History

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The common is perhaps the most enduring part of Horfield. Although its boundaries have altered slightly, and its surroundings changed markedly, the common has always existed in Horfield. From the earliest times the common has been divided into the North Common, the area east of the church, and the South or Church common.

In the past there were several ponds or springs located on the common between Golden Hill (currently Tesco) and the garages near Highfield Grove. This supply of water was vital to early settlers. These ponds failed over time or were filled in as the area was developed. Although they no longer exist, the area still gets very wet and boggy when it rains, a legacy of what the area was like in the past. Quab Farm existed in this area of the common, to the south-east of Horfield Castle. ‘Quab’ according to the Oxford English Dictionary means ‘a marshy area, a bog,’ and is also recorded as the name for a freshwater fish. Again, these names give an indication of the geography of the common in times past. Interestingly Highfield Grove was originally going to be named Quab Road-it is a shame that the name has not endured.

In 1841, at the time of the Tithe Survey in Horfield, the common was owned by John Shadwell the current Lord of the Manor, as it had been the property of the previous Lords of the Manor throughout history. Shadwell died in 1849, bringing an end to the manorial system, and his estate became the property of James Henry Monk, the then Bishop. Although Monk was entitled to considerable wealth from this property, he donated much of his landed interest in Horfield, including the common, to a newly founded Horfield Trust, in 1852. Monk hoped that the land could be used to provide income for the diocese through housing development and agriculture. Horfield Common was later sold to Bristol City Council on the 4th October 1908 for £400. 

There have been changes to the boundaries of the common throughout history, although it has largely stayed the same. An acre of common land was purchased for the construction of a parsonage by agreement of the commoners in 1823, it was completed in 1825. Mr Shadwell donated £50 to the parsonage so that the roof could be slated. In 1828 Henry Richards acquired ’28 perches’ (0.18 acres) beside the churchyard to build a school. This was again taken out of the common lands at a cost of £14. Residents had also tried to secure property by enclosing some of the common land, such as William Matthews in 1809. The 5 ½ acre estate formerly known as Poplar Cottage was acquired by the city council in 1921 and was turned over to the common and the Ardagh constructed.

In addition to these small changeovers of land, the building of new roads also changed the common. Kellaway Avenue was built after the First World War and diminished the area of the common significantly enough to have part of a field turned over to common in way of compensation (this is now the part of the common bounded by Kellaway Avenue and Kellaway Crescent). 

 The condition of the Gloucester Road was improved by order of the Bristol Roads Act of 1727. Although it took no land away from the common, the increase in traffic it caused led to changes in the traditional usage of the common – the gates which normally enclosed the common were quickly done away with, and tenants were forbidden to keep dunghills and stacks of tree trunks on the common.

As was the case with common land, it was available for use by local tenants. Largely the common was used for grazing animals, although it was used for other purposes as well, such as keeping stacks of tree trunks and dunghills. Commoners were allowed to let their rights of common for an annual sum of £1 10s. A Hayward could be appointed by the commoners whose duty it was to warn off trespassers, including those playing games on or riding over the common, and also to summon these people if the warnings didn’t deter them. The common provided valuable additional grazing for 9 months of the year. It was closed, or ‘hained’, between 2nd February and 3rd May to allow the grass to recover. The number of animals allowed to graze on the common per farm was restricted. Each farm had a ‘stint’ which permitted one horse, or two cows, or three yearlings (young horses of 1-2 years old). Animals which exceeded the ‘stint’ were treated as ‘strayers’ and locked in the common pound, released only upon payment of a fine. The Hayward was also entrusted with enforcing this system.  Dennis Wright has calculated that ‘given the number of farms in the parish, up to 54 yearling beasts may have been grazing on the common in the summer of 1736.’ He also discovered that there was some parish rivalry over common land in Filton and Horfield. Geese and pigs kept on the common were contentious, and in 1835 both were banned altogether from grazing on the common.

These traditional rights of common had been in use for centuries. However, as the environment in Horfield changed, and the roads were improved, the uses of the common and the attitudes towards it changed, so that today the common is largely used for play and sporting activities.

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• Wright, D. Population in Horfield 1066-1851. Bishopston, Horfield and Ashley Down Local History Society Research Group Paper 1. Bristol: BHADLHS, November 2005.

• Wright, D. 'Horfield Common' in The Horfield Tithe Survey 1841, by Andy Buchan, John Hyde and Denis Wright. Bishopston, Horfield & Ashley Down Local History Society, Research Group Paper 2. Bristol: BHADLHS, November 2006.