Chittening
Encyclopedia
Chittening is an industrial estate 2 miles north of Avonmouth
, Bristol
, England on the A403 road
, near the River Severn
. It lies within the Bristol city boundary.
. In the First World War a munitions factory was built on the site, where cylinders and shells were filled with chloropicrin
and, from June 1918, with mustard gas.
The industrial estate (or "trading estate") developed after the war, under the management of the Port of Bristol Authority
. In 1951 a factory producing carbon black
was built next to the estate, and operated until 2008 when its closure was announced.
Between 1917 and 1964 Chittening was served by Chittening Platform railway station
.
chitten ende, meaning "end [of a parish or estate] where there are the young of animals".
beside the Severn Estuary
, just to the west of the industrial estate. At low tide the mudflat
s there are visited by large numbers of birds, including Dunlin
, Eurasian Curlew
, Eurasian Oystercatcher
, Common Redshank
and Whimbrel
. In some winters there are large populations of field vole
s, which attract Short-eared Owl
s.
Avonmouth
Avonmouth is a port and suburb of Bristol, England, located on the Severn Estuary, at the mouth of the River Avon.The council ward of Avonmouth also includes Shirehampton and the western end of Lawrence Weston.- Geography :...
, Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
, England on the A403 road
A403 road
The A403 is a road in the United Kingdom that starts at junction 1 of the M48 at Aust and leads to Avonmouth in Bristol. It is important as a major route for the industries there, allowing easy travel access to Wales and South and East England....
, near the River Severn
River Severn
The River Severn is the longest river in Great Britain, at about , but the second longest on the British Isles, behind the River Shannon. It rises at an altitude of on Plynlimon, Ceredigion near Llanidloes, Powys, in the Cambrian Mountains of mid Wales...
. It lies within the Bristol city boundary.
History
Chittening was once a farm, historically in the parish of HenburyHenbury
Henbury is a suburb of Bristol, England, approximately 5 mi northwest of the city centre. It was formerly a village in Gloucestershire and is now bordered by Westbury-on-Trym to the south; Brentry to the east and the Blaise Castle estate Blaise Hamlet and Lawrence Weston to the west...
. In the First World War a munitions factory was built on the site, where cylinders and shells were filled with chloropicrin
Chloropicrin
Chloropicrin, also known as PS, is a chemical compound with the structural formula Cl3CNO2. This colourless highly toxic liquid was once used in chemical warfare and is currently used as a fumigant and nematocide.-History:...
and, from June 1918, with mustard gas.
The industrial estate (or "trading estate") developed after the war, under the management of the Port of Bristol Authority
Port of Bristol
The Port of Bristol comprises the commercial, and former commercial, docks situated in and near the city of Bristol in England. The Port of Bristol Authority was the commercial title of the Bristol City, Avonmouth, Portishead and Royal Portbury Docks when they were operated by Bristol City Council,...
. In 1951 a factory producing carbon black
Carbon black
Carbon black is a material produced by the incomplete combustion of heavy petroleum products such as FCC tar, coal tar, ethylene cracking tar, and a small amount from vegetable oil. Carbon black is a form of amorphous carbon that has a high surface-area-to-volume ratio, although its...
was built next to the estate, and operated until 2008 when its closure was announced.
Between 1917 and 1964 Chittening was served by Chittening Platform railway station
Chittening Platform railway station
Chittening Platform railway station was a station on the former Great Western Railway between Filton and Avonmouth.The station was opened on 5 March 1917 to serve a large government munitions factory at Chittening. The factory project was abandoned when the United States entered the First World...
.
Name
Chittening was first recorded in 1658 as Chitnend. The name apparently comes from the Middle EnglishMiddle English
Middle English is the stage in the history of the English language during the High and Late Middle Ages, or roughly during the four centuries between the late 11th and the late 15th century....
chitten ende, meaning "end [of a parish or estate] where there are the young of animals".
Chittening Warth
Chittening Warth is an area of salt marshSalt marsh
A salt marsh is an environment in the upper coastal intertidal zone between land and salt water or brackish water, it is dominated by dense stands of halophytic plants such as herbs, grasses, or low shrubs. These plants are terrestrial in origin and are essential to the stability of the salt marsh...
beside the Severn Estuary
Severn Estuary
The Severn Estuary is the estuary of the River Severn, the longest river in Great Britain. Its high tidal range means it has been at the centre of discussions in the UK regarding renewable energy.-Geography:...
, just to the west of the industrial estate. At low tide the mudflat
Mudflat
Mudflats or mud flats, also known as tidal flats, are coastal wetlands that form when mud is deposited by tides or rivers. They are found in sheltered areas such as bays, bayous, lagoons, and estuaries. Mudflats may be viewed geologically as exposed layers of bay mud, resulting from deposition of...
s there are visited by large numbers of birds, including Dunlin
Dunlin
The Dunlin, Calidris alpina, is a small wader, sometimes separated with the other "stints" in Erolia. It is a circumpolar breeder in Arctic or subarctic regions. Birds that breed in northern Europe and Asia are long-distance migrants, wintering south to Africa, southeast Asia and the Middle East...
, Eurasian Curlew
Eurasian Curlew
The Eurasian Curlew, Numenius arquata, is a wader in the large family Scolopacidae. It is one of the most widespread of the curlews, breeding across temperate Europe and Asia...
, Eurasian Oystercatcher
Eurasian Oystercatcher
The Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus, also known as the Common Pied Oystercatcher, or just Oystercatcher, is a wader in the oystercatcher bird family Haematopodidae. It is the most widespread of the oystercatchers, with three races breeding in western Europe, central Eurasia,...
, Common Redshank
Common Redshank
The Common Redshank or simply Redshank is an Eurasian wader in the large family Scolopacidae.- Description and systematics :...
and Whimbrel
Whimbrel
The Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus, is a wader in the large family Scolopacidae. It is one of the mostwidespread of the curlews, breeding across much of subarctic North America, Europe and Asia as far south as Scotland....
. In some winters there are large populations of field vole
Field Vole
The field vole or short-tailed vole, Microtus agrestis, is a grey-brown vole, around 110mm in length, with only a short tail. They are one of the most common mammals in Europe, ranging from the Atlantic coast to Lake Baikal. They are found in moist grassy habitats, such as woodland, marsh, or...
s, which attract Short-eared Owl
Short-eared Owl
The Short-eared Owl is a species of typical owl . In Scotland this species of owl is often referred to as a cataface, grass owl or short-horned hootlet. Owls belonging to genus Asio are known as the eared owls, as they have tufts of feathers resembling mammalian ears. These "ear" tufts may or may...
s.