Downend is an affluent residential outer suburb of
Bristol
Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city in ...
, England, the housing stock is typically terraced Victorian, 1930s and 1950s semi-detached and detached. It is in the
South Gloucestershire
South Gloucestershire is a unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of Gloucestershire, South West England. Towns in the area include Yate, Chipping Sodbury, Thornbury, Filton, Patchway and Bradley Stoke, the latter three forming part ...
local district, located to the northeast of Bristol and bordered by the Bristol City suburb of
Fishponds
Fishponds is a large suburb in the north-east of the English city of Bristol, about from the city centre. It has two large Victorian-era parks: Eastville Park and Vassall's Park (once the Vassall Family estate, also known as Oldbury Court). ...
, and the South Gloucestershire suburbs of
Staple Hill,
Frenchay
Frenchay is a village in the County of South Gloucestershire, England, and the Civil Parish of Winterbourne. It is on the outskirts to the north east of the city of Bristol.
Frenchay was first recorded in 1257 as ''Fromscawe'' and later as '' ...
,
Mangotsfield
Mangotsfield is an urban area and former village in the unitary authority area of South Gloucestershire, in the ceremonial county of Gloucestershire, England, to the north-east of Bristol.
The village was mentioned in the Domesday Book in 1086 ...
, and
Emersons Green
Emersons Green is a suburb of Bristol and parish in the unitary authority of South Gloucestershire. Sitting 7 miles northeast of Bristol, England. It was developed from farming land during the 1990s and early 21st century, and sits within the hi ...
.
On 19 January 2020 ''The Sunday Times'' ran an article which named Downend as one of the UK's best suburbs.
Downend forms, with the suburb of Bromley Heath, the
civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a type of administrative parish used for local government. It is a territorial designation which is the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties, or their combined form, the unitary authority ...
of Downend and Bromley Heath, created in 2003.
Governance
An
electoral ward
A ward is a local authority area, typically used for electoral purposes. In some countries, wards are usually named after neighbourhoods, thoroughfares, parishes, landmarks, geographical features and in some cases historical figures connected to t ...
in the same name exists. The total population of the ward at the
2011 census was 10,785.
Downend residents are represented by the
Mayor of the West of England
The Mayor of the West of England is the directly elected mayor responsible for the strategic government of the West of England, including planning, transport and skills. For this purpose the West of England is defined as the local authority area ...
,
Dan Norris
Dan Norris (born 28 January 1960) is a British Labour Party politician serving as the Mayor of the West of England since May 2021. He previously served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Wansdyke from 1997 to 2010.
Norris served in governm ...
.
Notable residents
W. G. Grace
William Gilbert Grace (18 July 1848 – 23 October 1915) was an English amateur cricketer who was important in the development of the sport and is widely considered one of its greatest players. He played first-class cricket for a record-equal ...
, the cricketer, was born at Downend House on North Street.
The house overlooks the ground of Downend Cricket Club.
Olympic bronze medal winner
Jenny Jones (snowboarder)
Jenny Jones (born 3 July 1980) is a British professional snowboarder who became the first Briton to win an Olympic medal in a snow event after winning bronze in slopestyle at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.
Early life
Jones was born in Dow ...
was also born in Downend.
See also
*
Downend air crash
The Downend air crash occurred on 6 November 1957 when a prototype Bristol Britannia aircraft crashed in woods near Overndale Road in Downend, a suburb of Bristol, England, on its landing approach at Filton airport during a test flight. All ...
References
External links
Downend School WebsiteRotary Club of Fishponds & DownendDownend Round TableDownend & Bromley Heath Parish Council Website
{{Bristol
Areas of Bristol
South Gloucestershire District