Charlton, Bristol facts for kids
Charlton was once a small village or a large group of houses in Gloucestershire, England. It had a special church called Bethel Chapel and a Sunday School. The village was taken down in the late 1940s. Today, where Charlton used to be, you'll find part of the old runway and safety areas of the former Bristol Filton Airport. Charlton was located between Filton and an area now known as Cribbs Causeway, which is a big shopping and business spot just north of Bristol. North of the village were fields and a deer park called Over Court, which is now the Bristol Golf Club.
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A Look Back at Charlton Village
Charlton was part of a larger area called Henbury. In 1870, about 425 people lived in Charlton, in 88 houses. From 1910 to 1915, a small train stop called Charlton Halt served the village. It was on the Henbury Loop railway, just south of Charlton.
In 1935, Charlton became part of a different area called Almondsbury. The B4057 road ran right through the village. Charlton had farmhouses, a pub called the Carpenters Arms, a post office, some large houses, and a few smaller cottages.
Why Charlton Was Demolished
In the late 1940s, most of Charlton village was taken down. This was to make space for a longer runway at Filton Airfield. The runway needed to be much longer for a huge new airplane called the Bristol Brabazon.
The government bought the homes from the residents. They paid a fair price for the houses. They also offered new homes in council housing in Patchway. Many people chose to move to Patchway to stay close to their friends and community.
What Happened to the Site After Charlton
Filton Airfield, which later became Bristol Filton Airport, was used until the end of 2012. Even though the big Brabazon airplane project was stopped in 1953, the longer runway was still very useful.
It helped with building other planes like the Britannia. It also allowed Vulcan V bombers to be moved to Filton during the Cuban Missile Crisis. The famous Concorde supersonic airliners also took off from here after they were built at Filton. The runway was also used for testing new engines and for repairing large planes like the General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark and Vickers VC10.
Today, there are plans for a new development called New Charlton. It will be built on the site of the old runway extension, where the village once stood. This new area will be between Patchway and Cribbs Causeway.
How the Name "Charlton" Lives On
Even though the village is gone, the name "Charlton" is still used in the area.
- Charlton Common is a public park south of where the village used to be.
- Charlton Road was a path that led from Passage Road to the village.
- Charlton Lane came from Henbury and Brentry.
In the 1970s, a new housing area called Charlton Mead was built. It is on the south side of Filton Airfield, near Southmead. In 2009, another new development was named Charlton Hayes. This is on the north side of Filton Airfield, at Patchway.
