Oh, the place's you'll go!

I thought that before I leave the states it might be fun for me to post some history about the city that I will soon be calling home.

Bristol has been a port for a thousand years but came to prominence after the Norman invasion of 1066. By the 14th century, the city was trading with Spain, Portugal, the Mediterranean and Iceland. After the discovery of America, Bristol was the main point of departure for voyages to the New World.

In the mid-18th century, Bristol was England's second city. The country was flooded with goods imported via Bristol from the New World. Around this time, merchants began to build their homes away from the docks in areas such as Clifton. The beautiful Georgian houses of this area are a legacy of these times.

By the 19th century, Bristol's fortunes as a port were on the wane. The Avon's extreme tides left many ships dangerously marooned, and its bends caused great problems for the navigators of the new, bigger merchant ships.

The aerospace industry has also had a base in Bristol since its early days when the Bristol Aeroplane Company was founded at Filton in 1910.

Modern Bristol is one of the most popular British cities for business relocation and a major focus for media and new technology. The years to come will see a tremendous program of redevelopment and investment to secure Bristol's place as one of the most striking and beautiful waterfront cities in Europe.