National Gazetteer (1868) - Bedminster

"BEDMINSTER, a parish in the hundred of Hadcliffe with Bedminster, in the county of Somerset, a suburb of Bristol, 1 mile to the S. of the city. It is situated on the south bank of the river Avon, and contains the tythings of Bishport, or Bishopworth, and Knowle. The Avon here flows through the new cut which is crossed by an iron bridge, its natural channel forming now the floating docks of the city. The trade and manufactures of Bedminster are considerable, including collieries, timber-yards, tanyards, rope-walks, &c. It is a polling-place for the borough of Bristol. A large hospital is established.

The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Gloucester and Bristol, of the value of £450, in the patronage of the bishop. The church, a beautiful modern edifice, erected in 1814, is dedicated to St. John the Baptist. The living of St. Paul's, a district church erected about 1830, is a perpetual curacy of the value of £150, in the patronage of the bishop; that of St. Peter's, at Bishopworth, is a perpetual curacy of the value of £125, and in the patronage of the vicar; that of St. Luke's is also a curacy, value £400, in the gift of trustees. There is a large chapel, with a Grecian front, belonging to the Independents, and another for the Wesleyans. The parish has two National schools and a British day school, besides a new school-house in course of erection for the district of St. Luke's. Reading and coffee-rooms have been recently opened for the working classes, and there is a House of Morey for fallen women. The charitable endowments of the parish amount to £29 a year. A hospital was founded hero about 1300 by one of the Berkeley family, which, after serving as a glass factory, is now occupied as dwelling-houses."

"KNOWLE, a tything in the parish of Bedminster, county Somerset, 2 miles S.W. of Bristol."