Frenchay facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Frenchay |
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 Frenchay
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| OS grid reference | ST640778 |
| Civil parish |
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| Unitary authority | |
| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | BRISTOL |
| Postcode district | BS16 |
| Dialling code | 0117 |
| Police | Avon and Somerset |
| Fire | Avon |
| Ambulance | Great Western |
| EU Parliament | South West England |
| UK Parliament |
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Frenchay is a village in South Gloucestershire, England. It's part of the wider Bristol area, located about 5 miles (8 km) northeast of Bristol city centre.
Frenchay was named a special "conservation area" in 1975. This means its unique old buildings and historic look are protected.
The village is located between the B4058 road and the wooded River Frome valley. To the north, the village meets the A4174 Avon ring road. Beyond this road is the Avon Green Belt, which is an area of protected countryside.
Frenchay has lots of green spaces, like the village common and paths along the River Frome. There's also a moor (a type of open land) owned by The National Trust. The Village Hall is a busy place for community events, and there's an annual flower show. Frenchay Park, a nearby area, is actually part of Bristol city.
Around November 2022, the village school moved to a new location closer to the hospital site that is now closed. The old school building was then closed.
Frenchay also gives its name to the Frenchay Campus of the University of the West of England. However, the campus itself is in the next village, Stoke Gifford.
Contents
Frenchay's Past: A Look Back in Time
Frenchay was first mentioned in records way back in 1257. It was called Fromscawe then, which later became Fromeshaw. This name means "the wood on the Frome," referring to the nearby River Frome.
Historic Buildings and Churches
Frenchay's biggest church is St John the Baptist Church. It's next to the large village common. Many beautiful 18th-century houses, built by wealthy Quaker families, overlook this common. These include the old Rectory, Bradford's House, and Frenchay Common House. The village school, built in 1842, also faces the common.
Frenchay also has a Catholic church, a Quaker Meeting House, and a Unitarian chapel. The Quaker Meeting House was the earliest place of worship, built in 1670 and replaced in 1809.
Cricket and Famous Players
Cricket has been played on Frenchay Common since the early 1800s. The Wadham family, who lived at Frenchay Manor House, helped start this tradition.
W.G. Grace, a very famous Victorian cricketer, lived in the nearby village of Downend. He was even the captain of the Frenchay village cricket team! The Frenchay Cricket Club, which is thought to be the first village club in the county, was started in 1846.
Chocolate and Glass Makers
Many Quaker merchants from Bristol made their homes in Frenchay. One famous resident was Joseph Storrs Fry. He was a Quaker chocolate maker who founded J S Fry & Sons. This company made the world's first commercially available chocolate bar! Joseph Fry moved to Grove House (now Riverwood House) in 1800. He passed away in 1835 and is buried behind the Quaker Meeting House.
Frenchay was also home to Frenchay Hospital. This hospital was greatly expanded during World War II to help the US Army. It treated many wounded soldiers returning from the D-Day landings in Normandy. In 2014, the hospital's services moved to Southmead Hospital in Bristol. The emergency services at Frenchay Hospital closed on May 19, 2014. The land where Frenchay Hospital once stood is now being used for new homes.
The Wadham Family of Frenchay Manor
The Wadham family played an important role in Frenchay's history. John Wadham (1762–1843) lived at Frenchay Manor House. He was a co-owner of a company that made Bristol blue glass. You can see examples of this glass in the Bristol Museum.
His son, Thomas Wadham (1797–1849), was the High Sheriff of Bristol in 1843. This was the same year that Isambard Kingdom Brunel launched his famous ship, SS Great Britain, in Bristol Harbour. Thomas Wadham and his son, Rev. John Wadham, helped set up the Winterbourne National School.
Thomas's son, Edward Wadham (1828–1913), was a civil engineer who worked with Brunel. He took his skills and his love of cricket to Barrow-in-Furness. From 1851 until his death, he helped turn a tiny village into a huge center for iron and steel, and a major shipbuilding area.
Well-Known People from Frenchay
- Peter Donald (born 1957), a cricketer.
- J.S Fry, an English chocolate maker who started the famous Fry family chocolate company.
- John Wadham (1762–1843), who helped make Bristol blue glass.
- W.G. Grace, the famous Victorian cricketer.
- Horace Gould, a British racing driver from Bristol.
- Nigel De Brulier, whose original name was Francis George Packer, a British actor.
Images for kids
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Frenchay Common, showing the historic Unitarian Chapel and old houses.
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Frenchay Manor House, a historic building that is now a care home.
See also
In Spanish: Frenchay para niños
