Bristol City of Circus

Circus past & Present

To see more circus stories or share your own, visit Know Your Place www.maps.bristol.gov.uk/kyp

www.circomedia.com

1. St James's Fair 1200-18352. Backfields Equestrian School then Circus from 1761-18593. Angel Inn, Portwall Lane, 1788, 1825, 18324. St John's Steps, 1816 5. Lime Kiln Lane (bottom of Brandon Hill), 1792-1796 6. Ducrow's Amphitheatre near Temple Gate, 1825 and Creative Common, 2013 7. Mr Painting's Timber Yard, Lower Montague Street, 1826-18298. Back of the Full Moon, North Street, ‘Moon fields’ 1835-18599. The Downs: Irish Tartar 1758, Astley 1772-present day10. Theatre Royal: 1814, Grimaldi; Ducrow’s circus 1835; 1999-2004 Circomedia EOY show; 2014 Invisible Circus produce Under the Dark Moon Present Day Circus City venue.11. Backfields Circus 1839 - 1854 12. Milk Street and Barr Street 1942 and now present day Cabot Circus 13. Horticultural Gardens, Park Street, 185014. Zoological Gardens, unknown Blondin 15. Victoria Rooms, 1862 Blondin16. Colston Hall: 1888 African Blondin tightwire; 2010 Opening of Colston Hall Foyer17. New Cut, 186518. Drill Hall, 1874 – end of 19th Century, Henglers and Sangers visiting Circuses19. Princes Theatre, Prince Street, 187920. Park Row, 1886, permission for a temporary structure21. Green's Dock, 1888; Canon's Marsh Project 360 Cirque Bijou 22. Waste ground near the draw bridge, 189023. Lawrence Hill (near station), 189324. Hornets Football Club, Horfield, 189425. The Ground near East Street, 189526. St James Fair, Haymarket, 1896 27. Bedminster Park, North Street Barnum and Bailey 189828. Coliseum Theatre, Park Row, 189829. Bedminster Park 1898 Barnum and Bailey30. Horfield Common, 1891 Buffalo Bill Barnum and Bailey 189931. Barnum’s parade, 1899 photograph showing Lower Ashley Road; Yard Arts 2014 + 201832. Bristol Hippodrome 1912; Royal Italian Circus, 192433. Bedminster Hippodrome, 191234. Blaise Castle Estate, Goram Fair, 1954-1996, 2016, 201935. The Folk House, Park Street, 1980s, Circus workshops36. Bristol Dance Centre, Jacob's Wells Road: 1980s, Circus workshops; 1995-98, EOY shows for Circomedia37. Eastville Park, 1950 - 70s Gerry Cottle brings Circuses to Eastville Park38. Hope Centre, 1983-86, Circus Workshops 39. Thomas Street, St Pauls, 1986-93, FoolTime 40. 1989, Bristol Juggling Convention41. Pro Cathedral, 1990, Dreams of Flying circus theatre commission Invisible Circus42. Brislington, 1990, Archaos43. Ashton Court Festival, 1993, Aerial performances including one from a tethered balloon.44. Albany Centre Training Space, 199345. The Kingswood Foundation, 1994, Circomedia opens 46. Kingswood, 1995, Circus Maniacs opened, providing classes 47. Harbour Festival, Castle Park, 199948. Good Shed, Temple Meads, 2000, Circomedia, EOY and Invisibles shows49. Grosvenor Road, Big Time Festival, 200050. Docklands Youth Centre, Project Go, 2001, Circus Workshops for local kids51. Knowle West, Project Go, 2001, Circus Workshops for local kids52. Hartcliffe College, Project Go, 2001, Circus Workshops for local kids53. Greenway Centre, Southmead, Project Go, 2001, Circus Workshops for local kids54. Queen Square: 2002, Palacy’s; 2017,Cirque Bijou Circus Stage55. Mivart Street, 2003, Cirque Bijou take up offices and making spaces56. Milennium Square, 2003, Cirque Bijou Stage at Harbour Festival57. St Pauls Church, Portland Square, 2004, Circomedia moves in58. Portland Square, 2005, Circus Baobab perform59. St Nicholas Market, 2005, Circomedia and Cirque Bijou produce Sawdust and Sequins60. Audi Garage, Stokes Croft, 2006, Invisible Circus produce Road to Nowhere61. Silverthorne Lane, 2007, Arcadia founded62. The Old Fire Station, 2008-10, Invisible Circus produce Carneyville, inspired by St James’s Fair63. Bridewell Police Station, 2008, The Island Training Space64. Motion Night Club, 2009, Arcadia65. The Wardrobe Theatre, Old Market 201566. Paint Works, Brislington, 2011, Invisible Circus67. Unit 15, Sussex Street, Invisible Circus 201368. Whapping Wharf: 2011, opening of M Shed; 2012, Olympics Torch Relay69. College Green, 2015, Circus Stage at Harbour Festival 70. Trinity Centre, 2015, Circus City71. The Loco Klub, Temple Meads, 2016 Invisible Circus in permanent residence 72. Create Centre, 2015, Green Capital Launch73. SS Great Britain: 2000 Circomedia and Bristol Old Vic co-production; 2014, Opening of Go Aloft; 2017, Cirque Bijou and Circomedia summer show, Crossing the Line74. St Paul’s Adventure Playground: 2000, Above and beyond Flying; 2018, Lavrak in Residence75. Felix Road Adventure Playground, 2013, Invisible Youth established76. 1432 Theatre, 2017, Circus City Festival 77. The BottleYard, 2020, Circomedia at The BottleYard

Plumley and Ashmead 1828 plan of Bristol, showing circus sites past and present.Those numbered in red indicate locations beyond the map.

27. 31.18. 3.

30. 9. 62.

Courtesy of the National Fairground and Circus Archive. Ref:00611914

Courtesy of the National Fairground and Circus Archive. Ref:00610212

Photo: Spencer Dixey

Courtesy of Know Your Place Courtesy of The University of Bristol Theatre Collection. Ref:TC/M/375

Courtesy of The University of Bristol Theatre Collection. Ref:PR/3985

Courtesy of Bristol Reference Library