of adequate footwear.

Many Bristolians put aside any lingering wartime resentment of Germany and its citizens by sending thousands of shoes, food, sweets and clothing to struggling children. 

A Suffragette Once Smacked Winston Churchill Over The Head with A Dog Whip at Temple Meads

The suffragette’s name was Theresa Garnett, and she was originally from Leeds, Yorkshire.

On 14 November in 1909, Winston Churchill travelled by train to Bristol to speak at a dinner that was to be held at Bristol Beacon (formerly known as Colston Hall). 

According to reports, Garnett approached Churchill while they were standing on a Temple Meads platform, cracked a dog whip across his face and shouted “take that, you brute!” or, in another version: “take that in the name of the insulted women of England!”

Bristol Once Held a Spelling Bee Where Less Than Half of The Words Were Spelt Correctly

According to the Western Daily Press, Bristol Rotary Club held a spelling bee in 1938 at the Grand Hotel where 24 out of 50 words were spelt correctly.

In fairness, some of the words are still considered tricky: “bureaucracy”, “omniscient”, “scion” and “ukulele” were among them. Best of all, a visiting Rotarian from Budapest was said to be in the audience and the papers described him as “a little bewildered”. 

Available Trails and Bristol Walking Tours

Interested in finding out more about the kinds of self-guided historical and Bristol street art walking tours we provide? Here’s where you get a tiny sneak peek into where you can find your next adventure…

Discover Bristol's rich tapestry of history and creativity on an immersive, puzzle-filled walking tour. Navigate medieval arches, mural-adorned streets, and Victorian gardens, unlocking tales from its diverse past through engaging challenges…

Highlights include 17th-century bronze 'nail' tables for merchant bartering, time-worn medieval marvels, engineering feats, and iconic street art including an original Banksy. Along the way, enjoy puzzles, surprises, and stops at unique venues like a candle-lit bar in a 16th-century townhouse and a traditional pub with flock wallpaper and a cosy fire. 

This escape game-style tour is ideal for friends who love to explore and play, offering a multifaceted glimpse into Bristol's vibrant culture.

Bristol Walking Tour Questions

Private! You can enjoy your tour solo or with your own group; take your time, take stops when you like - experience it your way!

No problem at all, just get in touch with us at [email protected] and we'll be happy to re-arrange your date or provide you with a full refund.

Our tours are delivered in English in a text format and will contain some wordplay that might be confusing to non-native speakers. If you have any problems just get in touch and we'll be happy to help! We can also provide examples of the types of clue you'll encounter.

Feel free to re-arrange with us last minute! You can also stop and start at your leisure, take extra comfort breaks and find some cover whenever needed.

If you've already started, you can come back another day and continue from where you left off.

Our tour takes visitors through historic areas which means there are cobbles and uneven flagstones. There are also some areas with sharp ascents. Unfortunately this means we cannot recommend the tour for those using mobility aids. We recommend good footwear and an average level of fitness - don't forget you can go at your pace. Comfort stops are built into our trails but you are more than welcome to take more breaks if you wish!

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Let us know what you're looking for, fill in what you know, and we'll get back to you with some ideas.

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Bristol Harbourside Self-Guided Walking Tour

• 3 weeks unlimited access to this Self-Guided Tour on the app
• Map, directions, GPS route and stops of each tour
• Helen will guide you through an audio guide (no computer-generated voice!)
• Audio guide, videos, pictures, recommendations and all the info you need
• Email with instructions to activate your tour (booking reference isn't the code!)
• In-person Guide
• 9C3VC9XX+WRR, C9XX+WRR Bristol, UK All our tours are self-guided. You will be led by the GPS in the app. Remember to check the "Before You Go" Section of your ticket and give Pandemic Tours App access to your location!
• Brunel's SS Great Britain, Great Western Dockyard, Gas Ferry Rd, Bristol BS1 6TY, UK The tour ends in a central area of the city centre so you can wander around with the recommendations provided at the end.
• Wheelchair accessible
• Stroller accessible
• Service animals allowed
• Near public transportation
• Transportation is wheelchair accessible
• Confirmation will be received at time of booking
• Most travelers can participate
• Check the "Before You Go" Section of your ticket!
• This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
• All sales are final and incur 100% cancellation penalties.
• Brunel's SS Great Britain
• St Mary Redcliffe Church
• Redcliffe Caves
• Pero's Bridge

Similar experiences

• You'll start at 9C3VC9XX+WRR C9XX+WRR Bristol, UK All our tours are self-guided. You will be led by the GPS in the app. Remember to check the "Before You Go" Section of your ticket and give Pandemic Tours App access to your location! See address & details
• 1 Millenium Square Stop: 10 minutes See details
• 2 Bristol Amphitheatre & Waterfront Square Stop: 5 minutes See details
• 3 Pero's Bridge Stop: 5 minutes See details Pass by Cascade Steps
• 4 College Green Stop: 15 minutes See details
• 5 King Street Stop: 5 minutes See details
• 6 Queen Square Stop: 5 minutes See details
• 7 Welsh Back Stop: 10 minutes See details
• 8 Castle Park Stop: 5 minutes See details
• 9 Bridge Quay Stop: 5 minutes See details
• 10 St Mary Redcliffe Church Stop: 5 minutes See details

• 888Sharon88 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Another fantastic walking tour!! We did this tour as the Bath tour was so good. We weren’t disappointed! This route takes you to parts of Bristol that we never knew existed and we learned loads about a city that we’ve visited many times. The route was well thought through, and the information was clearly explained. Excellent value for money! We’ll be checking out the other tours from this company. Read more Written April 11, 2023

More to explore in Bristol

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

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Bristol Harbourside Self-Guided Walking Tour provided by Pandemic Tours - Bristol

• ABOUT BRISTOL & SLAVERY WALKS
• Walks For Groups
• Panoramic Tours

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© Bristol and South West Tour Guides

Free Walking Tour Bristol

Free walking tour Bristol is one of the best ways to explore the vibrant and cosmopolitan city of Bristol located in the south-west of England, known for its rich history, cultural diversity, and thriving arts scene. From its historic harbor to its cutting-edge street art, Bristol is a city with a rich cultural heritage and a dynamic present. With its museums, galleries, and historic buildings, Bristol is a destination for anyone interested in the arts and culture. Whether you’re interested in history, music, or simply soaking up the unique atmosphere of this bustling port city, Free Tour Bristol is sure to be an unforgettable experience. With its lively atmosphere, friendly locals, and fascinating sights and sounds, Bristol is the perfect destination for anyone looking to explore the heart of the south-west of England.

General information

Meet your guide at the Bristol Harbourside

We are currently looking for tour guides. If you are interested please contact us to the WhatsApp number +49 178 3100358

Free Walking Tour Bristol – Itinerary

Free walking tour Bristol begins at the stunning Bristol Harbourside. Take in the picturesque waterfront, surrounded by historic ships and modern architecture. Learn about the city’s maritime heritage and the role of the harbour in Bristol’s growth.

Our next stop will be the iconic SS Great Britain, the world’s first great ocean liner designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel. Hear stories of adventure and innovation as we explore this beautifully restored ship.

Read more...

We’ll then head to the Clifton Suspension Bridge, an engineering marvel with breathtaking views of the Avon Gorge. Discover the history behind this landmark and admire the stunning vistas.

Take a leisurely stroll through Clifton Village, a charming district filled with boutique shops, cafes, and Georgian architecture. Learn about the neighborhood’s history and vibrant atmosphere.

No visit to Bristol is complete without exploring the works of Banksy, the world-renowned street artist. We’ll lead you to some of his most famous pieces while sharing the intriguing stories behind the art.

Visit Bristol Cathedral, a stunning example of Gothic architecture. Discover the cathedral’s rich history, impressive architecture, and its role in the city’s spiritual life.

Free tour Bristol ends at the bustling St. Nicholas Market, a place filled with local food, crafts, and live music. Here, you’ll have the opportunity to indulge in some delicious local cuisine or pick up unique souvenirs.

Free Walking Tour Bath

Available everyday

Tip only basis

CHECK OUT OUR EVENTS CALENDAR!

HISTORIC BRISTOL WALKING TOURS

A variety of historians lead tours along the waterfront and through the streets of downtown Bristol as well as through some of the nearby cemeteries and neighborhoods.

Please go to our CALENDAR page for upcoming tours.

Tickets are $10 for BH&PS members and $15 for non-members and may be purchased at the start of the tour .

Note: Guests or family members coming to visit in Bristol? Or maybe your organization would like a specially guided tour of downtown Bristol? If so, we can do this!! Let us know in advance as to when and where and how many people you have in mind. Give us a call at 401-253-7223 or send an email to [email protected] .

Self-Guided Walking TourS for Downtown Bristol

Are you interested in exploring historic downtown Bristol at your own pace? If so, we have two self-guided walking tour maps for you to choose from:  "Walking Tour of Hope Street North" and "Walking Tour of Hope Street South".  Both begin at Burnside Hall, 400 Hope Street. Pick a direction and go! 

MAPS ARE AVAILABLE AT THE SOCIETY

 OR 

DOWNLOAD A COPY BELOW.

(When printing, be sure to print double-sided so that when folded, 

your tour will follow the numbers on the map.)

BH&PS Walking Tour North (pdf)

BH&PS Walking Tour South (pdf)

THE TOUR GUIDES

Rei battcher.

Meet Rei Battcher, a Bristolian, historian, librarian, historical reinactor, genealogist, and deed researcher extraordinaire. Directly descended from five Pilgrims on the Mayflower, he was born and raised in Bristol and holds BA and MA degrees in American history from Rhode Island College. Rei knows Bristol’s history like the back of his hand, and whether he is dressed simply as himself, or in the personas of either the elegant and infamous 18th century resident and slave trader Captain Simeon Potter or that of a Revolutionary War soldier, he loves to walk visitors around town, pointing out interesting details while also revealing many secrets from the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. 

KEVIN JORDAN

Meet Dr. Kevin Jordan, professor emeritus of Historic Preservation at Roger Williams University where he taught and was chair of the department for 25 years. He holds an undergraduate degree from Merrimack College and a MA and PhD in American history from Rutgers University. Known not only for his energy in bringing his students together with numerous historic projects in the Town of Bristol, Kevin also became the backbone for the creation of the Bristol Historic District, the Friends of Linden Place, the Bristol State House, Mosaico, as well as a board member or chair person for those and other organizations, including Coggeshall Farm, the Pastime Theater, and, of course, the Bristol Historical & Preservation Society.

Meet Kurt Deion, a public historian and graduate in history with a BA from Bryant University and a MA from the University of Massachusetts, Boston. Currently on staff at the Herreshoff Marine Museum, Kurt's interests include 19th century American industry and sailing, as well as cemeteries. Kurt has been working on visiting all the presidential (and a few vice presidential) burial sites across the county. 

Check out this C-Span interview on his project and hear him tell of what happened when he met Hilary Clinton at a book signing event:

   https://www.c-span.org/video/?327484-1/qa-kurt-deion 

OUR MISSION

The mission of the Society is to stimulate interest in the history of Bristol, Rhode Island, through education, research, and the collection and preservation of historic objects.

The Bristol Historical & Preservation Society is a 501(c)(3) Organization.

Copyright © 2018 Bristol Historical & Preservation Society - All Rights Reserved.

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Tour Bristol Borough | Historic Tour of Bristol Borough PA

• Audio Player

• No categories

Tour Bristol Borough’s National Register Historic District on your own time and at your own pace!

This historic walking tour is designed to start near the town’s wharf, but you may follow any path that you’d like. the numbers on the map will show you where you are. as you immerse yourself in the history and stories of bucks county’s oldest town, be sure to enjoy our museum, shops, and restaurants along the way..

With the use of a smartphone, tablet, MP3 player, or computer, you can enjoy more than three hundred years of Bristol’s history and focus on what interests you.

Smartphone, tablet or computer:

Click on the “Start Tour” tab located at the top of the page.

MP3 Players:

Download the MP3  audio files here. Then extract the MP3 files to your device.

Once you have that done, download and print the map . Head to Bristol Borough and follow the tour using your audio player and map.

If you have questions, contact the Grundy Museum via this web form.

This tour was made possible by a United Way Community Impact Grant and is a collaboration of the Bristol Borough Community Partnership, Bristol Cultural and Historical Foundation, Bristol Riverside Theatre, Conwell-Egan Catholic EAST Program, Margaret R. Grundy Memorial Museum and Library, and The Artists of Bristol on the Delaware.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this tour is for general information purposes only. While we endeavor to keep the information up to date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the website for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk.

© The Grundy Foundation

Waterfront Bristol: The Views & History - Exploration Game

❗The single ticket provides access to the exploration game for only 1 device. If you want to play as a group, we really recommend that each player purchases the game on their own device in order to fully enjoy the experience.❗ Highlights 🔍 Discover the BBC’s secret broadcasting station from World War Two 👃 Smell the food being made at the site of Bristol’s historic prison 🎨 Take your photo with a genuine Banksy piece 🎤 See the gig venue where Dua Lipa and Coldplay have performed 🏝️ Visit the inspiration for the Admiral Benbow pub in Treasure Island

General Info 📅 Date and time: play any time you want, the game is available 24/7 ⏳ Duration: 2h 🌐 Languages: English 🚶🏻 Walking distance: 5 km 📍 Departure point: The Lookout Lectern, Bristol 👤 Age limits: all ages (kids under 9 y/o should be accompanied by adults) 📱 Please see your Fever ticket and confirmation email for all essential post-purchase information

Description Get ready for an exhilarating city exploration adventure in Bristol! Walk along the waterfront, uncovering hidden gems and iconic landmarks. Solve challenges, follow the River Avon, and immerse yourself in the history and culture of this vibrant city. The game is an interactive activity where you are guided by a mobile app through the city. With it, you follow directions and solve very fun puzzles, riddles, and cryptic codes. During the game, you will also visit popular and hidden places in the city while learning fun (and we mean it) stories about them. This is a storytelling experience just as much as it is an exploration tour. Discover Bristol like never before—get your tickets now for Waterfront Bristol: The Views & History - Exploration Game!

How to get there?

The Lookout Lectern

Sion Hill, Clifton, Bristol, BS8 4BL

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No booking fees

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7 of the best UK walking festivals for 2024

The Isle of Wight Walking Festival is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year — and a number of similar events are taking place across the UK as the weather warms up.

May is the month for walking festivals when walkers make use of longer days to scale the rickety stiles of the British countryside. There’s been a slew of new festivals in recent years — with guided walks themed around subjects as diverse as archaeology and astronomy, food and folklore. The festival calendar drops off through June and July, but the pace picks up again in September, when walkers can savour the last drops of summer at a handful of events.

1. Haltwhistle Walking Festival

Best for: history 27 April-6 May

Millennia ago, centurions marched the ramparts of Hadrian’s Wall — these days walkers follow in their sandalled footsteps with the advent of the Haltwhistle Walking Festival. Hosted in a town right beside the Romans’ ramparts, the festival includes some two dozen events centred in great part on local history — the legions loom large, but so too do medieval priories, Quaker meeting houses and historic mining communities.

2. Isle of Wight Walking Festival

Best for: islands 11-19 May

This festival celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2024, with an event in spring and another in autumn. Book onto the spring session to see the island’s natural world beginning to stir — guided walks take participants in search of red squirrels, passing through bluebell woods, wading the shallows on a seagrass harvesting project and exploring the steep, sublime scenery of West Wight.

3. Suffolk Walking Festival

Best for: easy walking 11-26 May

If the contours of Wales, the English Lakes or the Scottish Highlands seem too daunting, head to the more kindly gradients of Suffolk for this walking festival. Close to 60 guided walks explore this famously flat county, ranging from potters beside the North Sea coast at eerie Orford Ness to saunters amid the more idyllic landscapes of Dedham Vale.

4. Winchcombe Walking Festival

Best for: village-exploration 17-19 May Hikers come to the Cotswolds for the wooded escarpments and blustery commons, but it’s also beloved for having some of England’s loveliest towns and villages. Among them is Winchcombe, an ancient Anglo-Saxon capital hosting a walking festival in May. Hikes explore pubs, parishes and pathways — including a meteorite-themed walk in honour of a celestial object that crash landed in February 2021.

5. Arran Mountain Festival

Best for: a mountain view 17-20 May

Anyone wishing to dip their toe into Scottish mountaineering should head to the Isle of Arran: not only are its hills said to represent the Highlands in miniature, but it also hosts the Arran Mountain Festival, with a programme of walks for many abilities. Head up Goatfell — the island’s highest point (874m) — or traverse the A’Chir ridge, with vertical drops below.

6. Gower Walking Festival

Best for: a coastline walk 7-15 September

The Gower is a finger of land protruding into the sea west of Swansea, with cliffs rising sheer from the swells of the Bristol Channel. The annual festival’s programme is still being finalised, but Wales’s finest beaches are likely to play a starring role: hikers will pass the sandy sweep of Rhossili Beach, the little coves of Caswell and Pwll Du and, best of all, the great wandering estuary at Three Cliffs.

7. Richmond Walking and Book Festival

Best for: bookworms 20-29 September

The festival offers a two for one, promising to combine ‘boots and books’, ‘walks and words’. This year’s schedule is still to be confirmed, but expect to spend days pacing the uplands of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, with evenings resting tired feet but exercising curious minds, listening to authors read from their work.

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Trump’s trial is the latest chapter in the rich history of Lower Manhattan’s courts.

A cluster of downtown buildings has served as the borough’s “epicenter of criminal justice in New York since the 1830s,” said a lawyer who has led walking tours of Manhattan courthouses.

By Matthew Mpoke Bigg

• April 26, 2024, 1:47 p.m. ET

For a decade, Robert Pigott, a lawyer, has led walking tours of the courthouses of Manhattan, guiding visitors around landmarks where the city’s rich legal history has played out. Now the trial of Donald J. Trump has added a chapter to the story he gets to tell.

Mr. Pigott’s tours, which he runs in his spare time, revolve around a cluster of downtown buildings that are the borough’s judicial hub. For now, 100 Centre Street — the Manhattan Criminal Courthouse, where the former president’s case is being heard — is the focus.

But just down the street on Foley Square sits Manhattan’s most elegant courthouse building, New York’s Supreme Court, with its sweeping flight of 32 stone steps leading up to a series of imposing Corinthian columns. Other court buildings are dotted around nearby.

“The eyes of the nation and the world are trained on criminal court cases in New York County, whether it’s organized crime, Wall Street cases or federal cases,” Mr. Pigott said.

Mr. Trump’s trial is remarkable because it is the first time that a former American president has been criminally prosecuted. The defendant’s status as this year’s presumptive Republican presidential nominee adds a contemporary political dimension.

For Mr. Pigott, 64, who has written a book about the history of the city’s courthouses, the real significance is what it says about the status of a few blocks of Manhattan as a nexus. He pointed out that Mr. Trump’s civil fraud case and defamation case also both played out this year in courthouses within spitting distance of the criminal trial.

“Now, when I arrive at the expanse of Foley Square midway through the walk, I can point to something truly remarkable — three different courthouses where the same former U.S. president has been on trial,” he said.

Mr. Trump’s trial shows how politics, celebrity and the location of the court itself can reinforce one another to make a big story bigger. New York’s status as a media hub increases the spotlight during high-profile cases and the high-profile cases held over the decades have, in turn, made the city’s courts an attractive setting for fictional courtroom dramas.

In these buildings, a jury convicted Anna Sorokin for grand larceny in 2019 for posing as a German heiress to swindle wealthy New Yorkers — a case that almost by definition blurred fact and fiction. Naturally, the tale has since been turned into a series on Netflix.

The cluster is also where a group of Black and Latino teenagers, then known as the Central Park Five, were wrongly convicted in 1990 of raping a jogger — a case also rendered as a Netflix series — and where Mark David Chapman pleaded guilty in 1981 to murdering the musician John Lennon.

The New York Supreme Court building, a trial-level court, often serves as a symbol of the court complex. It featured prominently in the television show “Law and Order" and the 1957 courtroom film classic “12 Angry Men,” to cite just two examples.

Mr. Pigott, however, is drawn to the history of the legal system before the 20th century and how it evolved through its buildings. The first stop on the tours he runs is a sidewalk nearby with glass blocks embedded in it, through which it is possible to see the excavations of a courthouse built by the Dutch in the colonial era.

The authorities in New York built a judicial infrastructure in this part of Lower Manhattan starting mainly in the 19th century, when the area experienced significant gang violence, he said.

“This one-block radius has been the epicenter of criminal justice in New York since the 1830s,” said Mr. Pigott.

For all the drama associated with the Trump trial, the streets outside the criminal courthouse have generally been calm this week. Reporters and members of the public have lined up for entry to the courthouse. And on Thursday morning, Collect Pond Park across the street, which has been designated for protests, was empty. Its only occupants were some police officers and a few pigeons.

Matthew Mpoke Bigg is a London-based reporter on the Live team at The Times, which covers breaking and developing news. More about Matthew Mpoke Bigg

The Flourishing World of Central Park

This verdant tourist destination is a pleasure ground for locals, too..

36 Hours in Central Park:  With its endless trails, hidden nooks, museums and nearby night spots, the park is a hub for both thriving activities and where one can find  a more tranquil, timeless Manhattan .

Flaco’s Kingdom : Before his demise earlier in February , the Eurasian eagle-owl’s escape from the Central Park Zoo  and subsequent life on the loose  captured the public’s attention and hearts .

Shakespeare Hits the Road: To many people, Central Park in the summer equals Shakespeare in the Park. But this year, because of renovations at the theater traditionally hosting the productions, the show will step outside  the confines of the park.

Regreening in the Park: A construction project next to the North Woods, involves remaking a part of the park  that serves as a backyard for nearby blocks in East Harlem, where green spaces are sorely missing.

A Reporter’s Design: Ever wondered who designed one of Central Park? Read about the life of Frederick Law Olmsted , who helped create one of New York’s shining jewels.

New augmented reality walking tour reveals what Third Ward ghost signs used to look like

Mike Roe, the executive creative director for Milwaukee marketing agency Hoffman York , got interested in ghost signs when he noticed one outside his office window in the Third Ward, and then started noticing them everywhere in the neighborhood.

Ghost signs are faded advertisements that were painted on the outside of buildings decades ago, the remnants of which can still be seen.

"These signs were like the original out-of-home advertisements before TV, before social media, when you'd paint a big message on the side of your building to say, 'These are things we sell,'" Roe said. "And now it's like this art form of a part of history."

As his interest in the ghost signs grew, Roe started talking to people at the Historic Third Ward Association and learned about some of the factors that make the old, faded signs so prevalent in the Third Ward — including the fact that the area is a federally protected historic district and that it has a concentration of brick buildings built after a fire in 1892 destroyed hundreds of wooden buildings .

Roe wondered if there was a noninvasive way to preserve the signs before they completely fade away so people can see what they looked like in their glory days. With the help of augmented reality technology, he and some coworkers created a ghost sign tour of 13 signs on 10 buildings in the Third Ward. Now people can scan a QR code on a paper map or a mobile link, hold up their phone to a building, and see what the ghost sign used to look like.

Here's what Roe had to say about the tour and his fascination with ghost signs.

How did you learn what the ghost signs used to look like?

Most of the signs are now illegible so I had to find old photographs, some of them century-old. And when you look for those photos, they're usually of other things. So you're sifting through all these old photographs to try to catch these buildings in the background.

I found all these photos at the Milwaukee Public Library and the Milwaukee County Historical Society and the Wisconsin Historical Society . I've never had an excuse to really explore those places before, but whenever I would tell the staff there what I was looking to do, everyone was so friendly and excited and happy to help.

Once we found enough photos for reference, our designers and art directors re-created the signs. The augmented reality work was challenging because that type of technology works really well for closer stuff, like when you go to a furniture store website and they show you what your furniture would look like in your living room. But we were trying to use the technology on a much bigger scale, to show what something would look like on the side of a whole building. The developers used geolocation and got it worked out so when you use your phone to look at the side of the building, the sign will sit there and when you move, it stays anchored and doesn't float around.

What can people expect when they go on the tour?

People can go to the Historic Third Ward Association, 525 E. Chicago St., to get a copy of the map. We're also hoping to partner with other places in the Third Ward, like the Milwaukee Public Market, 400 N. Water St., so people spending time in the Third Ward can pick up a map to either take a walking tour of the signs or use the mobile link ( augmentedhistory.org ) when they come across the buildings.

Then, as you come up to one of the buildings on the map, you use your phone to scan the QR code for that building, and hold up your phone to the ghost sign, and it will overlay the image of what the sign used to look like.

Will there be more ghost sign tours in the future?

What's great about having this tour in the Third Ward is, in addition to so many ghost signs, people can get something to eat, go to the shops and the galleries, spend some time walking around and have a fun adventure.

We've had kind of tunnel vision on creating this experience and making it live, and now, after doing a soft launch, we're realizing how many people are really enthusiastic about this. A lot of people have told me about their passion for this art form, so we'd love to feed that passion as much as we can. And I've noticed there are a lot of ghost signs in the Fifth Ward as well. A part of me would love to expand the tour, and I do love the idea of finding other ghost signs in Milwaukee.

How do you explain your fascination with ghost signs?

I would never have called myself a history buff, but there's something about these signs. I look at them and then when I see what they used to look like, I think about that company and what they used to sell and what it used to be like.

Like one of the buildings had these two Rex Chocolates signs, which was this big chocolate manufacturer. When I was researching them, I found magazine and newspaper articles about them, then on eBay, I found some of their old candy tins. I love to see that there was this whole experience, this whole brand that few people know about now that used to be this giant of Milwaukee industry.

I've got to watch out. It's definitely a rabbit hole.