Dutch Island

In the 1720s, Weston Lock and an artificial channel known as ‘the cut’ created an island near Locksbrook. Later called ‘Dutch Island’, it was named after the skilled Dutch craftsmen brought in to work at local brass mills. Large water-powered hammers were used to beat blocks of brass into sheets that became items like wire and cooking pots. Dolphin Bridge — named after a local pub — still connects the island to the city.

Visit Saltford Brass Mill on the River Avon to understand the role of brass in the industrial revolution and the transatlantic slave trade.