Car Rental Bristol

History:

Several English rulers granted charters to Bristol but the most important was that of 1373. In this year Edward III granted a Great Charter of Liberties to the mayor and burgesses giving the borough county status in its own right. This made a tremendous difference to the way the town could conduct its affairs, creating a Corporation of Bristol. A sheriff was appointed with his own courts and all sorts of markets and fairs were set up. Bristol took off in a big way.

The number of ships involved in overseas trade was considerable. It was always a risky business and many vessels fell prey to pirates, foreign wars and the elements. They also discovered new territory, sometimes by accident because they were escaping danger or blown off course, sometimes because they were adventurous. The merchant businessmen were always looking for new opportunities. Some went themselves, others preferred to finance expeditions based on information received from their captains.

John Cabot's 1497 voyage in the Mathew and his landfall on mainland America was apparently predated by Bristol fishing boats sailing to Newfoundland's Grand Banks. Colonization followed discoveries and Bristol ships were in the forefront, carrying settlers, supplying and trading with them.

In 1542 prosperous Bristol was granted city status by Henry VIII and the church of the dissolved St Augustine's Abbey became the Cathedral. Some well-placed Bristolians became wealthier at the Reformation when they took over lands belonging to the local monasteries. When Queen Elizabeth visited in 1574 there was a great show of pomp and speechmaking, gun salutes and torchlight processions. No doubt the citizens were keen to make a good impression for their privileges.

However, during the Civil War Bristol favored the Parliamentary side. It was captured by the Royalists in 1643, but the tide turned and Oliver Cromwell himself came to see Prince Rupert surrender two years later. Bristol Castle was subsequently demolished on his orders, much to the delight of the Corporation who promptly set about redeveloping the redundant area for commercial purposes, a trait which has continued to this day.

In fact the city was now expanding outside its mediaeval walls. The narrow dirty streets of closely packed houses with their primitive sanitary arrangements, cheek by jowl with workshops were not the most savory of places. The more affluent moved into houses in places such as Queen Square, St Michael's Hill, Kingsdown, Ashley and, a little later, Clifton. The spread of suburbia had begun.