One of the principal features of Castle Park, in the centre of Bristol, are the remains of St…read morePeter's church. Originally built alongside the castle and founded in the late 11th century by the castle's owner, Robert Fitzhamon, the only parts of the church remaining from this period are the lower stages of the tower. It was rebuilt and enlarged in the 13th-15th centuries, and elements of Early English and Perpendicular gothic architecture form the bulk of the present structure. The church only just survived the English Civil War: in 1643, the Roundhead Governor of Bristol Castle, Colonel Nathaniel Fiennes is said to have ordered the demolition of both the nearby St Peter's and St Philip's churches to prevent the beseiging Cavaliers from taking up positions in them. It is claimed that only the arrival of Prince Rupert with an army of 20,000 Royalist soldiers prevented this. However, having survived a 17th-Century conflict, the church was not so fortunate during the 20th. Together with much of Bristol's mediaeval centre, St Peter's was destroyed in an air-raid on November 24th, 1940, which left 400 casualties. It was decided after the War not to rebuild this part of the city, but instead to turn it into a park. The remains of St Peter's were retained as a war memorial, and the surrounding area landscaped with gardens. To-day, it has a slight air of neglect, and could do with some further restoration.

Heaven on Earth is an odd shop. It sells burial stuff (such as coffins), iconography (such as…read moreVirgin Mary statues) and has a huge selection of board games. It is one of the oddest collections of stuff in any shop I have seen and given how insulated we often are from our own mortality is a unique shopping experience!

From the owner: Heaven on Earth specialises in traditional and "green" funerals, encouraging families to get…read moreinvolved rather than "overtaking" or "undertaking" the funeral for them. We supply a range of ecologically-friendly coffins and offer a choice of religious or non-religious celebrants. We are 24 hours. Pre-Paid Plans available.

Alright, call me morbid, but I enjoy nothing better than an afternoon poking around the cemetery,…read morereading old tombstones and exploring the past. Arnos Vale cemetery absolutely fascinates me - its war memorials, elaborate tombs of Indian maharaja and big Cliftonite family mauseleoums. There's nowt creepy about it - with butterflies and birds and flowers growing over everything. They're even buidling a multi-million pound new glass visitor centre and restoring all the Grade II listed monuments that are dotted about the place. You can get lost for several hours in amongst the stones. The vale is great for stretching your legs and broadening your historical knowledge, and close enough to Bath rd, the Paintworks and Banco lounge for a quick drink afterwards if you fancy it.

Nothing beats a good cemetery!…read more I can't say I would make a special trip to visit the cemetery (I don't have any loved ones residing here) but we were passing it one day in the car, the sun was shining, so we thought we'd have a little walk around. There is something quite absorbing about being able to read snippets of people's lives, try and work out what they might have been like, the plot thickens when you sometimes find connected people buried side by side. I never did the whole grave yard at night thing in my teenage years, but I would certainly recommend a visit in the day should you be that neck of the woods.