The Bristol Directory

Guide to Bristol

The City of Bristol’s current population is estimated to be around 433,100, with more than double that living in the Larger Urban Zone around the city’s central areas. This means Bristol comes is sixth on the list of England’s most populated cities, and eighth within the United Kingdom as a whole. As one of England’s ‘Core Cities’ it also finds itself as one of the most populous urban areas in the South West of the country.



Bristol first received a Royal Charter in 1155, and was granted the status of Ceremonial County some years later, in 1373. From the thirteenth century onwards, Bristol was at the forefront of England’s wealth and business, it remained in the top three rankings of English cities – based on tax receipts – for almost five hundred years. After London, Bristol competed with York and Norwich for second place in the list, until other rising cities in the country began to expand and challenge Bristol’s dominance. Liverpool, Birmingham and Manchester all enjoyed significant growth during the Industrial Revolution, and up to the final decades of the eighteenth century.

This historic city has borders with Somerset and Gloucestershire, and sits close to other sites of significance, such as Bath and Gloucester – both of which enjoy a rich past, steeped in England’s heritage. As with many long-standing cities, Bristol sprang up around a seaport, in this case the River Avon, and has a short coastline on the Severn Estuary – an outlet onto the Bristol Channel. This allowed the county to thrive in the centuries leading up to the Industrial Revolution, perfectly placed as it was for trade routes and exports.

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Over the passing ages, Bristol has earned itself a reputation for prosperity and culture, with thousands flocking there every year to enjoy the education and employment provided by sea-based industry. The Port of Bristol, has linked the city to the world for centuries, after having been relocated from the centre to the Royal Portbury Dock on the Estuary, but it’s not the only thing that Bristol bases it’s economy on; creative media has recently become a cornerstone of the city’s industry, as well as electronics and aerospace businesses. Only this year, Bristol was named an ‘enterprise zone’, in order to encourage smaller companies and economic growth within the city. There has also been a major regeneration of the Bristol Docks, to help with the area’s new image of a city built on heritage and culture.