Known as Merchants Quay since the 1980s when Merchants Landing housing was built. It was originally built as a wharf in 1876 and known as Upper Railway Wharf before becoming Bathurst Wharf.
A view of Redcliffe Church showing the old entrance to Bathurst Inner Lock (from a painting in St Mary Redcliffe Church) The current Spire was not built until 1872 the original spire having been damaged in a gale in 1445.
Bathurst Basin from the Grove
Bathurst Lock/Commercial Road Bridge – Painting by Edward Cashin 1825 Bristol Museum
Bathurst Basin early 1870s Bristol Museums York Collection 3688
Note there is only a footbridge on the site of the Commercial Road Bridge.
Bathurst Lock 1870s – Reece WinstoneBathurst with Rail Bridge early 1900sBathurst Rail BridgeBathurst Steam Bascule Bridge 1935 – Reece WinstonePBA912 Holms Sand and Gravel Co sand dredgers Portway and Sandholm. General Hospital in background.Replacing the Bathurst Lock Dam 1952The barque Echo c 1875 – Reece WinstoneBathurst Wharf 1870 – Reece WinstoneThe Fanny Chapman c 1875 – Reece WinstoneBathurst Wharf in the early 1900s – previously Upper Railway Wharf opened in 1876 Alfred O Townsend 1904 – Royal West of England AcademyBathurst Wharf, St Mary Redcliffe and Redcliffe Parade 1932, Steam-tug Cress hauls the barge Onyx on its way to the ICI works at Netham. (In: Lord, J. Southam, J. 1983, p. 26).Bathurst Basin 1963 showing what is now Merchants Quay – Reece WinstonePBA3693 – View from F Site (The Grove) to Bathurst Wharf. Wheat flour meal from Rotterdam. Vessel “Carmen”, Tutton line.Ostrich pub and General Hospital in the distance, left, and Turner Edwards warehouse to the right.PBAN1331Worms liner MV Valbella discharging wine and ferro-nickel from Rouen at Bathurst WharfPBA1210 MV Ino Bathurst Wharf with St Mary Redcliffe and Shot Tower.PBAN5353 General view along Bathurst Wharf looking towards Redcliffe. Various vessels including MV Simon are moored up.PBAN7322B MV Elisabeth Hentzer carrying coffee and general cargo, moored in Bathurst East Wharf.PBAN5344 Sand suction dredger Peterston, Bristol Sand & Gravel Co. Ltd., cruising towards Prince Street bridge – 1967Bathurst Wharf from Phoenix Wharf 1970sMerchants Quay and Princes Street Bridge 2019Bathurst Wharf – June 1978 – Jane FewtrellSpeedboat racing Bathurst Wharf May 1977 – John WinstoneBathurst-Wharf-1970s – John WinstoneMerchants Quay 2018Merchants Quay 2019Bathurst Basin 1939
The lock was sealed off from The Cut in 1939 for fear bombing would empty the harbour.
Bathurst Basin 2018Bathurst Basin Lock Gates with Commercial Road Bridge in backgroundBathurst Lock from Southville 2019
When in 1868 work started on a new, larger North Lock in 1868 (‘Howard’s Lock’) the 1863 Jessop Lock bridge was removed, shortened and re-erected over the entrance to Bathurst Basin. This is now known as the Commercial Road Bridge.
Building the Commercial Road Metrobus bridge 2018New Metrobus Bridge at Commercial Road 2018
The steam powered bascule bridge built in 1872 for the dockyard railway was replaced by the pedestrian bridge in 1964.
The bridge’s steam-driven machinery was fortunately saved and is held in the reserve collection of M Shed Museum.
