Things to see and do

Explore our majestic trees, pick fresh fruit, and relax on our spacious lawns. This space is perfect for picnics and group activities. You will spot lots of wildlife in the garden too. Churchill Garden is located close to the Botanic Garden, which is free for students to enter. More to see and do in these gardens: 

• Trees and plants 
• Wildlife and nature
• Stoke Bishop Active Trail
• Volunteer
• Instagram for Stoke Bishop Gardens

Trees and plants

The garden is home to the University of Bristol North Villages’ arboretum. Here, you'll find stunning wildflower meadows and magnificent ancient oaks, including the famous Blenheim Oak from the Churchill family's palace. 

Head southwest to discover our orchard and meadow, where you can find delicate spotted orchids. 

Come and see the rose shrubberies, filled with heritage cultivars that have been gracing Churchill Hall's grounds since the post-war era. 

Near the Churchill car park entrance, a group of ancient oaks creates a haven for native meadow plants in the springtime.   

We survey our trees annually, to monitor their health. You can see the name, location and detailed information about our trees, with photographs, on our tree map. Click or tap on a tree on the map for more information about it.  

If you are in the garden, you use the QR codes on many of our larger or more unusual trees to access detailed information about them on the online map.

Seasonal interest

As spring arrives, our ancient oak trees come alive. The meadow bursts with colourful blooms, while the orchard offers plenty of fruit.  

In the autumn, the trees transform into shades of red and gold, encouraging you to pick ripe figs, mulberries, and apples.

Wildlife and nature

Our garden is a paradise for wildlife, with many different habitats to explore. Listen to birds singing in the trees and spot beetles and snags hiding in log piles. Butterflies and other pollinators add splashes of colour as they move from flower to flower. You’ll see wood decay and fungi, which are important for our garden's health. Deer can sometimes be seen wandering around in the summer.

Stoke Bishop Active Trail

Sport, Exercise, and Health has partnered up with the Gardens and Grounds team to make a marked trail around the Stoke Bishop residential area. The trail covers all residences, including Churchill Garden, offering students a chance to get active whilst exploring the beautiful grounds right near their accommodation. 

Download the active trail.

Volunteer

Students and staff can join organised volunteering sessions helping out the Gardens and Grounds team in our gardens.

Volunteering activities include:

• general maintenance including weeding and fence building
• bulb planting
• building and maintaining homes for wildlife.

To find out how to take part in volunteering activities:

• staff, contact us
• students, find University-organised volunteering opportunities on the events calendar or volunteering opportunities organised with the SU in the Students' Union's What's On events list
• students, if you want to volunteer with us regularly, join the Students' Union's Conservation Group

Instagram for Stoke Bishop Gardens

See what others are doing in the garden and add your own images with #uobnorthvillage or tag us in your stories @uobnorthvillage.

Facilities

• Access
• Parking
• Bike storage
• Transport hub
• Refreshments and toilets
• Seats and benches
• Code of conduct
• Hiring Churchill Hall Garden

Access

The garden features a mixture of surfaced and unsurfaced paths with some uneven terrain.

Parking

Parking is not available directly at Churchill Hall Garden. However, on-street parking options are conveniently located nearby.

Bike storage

You can store your bike nearby Churchill Hall Garden.

Transport hub

Churchill Hall Garden is near to the Stoke Bishop transport hub. Operated by First, the Bristol services connect students and staff between the residences at Stoke Bishop, our Clifton campus, the city and our Langford campus. Catching a bus to visit the gardens is easy, and free to use for first year students living in halls of residence. View the timetable to see when U1 and U2 buses operate.

Refreshments and toilets

The nearest University Source Cafe is the Hiatt Baker Village Shop. 

There is a toilet at the Source Cafe. 

Find Source Cafe opening hours.

Seats and benches

There are several benches near the path all around the gardens.

Code of conduct

These are private gardens, and we expect visitors to treat the space with respect and courtesy. 

• Take your litter home with you.
• Only assistance dogs are allowed; keep dogs on leads and clean up after your dog.
• Supervise children.
• Stick to paths, avoid disturbing wildlife, and don't damage property, trees, plants or lawns.
• No barbecues, fires, camping, skateboarding, or aggressive cycling.
• Follow additional safety instructions, if there are building works taking place.

Hiring Churchill Hall Garden

You can hire Churchill Hall Garden for your own event or function. 

To hold an event at Churchill Hall Garden: 

• Staff and students contact our events team.

History of the site and the garden design

Find out more about the history of the site how the garden design has evolved.  

Named after Sir Winston Churchill, the University’s third Chancellor (1929-1965), Churchill Hall was opened in 1956. The garden encompasses the University Botanic Garden.

Research in Churchill Hall Garden

Our gardens and green spaces are often used for research projects involving: 

• small mammals such as bats and birds
• larger mammals such as badgers and foxes
• insects such as moths and bees.

We welcome researchers and research projects from various disciplines, including archaeology, art history, biological sciences, geography and geology.

Learn more about doing research in our gardens.