Downend, South Gloucestershire

Downend is a residential suburb of Greater Bristol, England, the housing stock is typically terraced Victorian, 1930s and 1950s semi-detached and detached. It is in the South Gloucestershire local district, located to the northeast of Bristol and bordered by the Bristol City suburb of Fishponds, and the South Gloucestershire suburbs of Staple Hill, Frenchay, Mangotsfield, and Emersons Green. The community was formerly part of the parish of Mangotsfield.[1] On 19 January 2020 The Sunday Times ran an article which named Downend as one of the UK's best suburbs.[2]

Downend
The old vicarage, typical late-19th-century architecture of Downend
Downend is located in Gloucestershire
Downend
Downend
Location within Gloucestershire
Population12,716 (2021)
OS grid referenceST650774
Civil parish
  • Downend and Bromley Heath
Unitary authority
Ceremonial county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townBRISTOL
Postcode districtBS16
Dialling code0117
PoliceAvon and Somerset
FireAvon
AmbulanceSouth Western
UK Parliament
List of places
UK
England
Gloucestershire
51°29′41″N 2°30′18″W / 51.4947°N 2.5049°W / 51.4947; -2.5049

Downend forms, with the suburb of Bromley Heath, the civil parish of Downend and Bromley Heath, created in 2003.[3]

Downend war memorial

Governance

edit

An electoral ward in the same name exists. The total population of the ward at the 2011 census was 10,785.[4]

Downend residents are represented by the Mayor of the West of England, Dan Norris.[5]

Notable residents

edit
 
A mural of W. G. Grace in Downend

W. G. Grace, the cricketer, was born at Downend House on North Street.[6] The house overlooks the ground of Downend Cricket Club.

Olympic bronze medal winner Jenny Jones (snowboarder) was also born in Downend.

Edward Hodges Baily sculptor of Nelson's column.

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ Jones, Arthur Emlyn (1899). Our Parish: Mangotsfield, including Downend. A Brief Account of its Origin and History. Bristol: W. F. Mack and Co.
  2. ^ ""UK's best suburbs: where to live in London, Bristol, Newcastle and more"". The Sunday Times. 19 January 2020.
  3. ^ "The history of D&BH Parish Council". Downend & Bromley Heath Parish Council. Archived from the original on 31 January 2018. Retrieved 29 January 2018.
  4. ^ "Ward population 2011". Retrieved 19 March 2015.
  5. ^ "Elections 2021: Labour's Dan Norris gains West of England mayor seat". BBC News. 8 May 2021.
  6. ^ "DOWNEND HOUSE - 1116188 Historic England". Historic England. Retrieved 6 July 2016.
edit