Art / boiling wells lane
Photography exploring Bristol’s inner-city country lane
Hidden in plain sight, Boiling Wells Lane is a countryside sanctuary in the inner city.
Both “rich with life and filled with ghosts”, Carrie Hitchcock’s latest photography project traces the inner lives of residents throughout the lane.
Boiling Wells Lane is located in St. Werburgh’s
Documenting the lane for over ten years, Boiling Wells has been home to four small holdings, several self-built houses, one community city farm, a groundworks contractor and an eccentric entrepreneur. The project is a community-centred work, spotlighting the lane’s many fascinating individuals and the many changes the area has undergone over a decade.
In the late 1990s, Carrie joined the Ashley Vale Action Group, a group of St Werburgh’s neighbours formed to see off a property developer’s inappropriate plans to build a generic housing estate on a disused scaffolding yard. Successfully in their opposition, this quickly led residents to develop the site themselves.
Many of the homes along the lane are self-builds made by their residents
After planning was granted in 2002, the self-builders became united in their construction projects. Long-term resident Carrie set about building her own home in the early 2000s, quickly assisting other residents in their construction projects.
Resident Martin Mueller came to build the affectionately named “Bristol Gnome Home”. After working on the St. Werburgh’s City Farm Cafe in 1988, Martin utilised its spiralling, squiggly woodworking style when designing his own home on Boiling Wells (pictured below).
Martin Mueller used the wood work design of the Bristol City Farm as inspiration for his home
The lane is named after the nearby Boiling Well. Purportedly used to fill the tanks of Cabot’s Matthew before sailing for Newfoundland, the area is rich with historical legacies. Teeming with wildflowers and towering oak trees, Boiling Wells remains a popular footpath for Sunday walkers.
The lane also features a beloved echoing tunnel, leading onto Watercress Farm. The tunnel has been used as a rehearsal space for choirs and musicians and is strewn with years of vibrant graffiti.
The tunnel along Boiling Wells Lane is a popular site for musicians due to its satisfying echo
The photo book is currently on sale in Arnolfini Bookshop, and can also be purchased via Carrie’s website: www.carriehitchcockphotography.co.uk/publications
All photos: Carrie Hitchcock
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