Dower House and Stoke Park, Bristol

Emily

Usually at this time of the year we are hiding from the winter cold. However with England being in yet another lockdown, we are embracing it and exploring more of the outdoors. Even if it does rain!

Always smiling when there’s a coffee in hand!

On a blustery Sunday, my sister and I grabbed a very large coffee and went for a stroll around Stoke Park. Usually I like to avoid crowds… and people in general really (I’m a shy introvert 😅) but at this time, it’s really nice seeing everyone out and about. We hear so much doom and gloom from the media, so to see people enjoying themselves was a welcome sight.

Dower House was built by Sir Richard Berkeley in 1553 and overlooks the vast greenery that is Stoke Park. In it’s life time it has served as a grand home, hospital and psychiatric hospital. Today it has been converted into luxury apartments. I don’t know about you but I would love to go snooping inside. (I think it would make a great air bnb!)

This is one of Bristol’s most recognisable buildings, with it’s unique yellow exterior, it’s not hard to miss the Dower House. This was our first time visiting which is silly really, as I drive past it every fortnight on the M32.

Not only home to the residents of Dower House and the various wild life, legend says the park is supposedly home to a spirit. This is thought to be the ghost of Lady Ann Elizabeth Somerset who unfortunately died at age 17 when her horse shied. People have reported hearing disembodied galloping and the sound of a horse’s neigh and of course a woman in white (it’s always a woman in white!) Of course we didn’t see or hear any ghosts… but there’s always next time. 😄

Lady Ann Elizabeth Somerset monument
The rain got us in the end!

Once across Stoke Park we found the telecommunications tower. Its a bit of an eye sore but another one of Bristol’s most recognisable architectures. I think it looks like some sort of spaceship., what do you think?

Up here you can see all across the city. It’s an incredible view and totally worth the walk. There’s also loads of old shipping containers that are covered in colourful graffiti, which is another thing Bristol is best known for and makes our city so unique.

She’s regretting not wearing a jacket with a hood
This was extremely slippery

Hope you’re all staying safe, healthy and looking after one another 😊

Published by Emily

A strong love and passion for travel, dogs, coffee, dogs and motorbikes. Yes, I did say dogs twice.

15 Comments

  3. What a great day out and a lovely walk, shame about the weather. Stoke Park looks huge and well worth a visit, maybe next time we’re there. Great photos.

    Like

    Reply

  5. Hello Emily.
    So nice to see a post from my home town Bristol. I know Stoke park very well, I worked on the building of the hospital when I was an apprentice plumbing and heating engineer, then later on the university when I was self employed. You described the mansion very well and took some great photos, bringing back memories of when I used to go fishing in the lake called Duchess’s pond as a teenager. Not far from there I can remember there being coal mines at harry Stoke and Stoke Gifford. I think that’s why they are all called Stoke something, due to coal. Nice post thanks.

    Like

    Reply

  6. Hi Emily,

    Great to hear from you and your adventures. Ghosts next time. Maybe your “spaceship” is just a crashed and waiting to be explored.

    Have a Merry Christmas,

    Gary

    On Sat, Dec 5, 2020 at 6:49 AM The Blog of Travel wrote:

    > Emily posted: ” Usually at this time of the year we are hiding from the > winter cold. However with England being in yet another lockdown, we are > embracing it and exploring more of the outdoors. Even if it does rain! > Always smiling when there’s a coffee in hand! On” >

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

      1. Emily. Sorry my messages haven’t been coming through. How are you. I bought your book. Would it show up on my Kindle. Also would you like to do a book review exchange? My e-book is 99cents and I would love and Amazon and Good reads review. Let me know.

        Like

        Reply

  7. Nothing unique about graffiti. Visitors think it is so cool and edgy but local residents hate it. Fine when it’s in someone elses neighbourhood but not so nice when it’s in your own, often accompanied by weed and all the other attributes offered by wasters. Bristol is a slum and getting worse each year.

    Like

    Reply

Leave a comment