Wikipedia:Today's featured article/December 27, 2011



Knowle West is a neighbourhood situated on a low plateau in the south of Bristol, England, about 2 mi from the centre of the city. Most of the area is coterminous with the Filwood ward of Bristol City Council, although a small part of the estate lies within Knowle ward to the east. The population as of 2008 was estimated as 11,787. There is evidence of late Iron Age and Roman settlements in the area. At the time of the Domesday Book, Knowle was a rural area assessed at a taxable value of two geld units. Knowle West remained rural in character until the 1930s when a council housing estate was developed to provide homes for Bristolians displaced by slum clearance in the centre of the city. Famous former residents include the musician Tricky, the boxer Dixie Brown and late 1950s rock and roll band The Eagles. Community activities include the Knowle West Media Centre, the Residents' Planning Group and the Knowle West Health Association. There are no major employers in Knowle West but there are many small local enterprises and larger businesses on nearby trading estates. Just under a third of the residents are classed as economically inactive and the area is one of the most economically deprived in Bristol. Knowle West has relatively high indices of crime and drug use, but community efforts to combat this have had some success. (more...)

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