Messing About On The River

Well, we weren't actually on the river, we were beside the river! And we weren't messing about, we were having lunch!!

The forecast for today was 21 degrees and sunny so I'd arranged to meet a friend for lunch by the river, to take in the scenery and the sunshine. However, as you can see, the sun never came out, leaving this dull, flat light. But the scenery was still wonderful, as was the lunch and the chatting!

Looking across the River Avon towards Kelston, on the left you can see the twin furnace chimneys of Kelston Mill, an 18th century brass battery mill, and one of a series of mills along the Avon Valley, which were powered by waterwheels.

The mill has a rather dark history to it, in that it used to process brass, and make brass goods which were then sent to West Africa where they were exchanged for slaves. These slaves were then sent across to the West Indies, where they grew sugar which was sent back to Bristol for refining.

On the right of the shot, you can see Brass Mill Houses, a row of six three-storied dwellings that were built in the 1760s for the mill workers.