The Chessels

The Chessels is an area of Bedminster, Bristol that runs from the midsection of Luckwell Rd to the former White Horse pub on West Street. Chessel Street is the main road. The name Chessel is taken from the name of a field, recorded in 1350.[1] The White Horse was redeveloped into flats by 2013,[2][3][4] but was once used as a location for the fictional Nags Head pub in the BBC television series Only Fools and Horses.[5]

The Chessels

The corner of Chessel Street and West Street is home to the former White Horse pub (shown here in 1999)
The Chessels
Location within Bristol
OS grid referenceST577712
Civil parish
Unitary authority
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townBRISTOL
Postcode districtBS3
Dialling code0117
UK Parliament

Chessel Street has a number of streets on either side that are named after gemstones, including Ruby Street, Pearl Street, Beryl Road, Jasper Street and Garnet Street. At the West Street end Chessel Street also turns off into British Road, and at the Luckwell Rd end there is a moderately sized Anglican church, St Aldhelms (built 1906),[6] which is part of the Bedminster Team Ministry.

Until as recently as 1980 there was a shop on every corner of the entire street – over 10 shops. These included a bakery, general store, sweet shop and newsagent, a cooker and electrical shop, and a dry cleaner. As of September 2016 there is now just a funeral directors at the West St end and a hair and beauty salon at the Luckwell Rd end, which was the former post office. The post office counter (named The Chessels) was closed[7][8] as part of Post Office Ltd's post office closure plan.[9] The post office was described in June 2008 by Councillor Mark Wright as "a focal point for the local community in the Chessels since before anyone can remember."[10] In April 2008, (then) MP for Bristol South Dawn Primarolo objected to the proposed closure of both The Chessels and Bedminster Road branches, noting their high importance to the local communities.[11]

References
  1. Etheridge, David; Payne, Richard (June 2009). "The Former Baptist Church, No. 177 East Street, Bedminster, Bristol" (PDF). Archaeological Recording and Monitoring. Avon Archaeological Unit. p. 8. Retrieved 21 March 2013.
  2. "White Horse Public House 166 West Street Bedminster Bristol BS3 3NB". Way Out West website. Way Out West. Retrieved 12 November 2013.
  3. "Conversion to apartments and town houses". Bristol Post. 6 January 2012. Retrieved 12 November 2013.
  4. "Conversion of existing public house (Use Class A4) and self-contained flat (Use Class C3) to residential flats (Use Class C3) and dual use café/bar (Use Class A3/A4) and development of townhouses with associated car parking, amenity space, refuse and cycle storage. (Major application)". Planning application ref. 11/05202/F. Bristol City Council. 13 December 2011. Retrieved 12 November 2013.
  5. "Bristol's Only Fools and Horses". BBC Bristol. 11 October 2009. Caption to 'Superfan photos' image 8.
  6. "The National Archives – Access to Archives". nationalarchives.gov.uk. Retrieved 12 January 2009.
  7. "Save Our Post Offices!". greatbritishlife.co.uk. Retrieved 22 March 2013.
  8. "Bedminster's green corner shop". Bristol Evening Post. 17 January 2009. Retrieved 21 March 2013.
  9. "Consultation Starts on Changes To Post Office Network – Post Office Ltd announces plans for Bristol and Somerset" (Press release). Royal Mail Group. 26 February 2008. Retrieved 22 March 2013.
  10. Wright, Mark (June 2008). "Closure of Bedminster Road and Chessel Street Post Offices" (PDF). Petitions, Statements and Questions – 10 June 2008. Retrieved 22 March 2013.
  11. Primarolo, Dawn (18 April 2008). "Post Office". News from Westminster. mySociety. Retrieved 22 March 2013.


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