BRISTOL, England, a city and seaport, situated partly in Gloucestershire, partly in Somerset, but forming a county in itself. It stands on the confluence of the rivers Avon and From; whence the Avon pursues a course of nearly seven miles to the Severn. The Avon is a navigable river and the tide rises in it to a great height. Bristol is '118 miles due west from London, or three hours by rail. It stands partly on a number of eminences, partly on the lower ground at their foot. The manufacturing and business parts are on the lower levels., while the hills are now almost wholly covered with private houses. The districts of Clifton, Redland and Cotham, situated within the limits of the borough and in the midst of charming scenery, are studded with mansions and villas, the attractions of these portions of the city being greatly increased by the Clifton and Durdham Downs. The bed of the river Avon is situated about 315 feet below the summit of Clifton Down, from which a handsome suspen sion bridge is thrown across the river, uniting the two counties. Its length from the centres of the piers is 703 feet, its height above high water mark 245 feet.
Area.— By the Boundaries Extension Bill of 1904 the city covered an area of 17,004 acres. The area of the present county borough is 17, 460 acres, and according to the census of 1911 it had a population of 357,048. In 1915 the pop ulation was estimated at 363,312, with a rat able value of f1,862,522 ($9,312,610). As com pared with the period of the Municipal Cor porations Reform Act of 1835 when the area was increased from 755 to 4,461 acres, it will be seen that the size of the city has increased nearly fourfold in less than three-quarters of a century.
Geology.— The geological features of Bristol are of varied interest. Within a radius of five miles a complete series of rocks from the upper part of the old red sandstone to the top of the coal measures, and from the new red sandstone to the inferior oolite, is directly accessible to study in numerous quarries and the fine cliffs of the Avon Gorge. The geology of Bristol may be studied in the 'Memoirs of the Geological Survey for 1876> in Sanders's Geological Map of Bristol, and in the Geolog ical Survey Maps.
Churches, Hospitals, Etc.— Bristol is rich in ancient architecture, both ecclesiastical and domestic. The cathedral, founded in 1142, was originally an abbey church. It exhibits various styles of architecture, the chapter house and its vestibule being Norman-, the Lady chapel early English; the chancel and choir, the Berkeley and Newton chapels decorated; the graining of the transepts, the central tower and clois ters perpendicular. The nave, its aisles and western towers are modern additions, having been erected at intervals since 1865. There are several •fine old churches, but they are all ex celled by Saint Mary Redcliffe, perhaps the finest parish church in the kingdom. It is commonly said to have been founded by Simon de Burton, about 1293, but part of it is con siderably older than this and is believed to be as old as 1200. It is cruciform, with western tower and spire 285 feet. The western door is the principal entrance, but there are also porches on the northern and southern sides. The south porch, the south transept, the tower and much of the lower part of the church be long to the decorated style, and the exterior of the north porch is an excellent specimen of it, the interior being very beautiful early Eng lish. The remainder of the church, including the Clerestory, is of the Perpendicular Period. William Camynge, five times mayor of Bristol, whose name is so prominent in the Chatterton controversy, is said to have restored this church about 1445-47. Other churches worthy of men tion are Temple Church, with its leaninower; M Saint Stephen's, All-Saints', Saint Mary-le Port, Saint Phillip's, Saint James and Saint John. Under the tower of this last church was one of the entrances to the ancient city of Bristol, and the gateway still exists. The Independents, Baptists and Wesleyans have some noteworthy chapels. The Roman Catholics have a pro cathedral in Clifton and several chapels and convents ; altogether between 200 and 300 sep arate buildings in the city are dedicated to the cause of Christianity.