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Messages are welcome on any subject relating to Troopers Hill Local Nature Reserve; the surrounding area of St George and Crews Hole or any of Bristol's Parks and Green Spaces.


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Dick Best

Fiji.   S. Pacific


Apr 4, 07 - 9:17 AM
Sewage Works ! !

Hello All. Bit off-subject I'm afraid but I wonder if anyone knows anything about the old sewage works that existed on the slope between Conham Hill down to the river. In 1937 or thereabouts it was long disused and overgrown so I wonder when it was constructed and eventually closed down. I would guess that maybe it was fed by gravity from the Hanham area and the output in pretty "unimproved" state went straight into the Avon.
There was and possibly still is a track/steps leading from Conham Hill down to the river alongside the installation.
Dick Best.
Rob

BS5


Apr 10th, 2007 - 9:01 PM
Re: Sewage Works ! !

Hi Dick,

I have just picked up on your messages - I was away on holiday last week.
Dave Stephenson and other members of the Barton Hill History Group published a book about Crews Hole, St George and Speedwell in 2003. It included a photograph taken at the opening of the Sewage Works. The caption states:
"Built on the site of Bultler's football pitch and part of Conham Hall land, Conham sewage works opened in 1937. It served the southern part of Kingswood until 1968 when the sewer was extended to Avonmouth"
The sewer to Avonmouth is the large pipe that can be seen running alongside the river further towards Hanham and actually crosses under the corner of Troopers Hill LNR near the lower chimney before continuing under the river path towards Netham.
The sewage works is also refered to in the book produced by Butlers in 1953 to mark 110 years since the company was founded. It says:
"Owing to the rapid development of housing in the neighbourhood of the Crews Hole Works, the Kingswood and Warmley Councils compulsorily purchased a very important and large piece of land belonging to the Company at Conham, for the purpose of installing a sewage scheme. This land, on the banks of the River Avon, had been developed for very many years by the Company in using it as a tip and, by so doing, they had raised the land well above flood level. The action of these Councils restricted the rapidly developing Works and necessitated a considerable amount of re-arrangement of the operations."
Butlers were obviously not very happy about it!
The steps you refer to are still there. The whole area is still own by the council (now South Gloucestershire) and is now part of the Avon Valley Woodlands Local Nature Reserve.
Dick Best

Fiji.   S. Pacific


Apr 11th, 2007 - 9:24 AM
Re: Sewage Works ! !

Hello Rob. I think we're getting our sewage works confused ! ! I can remember the one that opened in 1937 as I was ten years old then and was intrigued by the sprinklers slowly rotating.

No, the works I am querying are found (?) by turning
left just after the point where the river commences the
big loop and going up Conham Hill. I think it was nearly at the top where the road levels off that there was a track/steps off to the right and there on the slopes was
the remains of what was presumably the old sewage works and they were long derelict in 1937. Going down the steps brought you out to the river at a point some 200 to 300 yards further upstream from the Beese's ferry.
Dick.
Rob

BS5


Apr 11th, 2007 - 8:27 PM
Re: Sewage Works ! !

Dick,

Sorry I obviously didn't read your first post carefully enough!
The sewage works you are talking about is shown on the 1917 OS map, but was not there on the 1890 one.
In 1917 it is marked as 'Sewage Works (Kingswood UDC)'.
If it had been out of use for sometime in 1937 when the new works opened the obvious question is what was happening to the sewage in the meantime - probably best not to ask!


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