Pedestal to the statue of Edward Colston is a Grade II listed building in the Bristol, City of local planning authority area, England. First listed on 4 March 1977. Pedestal. 8 related planning applications.
Pedestal to the statue of Edward Colston
- WRENN ID
- young-moat-holly
- Grade
- II
- Local Planning Authority
- Bristol, City of
- Constituency
- Bristol Central MP: Carla Denyer (Green)
- Country
- England
- Date first listed
- 4 March 1977
- Type
- Pedestal
- Address
- Pedestal to the statue of Edward Colston, Colston Avenue, BS1 4UA
- OS grid reference
- ST 586 730
- Coordinates
- 51.45458, -2.59681
- Source
- Historic England listing
Description
The pedestal for the statue of Edward Colston was created in 1895 by sculptor John Cassidy from Manchester. It is made of Hopton Wood stone and features bronze work by the Coalbrookdale Company.
The pedestal is square in shape and consists of two stages. It has a base with angle buttresses supporting a pedestal that has chamfered corners and a cornice. Bronze dolphins, which are part of the Colston family crest, are positioned at the corners of the pedestal, resting on the buttresses. Each face of the pedestal displays a bronze plaque with reliefs influenced by the New Sculpture movement.
On the south face, there is an inscription that reads, "Erected by / citizens of Bristol / as a memorial / of one of the most / virtuous and wise sons of / their city / AD 1895" along with "John Cassidy fecit." The west face depicts Colston dispensing charity to poor families, while the north shows him at the harbour inspecting one of his ships. The east face features a symbolic scene with marine horses, mermaids, and anchors. Additionally, the south face of the base is inscribed with the words "Edward Colston / Born 1636 / Died 1721."
Local climate
Pedestal to the statue of Edward Colston receives an average of 850 mm of rain a year. This makes it wetter than 58% of listed buildings in the UK. Its exposure to wind-driven rain is greater than that of 62% of listed buildings.
It experiences an average of 31 freeze-thaw cycles a year, fewer than 63% of listed buildings. Of these, 12 follow at least 1 mm of rain in the preceding 48 hours. Average temperatures at this location have risen by 0.3°C per decade since 1991.
Averages for 1991–2020; temperature trend 1991–2025. Figures describe the wider area (a grid cell of roughly 10 km), not the individual site. Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information 2026.
More on this building
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- Full EPC report — heating system, energy costs, size, glazing, construction etc.
- Sale history — 1 transaction since 2016
- Related listed building consents — 8 applications
- Detailed attributes — period, style, materials, features
- Flood risk assessment
- Radon risk assessment
- Weather exposure and heating demand — rain and frost month by month and year by year, wind direction, solar and humidity
Matched applications, energy data and sale records are assembled automatically and may contain errors. Flag incorrect data.
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