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Old Photographs of Troopers Hill
Set A - by Vernon
Entrance E - 1984 & 1985


12 Aug 1984 Then and Now - Click on dates to change view 01 Sept 2006

The 12th August 1984 photo was taken by Vernon to record the disapearance of a famous Bristol landmark. Sadly one fine sunny morning the last St Annes Board Mills' chimney was demolished. Vernon managed to capture the moment as this 300 feet giant fell.

The photo also clearly shows the hill and it can be compared with the shot taken from more or less the same spot on 1st September 2006. The most noticeable feature is that there is much more grass visible in the earlier shot. There was no broom visible in 1984 and very little bracken. The hawthorn has also grown but has not spread very far.


12 Aug 1984 Then and Now - Click on dates to change view 01 Sept 2006

Another photograph from Vernon's collection again from the 12th August 1984 and showing the large crowd that gathered at 10am on a Sunday morning to watch the demolition. Set H shows a photo taken from that view point.

In the same view taken on 1st September 2006 it is again noticable that there is now less grassland visible. A large area of gorse has grown in the centre on the picture, which now hides more of the chimney. Below and to the right of the gorse an area of broom has appeared which is now being choked with bramble. On the left of the 1984 photograph you can just see the right side of a lone hawthorn tree; in 2006 this is surounded by a large area of bramble. This is the tree that can be seen in photograph No 20 of the photographic survey and was burnt in 1995. The tree and bramble were removed as part of the management works in early 2007 in order to restore this area to grassland.

It is also noticeable that to the left of the chimney the skyline in 2006 is defined by the tops of the trees in Crews Hole Woodland, rather that the outline of the hill as it was in 1984.


17 Aug 1985 Then and Now - Click on dates to change view 01 Sept 2006

Above is another view of the same part of the hill from a different angle. This balloon landed on Troopers Hill on 17th August 1985 and again Vernon had his camera to hand. Set H has a photo of this ballon just before it landed taken from the top of the hill.

The growth of the gorse and the bramble around the hawthorn tree can both be seen again in the 2006 shot. The steps and fence were not installed until 1991 so in 1985 the hill was open to the road. There was an area of heather at what is now the top of the steps, this area is now mostly covered by bracken with some bramble and broom.


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