Bristol Municipal Charities (1884 to 1938)
Easter 1906: the earliest photograph
Over a hot, dry Easter in 1906, a photographer walked Bristol recording every property the charity owned. His picture of Quay Head House is the oldest we know of.
Category: Stories
Help us tell the story of Quay Head House
One of the most interesting buildings in central Bristol, and we know surprisingly little about it. Here is what we have found, and where you come in.
Before the building (to 1884)
Next door: the White Lion, the city wall and a lost figurehead
Quay Head House shares its corner with Bristol’s smallest pub, a piece of the medieval town wall, and the memory of a building with a ship’s figurehead on its front.
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The distillery (2026 onwards)
A distillery in the attic
In July 2026 the building took on a new job. The Spirit of Bristol now makes gin on the top floor.
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The missing years (1938 to 2009)
Where the charity went, and why it kept the building
In 1938 Bristol Municipal Charities left Quay Head House for new offices round the corner. But they did not sell it, and that changes the story of the missing years.
The Milk Thistle (2011 onwards)
Ring the bell: the Milk Thistle years
No sign, no menu in the window, just a doorbell. Since 2011, Quay Head House has been one of the best hidden bars in the country.
Before the building (to 1884)
When ships came up to Quay Head
The road outside used to be water. For six hundred years, this was the end of the line for ships sailing into Bristol.
Bristol Municipal Charities (1884 to 1938)
Reading the front of the building
Quay Head House was built to impress. Here is how to read its brick, terracotta and painted shields, with help from the official listing.
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The squat and Cloak & Dinner (around 2009 to 2011)
The red door opposite the war memorial
In January 2010, while the building was a squat, it hosted a secret pop-up restaurant. Guests found out where it was the day before.
Bristol Municipal Charities (1884 to 1938)
1850 or 1884? Help us settle it
Some sources say this was a merchant’s house built in 1850. The evidence points firmly to 1884 charity offices. Here is why, and what would settle it for good.
Were you ever inside?
An office job, a night out, a sleeping bag on the floor, a photo in a family album. Whatever your connection, it belongs in the archive.
- Photos of the inside or outside, from any decade
- Memories of working, drinking, eating or living here
- Letters, menus, adverts, plans or anything with the address on
Takes about five minutes. You choose if and how it is published.