History of Siston


Siston is full of history, here we uncover our past.

Syston Bits and Pieces.

In his book about Syston ( retained at Bristol Archives ) Reverend Herbert Davies MA states:I have it heard it said that the reason why Syston Court was sold to Mr Rawlins was that Mr Trotman- Dickenson lost his money on horse racing. He tried to settle his debt by selling some of his most valuable paintings but the lorry transporting them to Bristol caught fire and they were destroyed. Hence he h read more ...

Mary Webb Sunday, 3 September 2023

The Porch at St Annes Syston

ST ANNES PORCH Although there are obvious Elizabethan and Stuart alterations and extensions to the Church, including Jacobean Pulpit, the Norman porch with its inner leaning arch, is the architectural gem of St Annes.The holy water stoop was severed at the Reformation when all wall paintings were also obliterated. ( There is a slight suspicion of colouring over the inside of the doorway ). The Cro read more ...

Mary Webb Sunday, 9 April 2023

Syston Common and Hunting Lodges

According to Wiki “ Robert Walerand gained huge landholdings throughout the kingdom, largely acquired as forfeited lands and is recorded as holding on his death, among many other manors;“Siston, the manor with the advowson of the church including pasture in Kingewod held of Sir Henry de Berkele, by service of knights fee. Clearly the escheator of Gloucestershire was in error about Siston still bei read more ...

Mary Webb Tuesday, 28 February 2023

Terrier Of Glebe Lands 1612

A terrier of all the glebes, lands, garden and orchards, stock, implements and portion of tythes belonging to the parsonage of Syston, made by the parson. Whole names are subscribed as much as the said pastor do know. The tenth day of September 1612.Imprimis the parsonage dwelling house together with a bakehouse, a barn, a stable and a stall for oxon or kynd ( sic).In a garden and orchard lying on read more ...

Mary Webb Wednesday, 11 January 2023

Three Churches in Syston

In living memory there has been talk of three churches in Syston. St Anne, St Bartholomew and St Cuthbert. However whilst being interviewed for the Bristol Observer January 21st 1925 the then Rector, Reverend J Hunter Robinson ( incumbent 1917 b- 1927, retired in office ) declined the idea of there ever having been three churches at Syston. He pointed out, to support this theory that Syston was ne read more ...

Mary Webb Wednesday, 11 January 2023

Kelly's Directory Syston 1863

In the 1861 Post Office Directory of Gloucestershire with Bath, the population of Syston was 938 but excluding that part of the parish in the ecclesiastical district of Warmley it is only about 300 and the acreage is 1826, soil is loamy, subsoil chiefly of Lias rock. Frederick Bn Dickenson, Syston Court is Lord of the manor and chief owner. The manufacture of spelter and stone pipes and malting ar read more ...

Mary Webb Wednesday, 11 January 2023

St Anne's 1880

St Anne’s Church, SistonPhotographs from ca. 1880The church from the south seen from Siston Lane. A small child stands in the road. At that time there were pinnacles at each corner of the tower, a pierced parapet and a weather vane surmounting its pitched roof. Stephen Hill The church from the south seen from Siston Lane. A small child stands in the road. At that time there were pinnacles at each read more ...

Stephen Hill Wednesday, 11 January 2023

A Brief History of Siston

SistonUpdated by the author May 2017The parish of Siston (or Syston), pronounced ‘size-ton’, in south Gloucestershire is about seven miles east of the City of Bristol, and is bounded by ancient parishes of Mangotsfield and Pucklechurch in the north, Wick & Abson in the east, and Bitton in west and south. The parish consists of a small village of Siston, the hamlets of Goose Green, Siston Commo read more ...

Tim Fry Sunday, 2 October 2022

St Annes Well

Siston: A Pin Well. Situated right of the roadside SW of the church of St Anne just before reaching St Anne’s Bridge is St Anne’s Well. It is a rough stone trough 4 feet by 2 feet, at road level divided into two unequal sections. In its heyday it drew people from Bristol especially the poor and those with weak eyes or those who were infertile. Pins were dropped into the well by women, hoping to be read more ...