This film is part of Free

Panorama of the River Avon to Portishead (1902)
A fine variety of views of the Avon gorge taken from various positions downstream from the Clifton Suspension Bridge.
Overview
This journey down the Avon gorge was filmed from the riverbank, from a boat and from the Portishead railway. Among views of the estuary, the cargo ship Vera and the fine wooden warship Formidable (then a training ship), Portishead docks and the entrance to the Clifton Rocks Railway. This underground funicular railway linked the town to the riverbank just below the Clifton Suspension Bridge.
Fans of Bill Morrison's Decasia will appreciate the haunting beauty of the decayed nitrate, which makes HMS Formidable appear like a ghost-ship, shrouded in a mysterious white fog.
Related

StoryTrails: The People's Map Newport StoryTrails: The People's Map Newport
Documentary 2022 12 mins Location: Newport/Casnewydd
This map showcases a curated selection of audio stories and digitally animated 3D scans of the people and places in and around Newport.

StoryTrails: The People's Map Wolverhampton StoryTrails: The People's Map Wolverhampton
Documentary 2022 14 mins Location: Wolverhampton
This map showcases a curated selection of audio stories and digitally animated 3D scans of the people and places in and around Wolverhampton.

StoryTrails: The People's Map Omagh StoryTrails: The People's Map Omagh
Documentary 2022 15 mins Location: Omagh
This map showcases a curated selection of audio stories and digitally animated 3D scans of the people and places in and around Omagh.

StoryTrails: The People's Map Slough StoryTrails: The People's Map Slough
Documentary 2022 15 mins Location: Slough
This map showcases a curated selection of audio stories and digitally animated 3D scans of the people and places in and around Slough.

StoryTrails: The People's Map Dundee StoryTrails: The People's Map Dundee
Documentary 2022 14 mins Location: Dundee
This map showcases a curated selection of audio stories and digitally animated 3D scans of the people and places in and around Dundee.

StoryTrails: The People's Map Swansea StoryTrails: The People's Map Swansea
Documentary 2022 15 mins Location: Swansea/Abertawe
This map showcases a curated selection of audio stories and digitally animated 3D scans of the people and places in and around Swansea.

New Perspectives: Fish Tank New Perspectives: Fish Tank
Short documentary 2025 4 mins
Adam Smith of Northumbria University explains why Andrea Arnold's coming-of-age story, about a girl who uses dance to escape, is his favourite film on BFI Player.

New Perspectives: Pusher New Perspectives: Pusher
Short documentary 2025 5 mins
Noah Ball of Northumbria University explains why you should seize the chance to watch Nicolas Winding Refn's debut.

Twin Peaks star Kyle MacLachlan on working with David Lynch - Q&A Twin Peaks star Kyle MacLachlan on working with David Lynch - Q&A
Inside Film 2025 38 mins
Kyle MacLachlan talks to BFI CEO Ben Roberts about working with David Lynch on the legendary series Twin Peaks.

On Falling - Exclusive Q&A On Falling - Exclusive Q&A
Inside Film 2025 30 mins
Writer-director Laura Carreira talks to Nia Childs about her debut feature, On Falling.

Layla - Exclusive Q&A Layla - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2025 27 mins
Writer, director and performer Amrou Al-Kadhi talks to Rico Johnson-Sinclair about their debut feature.

All We Imagine As Light - Exclusive Q&A All We Imagine As Light - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2025 28 mins
Payal Kapadia discusses her Cannes prize-winning and Bafta-nominated drama with Ashanti Omkar.