Flax Bourton - History

History

Backwell Hillfort between Flax Bourton and Backwell is an iron age hill fort.

To the north of the village and close to the Bristol to Exeter railway line a mill was built on the Land Yeo. It may have existed at the time of the Domesday Book and strong documentary evidence exists from 1769. Between 1839 and 1885 the river was diverted into the tailrace of the mill, eliminating a bend in the river. All that remains of the three storey mill is a single storey garage of a private house.

Farleigh Hospital and the Church of St. George was built in 1837 as a Workhouse for the Bedminster Union. Also on Old Weston Road is the former Long Ashton Magistrate's Court and Police Station, which was built 1857-58 by John Norton, and is now home to the Coroner's court for Bristol and North Somerset.

An MoD fuel depot, with sidings, is just off the main line behind the former station. Its future is currently under review.

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