Buildings are among the crucial features that define a city. They create the cityscape and form the horizon while, at a more personal level, they provide the homes for its citizens, their places of education, worship, entertainment, arts and commerce.

Bristol can be found in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. Although it was never a Roman settlement, the city attracted the Normans who built a large castle, of which some small fragments remain. The destruction of the castle reflects the dramatic changes that have taken place to the city’s architecture over time, whether through redevelopment or bomb damage during the Second World War. Despite the transformation of its urban landscape through the ages, important architectural remnants of Bristol’s past remain, revealing the history of its trade, its residents and its significance to the nation as a whole.

In Bristol in 50 Buildings, local historian Cynthia Stiles discusses some of the city’s major landmarks and lesser-known treasures, including the New Room, Courage Brewery and Wills Memorial Building, and explores how they’ve played a part in shaping the city’s fortunes. Bristol’s architectural hodgepodge of buildings, from lowly dwellings to lofty towers, is investigated and celebrated in this fascinating book.

All of these buildings and many more are covered in this fascinating book: their history and the role they play today in one of England’s leading cities provide an enthralling historical narrative for the Bristol of yesterday and of today.

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