Blaise Hamlet

Blaise Hamlet is a group of nine cottages around a small green in Henbury, four miles north of Bristol city centre, built in 1811 to house retired staff from the Blaise Castle estate, bought in 1789 by the Bristol banker John Harford. John Nash designed every cottage differently, with thatch, ornamental chimneys and rustic porches, in a style that was widely copied; the hamlet counts as one of the first planned communities, and all nine cottages and the stone sundial on the green are Grade I listed. The cottages are still lived in, so visitors are limited to the green, free to wander and reached through a gate on Hallen Road with five steps up and on-street parking outside; the nearest cafe and toilets are on the neighbouring Blaise Castle Estate. Dogs on leads are welcome on the green. Reviewers describe a peaceful spot that takes only a short while to see, picking out individual cottages such as Circular Cottage and Sweetbriar Cottage. Reviewers note that the cottages are private homes and ask fellow visitors to respect the residents by keeping to the green.