If you were to name a bit of Bristol that is particularly beautiful and picturesque, I would wager good money that Henbury would not feature on too many lists. Think of Henbury and think of Crow Lane, the high-rise blocks of flats and gangs of feral youths wandering the dangerous streets.

But that is only half of the Henbury story, for get to the bottom of Crow Lane, conveniently ignore the Toby Carvery the other side of the road, turn right, cross the bridge over the river and head up Henbury Road towards the entrance to Blaise Castle.

Before you know it, you will be in a part of Bristol that time forgot, of narrow lanes, stone cottages and a village shop (now sadly closed, see the photograph to the right).

It seems that the one pub in the vicinity is also somewhere that time forgot. Inside, there’s a photograph of the pub from 1996, perhaps the last time it had a refurbishment. But the photograph could well have been from 1796, the only difference between then and now being that the stable block out the back has been turned into a garage.

The Blaise Inn, situated in the middle of Henbury village, is a fiercely basic pub, with every seat covering frayed. When I visited, a solitary old man in one corner was drinking a pint out of a proper old-fashioned glass, as two younger chaps were moaning about the foreman in the distribution depot they both work at.

I could just imagine the same conversation taking place centuries ago as workers on the Blaise Castle estate over the road came in here to moan about their bosses.

A pair of stag’s antlers was on the wall near the heavy wooden front door, with black and white photos on the wall of Henbury in years gone by.

It’s like stepping back in time in this corner of Bristol, and the Blaise Inn fits snugly into that timewarp.

The Blaise Inn, 260 Henbury Road, Henbury. 0117 950 5396.