History of the site

The National Wildlife Conservation Park site has been owned by Bristol Zoo Gardens since 1965. But it dates back to 695 AD when land in the manor of Henbury was granted to Oftfor, Bishop of Worcester, by the Mercian King Aethelred. The area is also mentioned in the Domesday Book.

Centuries later, in the early 1800's, Holly House was built for John Britten Berne on the glebe land purchased from the parishes of Henbury and Compton Greenfield. In 1839 John Francis Davis bought the house and built Hollywood Tower as an observatory. The clock in the tower was made by Dent who had constructed 'Big Ben'. The estate remained in the family until 1908 when Sir George White (1854 - 1916) a Bristol born businessman, tramway tycoon, and entrepreneur bought the estate for his son George Stanley White as a wedding gift.

The White family were linked with the development of early aviation and forward looking technology. Their company the Bristol & Colonial Aeroplane Company was the largest aircraft manufacturing company in the world by 1911.

George became Sir Stanley White on his father's death in 1916 and his wife Kate Muriel made considerable changes to the house and grounds. A new billiard room was constructed on the site of the old conservatory and a substantial attic floor and new staircase were added in the art nouveau style to the northeast side of the Mansion. Mains water was connected and various internal alterations were made to the house.

Kate White was a passionate gardener and between 1908 - 1964 the grounds and gardens of the estate were open to the public from time to time to raise money for charity. They were at one time maintained by a staff of 14 gardeners. She added a rock garden, Japanese garden and converted the old orchard into an area with large herbaceous borders.

In 1917 - 18 Sir Stanley White purchased 135 acres of land to the north, west and east of Hollywood (formerly part of Over Court and Bengough Estates). The area included more woodland and the farm known as Dumbell. This new acquisition allowed the Whites to link a long circular walk through the woods to the 'Waterloo Walk' in the garden.

At this time the model farm was built, including a mill and the marshy woodland known as Webbs Brake was turned into a water garden. This had several ponds with Japanese bridges under existing trees with carefully planted areas.

During the war the Hollywood estate was seen as vulnerable to attack. The Whites often hosted important guests, including Queen Mary, Winston Churchill and Sir Robert Menzies. Two large subterranean aircraft shelters were built beside the walled garden - these remain today.

In 1958 Lady White laid out a new rose garden on the site of the tennis court to celebrate their Golden Wedding anniversary.

In 1964 Sir Stanley White died and the following year the estate was sold to the Bristol and Clifton Zoological Society with the intention of providing a site for a new type of zoo or wildlife park. Planning permission was granted for this in 1967. Lady White remained living in the Mansion until her death in 1970.

The South boundary of the estate was modified when junction 17 of the M5 motorway was built across the outer edge of the estate.