Philip Halling · CC BY-SA 2.0 Why visit
Clifton Suspension Bridge is worth allowing time for because it combines a structure whose engineering, design and relationship with its surroundings can be read on site. The site is more useful than a quick photograph: its surviving features give clear evidence of how the place developed and how people used it. Key things to concentrate on are key structural details, the building’s relationship with the surrounding streetscape or landscape and historic urban setting. Its position in or near Bristol also makes it a practical anchor for exploring the surrounding region without reducing the visit to a simple landmark stop.
What you will see
- key structural details.
- the building’s relationship with the surrounding streetscape or landscape.
- historic urban setting.
History
Isambard Kingdom Brunel designed the bridge for the Avon Gorge; construction began in the 1830s and the completed suspension bridge opened in 1864, after Brunel’s death.
Photographs
Philip Halling · CC BY-SA 2.0 · full attribution on the image credits page.
Visitor tips
- 1
Allow enough time for the principal features rather than treating the stop only as a photograph.
- 2
Check the official visitor page shortly before travel for access, booking and any temporary restrictions.
About South West England
Prehistoric monuments, Georgian Bath, Bristol engineering, the Jurassic Coast, Cornwall and the moorland national parks.
Open the United Kingdom guide
