Spike Island, Bristol facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Spike Island |
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 Spike Island
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| OS grid reference | ST 587 721 |
| Unitary authority | |
| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | BRISTOL |
| Postcode district | BS |
| Dialling code | 0117 |
| Police | Avon and Somerset |
| Fire | Avon |
| Ambulance | Great Western |
| EU Parliament | South West England |
| UK Parliament |
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Spike Island is a cool area in the city of Bristol, England. It's right next to the city center and has a busy harbor. It's a strip of land between two waterways: the Floating Harbour to the north and the River Avon's 'New Cut' to the south. This area stretches from the dock entrance in the west to Bathurst Basin in the east. Spike Island is part of the Cabot neighborhood in Bristol.
Contents
How Spike Island Was Made
Spike Island was made a long time ago, in the early 1800s! A clever engineer named William Jessop built the 'New Cut' waterway. He also turned the old path of the River Avon into what is now called the Floating Harbour.
Before World War II, Spike Island was truly an island! A special water gate, called a lock, connected Bathurst Basin to the New Cut. This meant water surrounded the area on all sides. But during the war, people worried that if this lock was bombed when the tide was low, all the water could drain out of the docks. To prevent this, the lock was filled in, and Spike Island became connected to the mainland.
What Spike Island Was Like
For many years, Spike Island was a busy place for ships and boats. It had working docks, places to build ships, and big warehouses. The Bristol Harbour Railway runs all the way along the island. This railway used to connect the busy dock areas to the main train network.
Spike Island Today
Today, Spike Island has changed a lot! Many of the old dock areas have been turned into modern homes. You can find cool apartments like Baltic Wharf and The Point right by the water. There are also some nice restaurants and popular pubs, like The Orchard Inn and The Cottage, where people can relax.
Cool Places to Visit
Many old buildings that were once part of the docks are now fun places to visit or learn something new. Here are some of them:
- Spike Island Artspace: This used to be a factory where tea was packed. Now, it's a place where artists have their studios and create amazing art.
- M Shed: This is Bristol's museum! It's in an old dockside building and tells the story of Bristol's past.
- Bristol Archives: Located in a building called B Bond Warehouse, this used to be a tobacco warehouse. Now, it keeps important historical records safe.
- SS Great Britain: You can visit Brunel's famous ship, the SS Great Britain! It's kept safe in the dry dock where it was first built.
- CREATE Centre: Also in B Bond Warehouse, this center focuses on ecological art and has an Ecohome to show how we can live in a greener way.
- Underfall Yard: This is a hub for businesses that work with boats and the sea. It also has a cool visitor center where you can learn and a café.
- Puppet Place: This place is all about puppets and animation! It helps businesses and artists who work with these fun art forms.
Other historic buildings have been turned into offices. These offices are home to small businesses, as well as legal and financial companies like Creditcall.
Future Plans
There are plans to build a new fast bus route along the path of the old harbor railway. This would make it easier and quicker for people to travel from Ashton Vale to the city center. The old steam railway would still be there for fun rides. If everything goes to plan, work could start soon!
