Friends of Troopers Hill
Vegetation Changes since the 1980s
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In order to show how the hill changed before the photographic survey started in 1994, we have put together this page comparing photographs taken by Vernon in 1984 & 5 with photographs taken from close to the same position in 2006.
The photo above was taken by Vernon to record the disapearance of a famous Bristol landmark on 12th August 1984. Sadly one fine sunny morning the last St Annes Board Mills' chimney was demolished. Vernon managed to capture the moment as this 300 feet giant fell.
The photo also clearly shows the hill and it can be compared with the shot below taken from more or less the same spot on 1st September 2006. The most noticeable feature is that there is much more grass visible in the earlier shot. There was no broom visible in 1984 and very little bracken. The hawthorn has also grown but has not spread very far.
Above is another photograph from Vernon's collection again from the 12th August 1984 and showing the large crowd that gathered at 10am on a Sunday morning to watch the demolition. The same view is shown below taken on 1st September 2006.
Again it is noticable that there is now less grasslandvisible. A large area of gorse has grown in the centre on the picture, which now hides more of the chimney. Below and to the right of the gorse an area of broom has appeared which is now being choked with bramble. On the left of the 1984 photograph you can just see the right side of a lone hawthorn tree; in 2006 this is surounded by a large area of bramble. This is the tree that can be seen in photograph No 20 of the photographic survey and was burnt in 1995.
It is also noticeable that to the left of the chimney the skyline is now defined by the tops of the trees in Crews Hole Woodland, rather that the outline of the hill as it was in 1984.
Above is another view of the same part of the hill from a different angle. This balloon landed on Troopers Hill on 17th August 1985 and again Vernon had his camera to hand.
The growth of the gorse and the bramble around the hawthorn tree can both be seen again in the shot below. The steps and fence were not installed until 1991 so in 1985 the hill was open to the road. There was an area of heather at what is now the top of the steps, this area is now mostly covered by bracken with some bramble and broom.
