Lewin's Mead
Encyclopedia
Lewin's Mead is an area of Bristol
, England
, part of the city ward of Cabot
, in the historic centre of the city, lying just outside of the former medieval town walls. Several old buildings survive, including the Unitarian Chapel
constructed in the late 18th century, an old sugar house, now a hotel and restaurant and the ancient thoroughfare known as Christmas Steps. The 13th century St Bartholomew's Hospital
which became Bristol Grammar School
in the 16th century is situated at the bottom of Christmas Steps.
, from the Old English word mǣd, meaning meadow. It is not known who the original Lewin was. The area was situated outside the medieval city walls and was partly occupied by the estate of St Bartholomew's Hospital
and also by Greyfriars, Bristol
. Following the Dissolution of the Monasteries
in the sixteenth century, townhouses were built in the area and the buildings of St Bartholomew's Hospital became the home of Bristol Grammar School, where it remained until the late eighteenth century. In the late seventeenth century a Presbyterian Chapel, was established and then destroyed by a mob led by the attorney John Hellier, following the passage of the Conventicles Act 1670
, which forbade nonconformist
religious worship.
A sugar refinery, now the Hotel du Vin, was constructed in the eighteenth century to process molasses brought to Bristol as part of the Atlantic slave trade
. The Three Sugar Loaves pub at the bottom of Christmas Steps provides a reminder of this. In May 1755, London Morning Penny Post reported that thefts from the sugar house were so frequent that guards armed with cutlass
es had been placed on it. The most recent theft had been of 100 pounds (45.4 kg) of sugar, valued at 25 shilling
s.
In the eighteenth century a Unitarian chapel, the Lewin's Mead Unitarian meeting house
, designed by William Blackburn
, was built adjacent to the sugar refinery. At this time the state of the roads was poor. A report in Felix Farley's Bristol Journal in 1783 noted that the city jurors, responsible amongst other things for surveying the streets, reported that "the East end of Lewin's Mead, leading to Silver Street in the parish of St. James, is full of large, deep and dangerous Holes, which the Jurors find is occasioned by two old and rotten Houses, which they are informed have no Owners to pay for repairing the Street in Front of them." In the nineteenth century Lewin's Mead, at that time regarded as a slum, became the site for the first ragged school
founded by Mary Carpenter
, who was the daughter of the minister of the Unitarian Chapel, Lant Carpenter
.
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
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, part of the city ward of Cabot
Cabot, Bristol
Cabot is a council ward that covers the centre of Bristol. It gets its name from the Cabot Tower - a memorial tower on Brandon Hill that was built to commemorate John Cabot's voyage and "discovery" of North America.-Areas:...
, in the historic centre of the city, lying just outside of the former medieval town walls. Several old buildings survive, including the Unitarian Chapel
Lewin's Mead Unitarian meeting house
The Lewin's Mead Unitarian meeting house is a former Unitarian Chapel built in 1788–1791 on Lewin's Mead in Bristol, England.Designed in the Neoclassical style by William Blackburn, the Chapel was constructed on the site of a previous chapel, built in 1705...
constructed in the late 18th century, an old sugar house, now a hotel and restaurant and the ancient thoroughfare known as Christmas Steps. The 13th century St Bartholomew's Hospital
St Bartholomew's Hospital, Bristol
St Bartholomew's Hospital is at the bottom of Christmas Steps, in Lewin's Mead, Bristol, England.This 12th century town house was incorporated into a monastery hospital founded in 1240 by Sir John la Warr, 2nd Baron De La Warr , and became Bristol Grammar School from 1532 to 1767, and then Queen...
which became Bristol Grammar School
Bristol Grammar School
Bristol Grammar School is a co-educational independent school in Clifton, Bristol, England. The school was founded in 1532 by two brothers, Robert and Nicholas Thorne....
in the 16th century is situated at the bottom of Christmas Steps.
History
The name of the area, from the Old English word mǣd, meaning meadow., indicates that this was originally grassland adjacent to the river FromeRiver Frome, Bristol
The River Frome is a river, approximately long, which rises in Dodington Park, South Gloucestershire, and flows in a south westerly direction through Bristol, joining the former course of the river Avon in Bristol's Floating Harbour. The mean flow at Frenchay is The name Frome is shared with...
, from the Old English word mǣd, meaning meadow. It is not known who the original Lewin was. The area was situated outside the medieval city walls and was partly occupied by the estate of St Bartholomew's Hospital
St Bartholomew's Hospital, Bristol
St Bartholomew's Hospital is at the bottom of Christmas Steps, in Lewin's Mead, Bristol, England.This 12th century town house was incorporated into a monastery hospital founded in 1240 by Sir John la Warr, 2nd Baron De La Warr , and became Bristol Grammar School from 1532 to 1767, and then Queen...
and also by Greyfriars, Bristol
Greyfriars, Bristol
Greyfriars, in Bristol, England, was a Franciscan friary. The name Greyfriars derived from the grey robes worn by the friars. It was founded at some time before 1234, within the town walls and then moved to Lewin's Mead in 1250. The site included extensive gardens surrounded by a stone wall...
. Following the Dissolution of the Monasteries
Dissolution of the Monasteries
The Dissolution of the Monasteries, sometimes referred to as the Suppression of the Monasteries, was the set of administrative and legal processes between 1536 and 1541 by which Henry VIII disbanded monasteries, priories, convents and friaries in England, Wales and Ireland; appropriated their...
in the sixteenth century, townhouses were built in the area and the buildings of St Bartholomew's Hospital became the home of Bristol Grammar School, where it remained until the late eighteenth century. In the late seventeenth century a Presbyterian Chapel, was established and then destroyed by a mob led by the attorney John Hellier, following the passage of the Conventicles Act 1670
Conventicles Act 1670
The Conventicles Act 1670 is an Act of the Parliament of England with the long title "An Act to prevent and suppress Seditious Conventicles." The Act imposed a fine on any person who attended a conventicle of five shillings for the first offence and ten shillings for a second offence...
, which forbade nonconformist
Nonconformism
Nonconformity is the refusal to "conform" to, or follow, the governance and usages of the Church of England by the Protestant Christians of England and Wales.- Origins and use:...
religious worship.
A sugar refinery, now the Hotel du Vin, was constructed in the eighteenth century to process molasses brought to Bristol as part of the Atlantic slave trade
Atlantic slave trade
The Atlantic slave trade, also known as the trans-atlantic slave trade, refers to the trade in slaves that took place across the Atlantic ocean from the sixteenth through to the nineteenth centuries...
. The Three Sugar Loaves pub at the bottom of Christmas Steps provides a reminder of this. In May 1755, London Morning Penny Post reported that thefts from the sugar house were so frequent that guards armed with cutlass
Cutlass
A cutlass is a short, broad sabre or slashing sword, with a straight or slightly curved blade sharpened on the cutting edge, and a hilt often featuring a solid cupped or basket shaped guard...
es had been placed on it. The most recent theft had been of 100 pounds (45.4 kg) of sugar, valued at 25 shilling
Shilling
The shilling is a unit of currency used in some current and former British Commonwealth countries. The word shilling comes from scilling, an accounting term that dates back to Anglo-Saxon times where it was deemed to be the value of a cow in Kent or a sheep elsewhere. The word is thought to derive...
s.
In the eighteenth century a Unitarian chapel, the Lewin's Mead Unitarian meeting house
Lewin's Mead Unitarian meeting house
The Lewin's Mead Unitarian meeting house is a former Unitarian Chapel built in 1788–1791 on Lewin's Mead in Bristol, England.Designed in the Neoclassical style by William Blackburn, the Chapel was constructed on the site of a previous chapel, built in 1705...
, designed by William Blackburn
William Blackburn
William Blackburn was the leading prison architect of the Georgian Era. Following the principles of John Howard, his designs aimed to provide inmates with dry and airy cells....
, was built adjacent to the sugar refinery. At this time the state of the roads was poor. A report in Felix Farley's Bristol Journal in 1783 noted that the city jurors, responsible amongst other things for surveying the streets, reported that "the East end of Lewin's Mead, leading to Silver Street in the parish of St. James, is full of large, deep and dangerous Holes, which the Jurors find is occasioned by two old and rotten Houses, which they are informed have no Owners to pay for repairing the Street in Front of them." In the nineteenth century Lewin's Mead, at that time regarded as a slum, became the site for the first ragged school
Ragged school
Ragged Schools were charitable schools dedicated to the free education of destitute children in 19th century England. The schools were developed in working class districts of the rapidly expanding industrial towns...
founded by Mary Carpenter
Mary Carpenter
Mary Carpenter was an English educational and social reformer. The daughter of a Unitarian minister, she founded a ragged school and reformatories, bringing previously unavailable educational opportunities to poor children and young offenders in Bristol.She published articles and books on her work...
, who was the daughter of the minister of the Unitarian Chapel, Lant Carpenter
Lant Carpenter
Lant Carpenter, Dr. was an English educator and Unitarian minister.Lant Carpenter was born in Kidderminster, the third son of George Carpenter and his wife Mary ....
.