In Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey, to our heroine Catherine Morland, Blaise Castle is nothing but an enticing landmark that we never actually see.
“Blaize Castle!” cried Catherine. “What is that?”
“The finest place in England—worth going fifty miles at any time to see.”
“What, is it really a castle, an old castle?”
“The oldest in the kingdom.”
However, Blaise Castle isn’t that old, and far from being the finest (though it still has its obvious charm), it was built only 50 years before the Gothic masterpiece was published. Austen’s Georgian readers would’ve probably known this too—the Grade II* listed folly was a symbol of the era’s shallowness.
Still, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go! Blaise Castle, alongside its 650-acre estate, is easily one of Bristol’s key wonders and still feels like a huge secret in the city (even if you already know about it). Situated on a hill, overlooking the Avon Gorge, hunt out the panoramic views at Lover’s Leap and Potter’s Point.
Elsewhere, Blaise Castle House doubles as a free museum—discover the history of the estate, the beautiful Picture Room, a huge toy collection and a ‘Bristol at Home’ exhibition showing off household equipment over the last 300 years. Elsewhere, you’ll also find a children’s play area and what appears to be a Giant’s Footprint…
What?
Goram and Ghyston are the two giants whose legend is often used to describe Bristol’s geographical features. The Giant’s Footprint was caused by Goram stamping his foot after losing a woman’s affections to his brother. He then drowned himself in the Severn, forming Steep Holm and Flat Holm in the estuary.
It’s this sense of magic that can be found filtering throughout the grounds of Blaise Castle Estate, with river trails and wooded hideaways to discover everywhere you venture. Beyond that, visit the charmingly rustic cottages at Blaise Hamlet and eat at the Michelin-approved Blaise Inn. Blaise Castle may not be “the oldest in the kingdom”, but it looks pretty grand from where I’m standing.
