Saxons to the Seventies

Welcome to "The Saxons to the Seventies", an historic audio-walk by Brave Bold Drama, a locally based award-winning theatre and community arts company.

After you've listened to this, turn right and head to the bridge over the Malago river to hear the next sound spot.

Stones that built St Mary Redcliffe and Bristol Cathedral were transported to the build site in mediaeval times by being floated on rafts down the Malago river.

Take the lower path that runs immediately next to the Malago river to hear the next sound spot, which is at the lowest point in the woodland. You'll find out why it's the lowest point when you get there.

You're standing in a bomb crater, made on 14th May 1944 at around 0200hrs. There were no fatalities. It was the last bomb to fall within the Bristol boundary during the Second World War.

Continue along the path you're on, up the incline, to hear the next sound spot.

This part of the woodland is very ancient, and is mentioned in The Domesday Book, recorded between 1085 and 1086.

Continue on the path up the incline to hear the next sound spot.

This land was farmed from the 1600s until the 1920s, including mixed livestock and arable farming. Including goats. Goats are good on hills.

Continue on the path to the highest point in the woodland to hear the next sound spot.

A middle-class couple from the 1930s wonder if the new builds going up in Headley Park (built between 1934-1938) will contain "their sort of people". Based on estate agent advertisements from the period. The houses to your right at the top of the slope are in Headley Park.

After this sound spot, take the path up the steps to your right, then follow the path downhill until you emerge from the woodland and are looking at a large concrete interceptor where the next sound spot is located.

The Malago Storm Interceptor (nicknamed "Dreadnought") was officially opened on 23rd April 1976 by Mr Michael Cox, the Labour MP for south Bristol. It was built in response to a terrible flood in 1968 which saw many homes and buildings in the area destroyed, and sadly some lives were lost.

We have imagined how the opening of the Interceptor might have been commemorated by a 1970s punk-rock band...

Turn left onto the paved path after you've read the plaque about the 1976 opening ceremony. Follow this paved path a short way, then turn right, off the paved path and onto a woodland path to hear the next sound spot.

Listen to a young couple attempting to give self-sufficiency a go in the 1970s, having read John Seymour's 1976 book "The Complete Book of Self Sufficiency."

Any resemblances to the TV show "The Good Life" are purely coincidental...

After this, follow the woodland path up a little way and then take a left turn deeper into this part of the woodland to find the next sound spot, which is in a clearing. (Your GPS might dip out a bit initially because the trees are thicker here, don't panic!)

You're currently standing in some Dig for Victory allotments, created during the Second World War. A large apple tree from the allotments still stands. Based on 'Dig for Victory' advertisements from the period.

After this, follow the woodland path past the apple tree, and follow it as it winds downhill and brings you back out on the paved path.

The next sound spot is found by locating a fork in the paved path, and taking the left fork that goes downhill towards the river.

This dam was constructed in 1976 along with the Interceptor to deal with issues of rising silt. The dam did, however, result in the loss of a duck-pond...

We have re-imagined this event as a mock-horror film trailer.

After listening, turn back on yourself and head back up the paved path and turn left onto the main paved path to hear a song that puts all the historic events you've heard into chronological order.

A song that re-orders all the history you've heard about into chronological order, whilst also borrowing from the musical styles of all the periods we've explored.

Song by Gill Simmons, sung by Paul Lawless and Gill Simmons.

Continue along the path to hear the final sound spot.

If you enjoyed this, please let us know. You can send feedback at https://bravebolddrama.co.uk/contact.html or find Brave Bold Drama on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

With thanks to the Friends of Manor Woods Valley, Martin Grant and Peter Loy-Hancocks.

Walk devised, written and created by Gill Simmons and Paul Lawless. It is the intellectual property of Brave Bold Drama. Sound design by Gill Simmons.

This audio walk was made in 5 days with two small grants from Magic Little Grants and The Neighbourly Community Fund.