Stop 13 - Broadmead and The Horsefair
Stop 13: Broadmead and The Horsefair. Bristol's pedestrianised shopping core, Wesley's New Room (the world's oldest Methodist chapel) and the Christmas market.
Broadmead and The Horsefair are the pedestrianised heart of Bristol shopping - a gridded stretch of mid-twentieth-century high street bounded on one side by the Galleries shopping centre and on the other by the more recent Cabot Circus development. It is not the prettiest part of the city, but it is the busiest, and it contains one of Bristol’s most important and easily missed historical sites.
What to see
Wesley’s New Room on the corner of Broadmead is the earliest Methodist chapel in the world, built by John Wesley in 1739. It is still in use as a place of worship and has a quietly fascinating small museum attached - entry is free. If you stop for only one thing in Broadmead, make it this.
The Galleries shopping centre is three floors of high-street chains. The Arcade off Broadmead is a covered Victorian shopping arcade, restored and much more attractive than the surrounding streets. Between mid-November and 23 December the streets host the Bristol Christmas Market - crafts, food stalls, a brass band on the Horsefair, a large decorated tree near the Arcade entrance.
How long to stay
An hour for an unhurried walk including Wesley’s New Room. More if you are actually shopping.
Nearby stops
- Stop 12 - Bristol Hippodrome is eight minutes west.
- Stop 14 - Cabot Circus is four minutes east across the underpass.
- Stop 15 - Newgate and Castle Park is three minutes south-east.
Practical info
Fully pedestrianised and step-free. Public toilets at the Galleries, at Cabot Circus, and at Wesley’s New Room. The area is busy year-round and especially so in December; if you dislike crowds, visit before 11:00 on a weekday.
