from The Brunel's kingdom Collection of Drawings.
In bygone days Underfall Yard was commonly referred to as “The Underfalls” and takes its name from the under fall sluices. In 1832 the sluices were designed to remove excesses of fowl smelling silt and mud which were being dragged into the harbour by trading vessels at the time. As a result of the accumulation of this mud and silt, ships entering the narrow harbour were frequently being grounded. Brunel was called upon to provide the solution to this problem and so designed this filtration system. Any ship that could withstand the difficult circumstances of Bristol’s muddy harbour was said to be worthy of the name “Ship Shape and Bristol Fashion” from which this Bristol phrase originates.