}
Bristol Castle Demolished
In 1654 Oliver Cromwell, Lord Protector of England, authorised the demolition of Bristol Castle.
During the English Civil War (1642-1645), Bristol experienced punishing levels of taxation, forced labour and two bouts of bloody fighting. In 1647, Joshua Sprigge MA commented that
"Bristol looked now more like a prison than a city, and the people more like prisoners than citizens, being brought so low with taxations, so poor in habit, and so dejected in countenance, the streets so noisome, and the houses so nasty."
It was hardly surprising that the city fathers and general population were only too glad to comply with the demolition orders. In fact the Corporation was so delighted that it gave the messenger who brought Cromwell's letter a substantial gift of £4.
The demolition served both the Bristol Corporation and Parliament's purposes. Before the war, the Corporation profited from rent on houses within the castle itself and afterwards wanted compensation for lost income. Parliament meanwhile wanted to destroy all fortifications that could be used against it in the future.
After Cromwell approved the demolition, a Corporation committee oversaw the work and let the land for building. Many individuals took advantage of this and soon new streets and homes were springing up where the castle had once been. It might be argued that this redevelopment was the first major step in the city's post-war recovery.
During the English Civil War (1642-1645), Bristol experienced punishing levels of taxation, forced labour and two bouts of bloody fighting. In 1647, Joshua Sprigge MA commented that
"Bristol looked now more like a prison than a city, and the people more like prisoners than citizens, being brought so low with taxations, so poor in habit, and so dejected in countenance, the streets so noisome, and the houses so nasty."
It was hardly surprising that the city fathers and general population were only too glad to comply with the demolition orders. In fact the Corporation was so delighted that it gave the messenger who brought Cromwell's letter a substantial gift of £4.
The demolition served both the Bristol Corporation and Parliament's purposes. Before the war, the Corporation profited from rent on houses within the castle itself and afterwards wanted compensation for lost income. Parliament meanwhile wanted to destroy all fortifications that could be used against it in the future.
After Cromwell approved the demolition, a Corporation committee oversaw the work and let the land for building. Many individuals took advantage of this and soon new streets and homes were springing up where the castle had once been. It might be argued that this redevelopment was the first major step in the city's post-war recovery.