Staple Hill, Gloucestershire facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Staple Hill |
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 A view of Page Park in Staple Hill |
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 Staple Hill
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| Population | 6,823 (census 2001) |
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| Unitary authority | |
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| 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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Staple Hill is a lively suburb near Bristol, England. It is located in an area called South Gloucestershire, which is part of the ceremonial county of Gloucestershire. You can find Staple Hill east of Fishponds, south of Downend, west of Mangotsfield, and north of Soundwell.
History of Staple Hill
The name 'Staple' comes from an old English word, stapol. This word meant a post or a marker for a boundary. So, Staple Hill might have been named after an old boundary marker.
Staple Hill started as a small village, or 'hamlet', in the 1800s. It was part of a larger area called Mangotsfield. Long ago, Staple Hill was inside a huge forest called Kingswood. Back then, royal laws made it hard for people to live in this 'Royal Forest'.
How Staple Hill Grew
Staple Hill began to grow more in the 1700s. By then, the old forest laws were not as strict. The wild animals that made the forest dangerous were also gone.
A big change happened in 1888 when the Midland Railway opened Staple Hill railway station. This station made it easy to travel directly to Bristol and Gloucester. You could also get to Bath using a special train line. To build the Bath line, engineers had to dig a long tunnel deep under Staple Hill.
After the railway came, Staple Hill grew a lot. It also got tram and bus links to Bristol. This meant people could live in Staple Hill and easily travel to work in Bristol or Bath. The train station closed in 1966.
For a short time, Staple Hill was a place for engineering. A company called Wilson and Sons Engineering built special motorcycles called Quasars here. These motorcycles were unique because the rider sat in a more relaxed, feet-forward position. Today, they are known as the first modern motorcycles with this design.
Staple Hill Today
Staple Hill has a busy main street with many shops. The buildings are mostly from the Victorian era. They often have fancy roof designs and decorative brickwork. The High Street is wide because trams used to run along it.
Page Park is a lovely local park. Volunteers from the community have worked hard to improve it in recent years. The park celebrated its 100th birthday in 2010.
Every year, on the first Saturday in December, Staple Hill hosts "Christmas on the Hill." During this event, the main street fills with music, stalls, treasure hunts, and performances. It's a fun way to celebrate the holidays.
The old railway line and station area have been turned into the Bristol & Bath Railway Path. This path is now a popular cycle route and part of the Sustrans National Cycle routes. Cyclists can even ride through the old Staple Hill tunnel, which was once used by trains.
Local Government
From 1927 to 1974, Staple Hill was part of the Mangotsfield Urban District. Then, from 1974 to 1996, it was part of Kingswood Borough. After 1996, it became part of South Gloucestershire.
Since April 1, 2023, Staple Hill has been part of the Staple Hill and Mangotsfield civil parish. The area also forms the Staple Hill ward within South Gloucestershire. In the elections on May 7, 2015, two Labour Party Councillors were elected for Staple Hill: Shirley Potts and Ian Boulton.
