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P R O F I L E |
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 CLIFTON HOTWELL SPA PAST AND PRESENTPRINCE’S LANE.  
Prince’s Lane might have been one of the original ancient tracks from Hotwells to Clifton, in the Avon Gorge. The site later formed part of Rownham Woods which comprised some thirteen acres. By the end of the 18th century and the early 19th century, the Society of Merchant Venturers granted to Samuel Powell a building lease, for The Colonnade (1786), St. Vincent’s Parade (1790), Prince’s Buildings (1796), and Rock House. Rock House is generally considered to be the oldest surviving building associated with the Hotwell (see Chapter 20). John Power conveyed part of the woods to William Watts for the construction of Windsor Terrace (1790-1808). The above development of the Avon Gorge cleared Rownham Woods, and created a triangle of land on the north side of the gorge, that became enclosed as a result, by Mansion Houses, whose garden walls all entered on to Prince’s Lane. The Lane started at the bottom of the gorge, at the base rock of Windsor Terrace, and came out half way up Sion Hill. It is clearly shown as a public footpath, dotted with trees, in Ashmead’s map of 1828. Some of the gardens were quite steep in parts and therefore, had to be terraced, because of the gradient of the gorge. 
Above: Ashmead’s map of 1828 showing Prince’s Lane, which was important to the topography of the area during the life of the Spa. Showing the 1822 Hotwell House (see Chapter 19), by Henry Seward, designed in the Etruscan style, next to The Colonnade, Rock House and St. Vincent’s Parade. Above, are Prince’s Buildings and Windsor Terrace. 
Above: Walking in Clifton, painted in watercolour between 1842-1861, by T. Sopwith. This Lithograph print was produced by J. R. Jobbins. Prince’s Lane was a wooded, well-used-and-enjoyed, public footpath in Clifton. In the picture above, it stretched diagonally across from bottom left to middle right. In the top right hand corner is Prince’s Buildings, in the bottom left is St. Vincent’s Parade. The figure with dog in the foreground is walking up the path that linked Prince’s Lane to the back of Windsor Terrace and The Paragon, at the top of the Avon Gorge. The figures in the background are winding their way through a wooded area that branched off Prince’s Lane to the back gardens of Rock House and The Colonnade, at the bottom of the Avon Gorge. These tracks are marked out by faint dotted lines in Ashmead’s map of Prince’s Lane of 1828 (see Chapter 15). The bottom of Prince’s Lane came out between the base rock of Windsor Terrace and St. Vincent’s Parade, the starting point of the fashionable tree-lined Promenade to Hotwell House. Since World War II, much of this area experienced secondary forest growth, which has become established, and unfortunately most of the garden gates and walls to The Colonnade, Rock House, St. Vincent’s Parade and Windsor Terrace are in need of repair and in parts, ruinous. In the 1970s, access to Prince’s Lane from Hotwell Road was walled off, and a gate was put in the wall on Hinton Lane, which was locked and prevented people from using it. Allotments were placed behind the wall. Unfortunately, since then a lot of debris has accumulated at the bottom of Prince’s Lane, so high in parts that it is the height of the garden walls, which have crumbled. Nevertheless, the garden walls and gates to Prince’s Buildings are in a much better condition, where residents have made efforts to repair and maintain them which, of course, helps to conserve the Lane itself. 
Above: Rownham Ferry, by Rolinda Sharples, oil on canvas 1820-22. This beautiful painting above (now lost), is a record of people coming down from Clifton and queuing up Prince’s Lane, waiting for Rownham Ferry, with the backdrop of St. Vincent’s Rocks and St. Vincent’s Parade, carrying with them musical instruments and baskets of food. A favourite amusement was sailing down river, often accompanied by another boat with musicians on board whose music, when echoed and re-echoed by the rocks, has a most delightful effect, not only on those on the water but also to the auditors on land. Companies of visitors often sailed down as far as Portishead, and if they take a cold collation with them, go ashore and dine in the woods. And many ladies and gentlemen cross the river at Rownham ferry and walk to the sweet and wholesome village of Ashton to eat strawberries or raspberries with cream. Rolinda Shaples (1793-1838) was only an infant when her parents moved to America in 1794. Her father, James Sharples RA (1751-1811), was a Lancastrian and a successful portrait artist, who had worked in Bristol, Liverpool and Bath, before travelling to America. His subjects included, Hester Thrale (see Chapter 11), George Washington, and Thomas Jefferson. In 1811, Rolinda returned home to Bristol, with her mother and brother, after her father died in New York. Her mother, Ellen, who was of French extract and had relatives in America, was James’s third wife. Ellen was a miniaturist and teacher, her son, James (Junior), was also a portrait painter. By 1827, Rolinda was elected honorary member of Society of British Artists. Rolinda died of cancer, and James of tuberculosis one year after. Both died before Ellen, who died in 1849, and donated all her money and pictures to Bristol, thus founding the Bristol Fine Arts Academy. Other paintings by Rolinda Sharples include, Clifton Race Course, St. James’s Fair, The stoppage of the Bank, The Trial of Colonel Brereton, Tea and Gossip, also portraits of Madam Catalani Italian singer and A Bristol Lady. Some of these are now in Bristol Museum and Art Gallery. Website: Click Here ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Click website above to return to the chapter index. |
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