113-577: Midsomer Norton / ˈ m ɪ d s ʌ m ər ˈ n ɔːr t ən / is a town near the Mendip Hills in Bath and North East Somerset , England, 10 miles (16 km ) south-west of Bath , 10 miles (16 km) north-east of Wells , 10 miles (16 km) north-west of Frome , 12 miles (19 km) west of Trowbridge and 16 miles (26 km) south-east of Bristol . It has a population of around 13,000. Along with Radstock and Westfield it used to be part of
226-950: A second station on the Bristol and North Somerset Railway at Welton in the valley. The railways were separate, the S&;D being administered by the Midland Railway and the London and South Western Railway companies (later the London Midland and Scottish Railway and the Southern Railway ) and the North Somerset being run by and then owned by the Great Western Railway . The stations were both called "Midsomer Norton and Welton" (the B&;NSR station
339-418: A campaign has been started to halt the creation of any new quarries and to restrict the activities and expansion of the existing ones. The Mendips are home to a wide range of outdoor sports and leisure activities, including hunting , caving, climbing, and abseiling . The rich variety of fauna and flora also makes it attractive for hillwalking and those interested in natural history. Mendip Activity Centre
452-541: A complex suite of mountain and hill ranges across what is now southern Ireland, south-western England, Brittany , and elsewhere in western Europe. As a result of the Variscan mountain-building, the Mendip area now comprises at least four anticlinal fold structures, with an east–west trend, each with a core of older Devonian sandstone and Silurian volcanic rocks . The latter are quarried for use in road construction and as
565-415: A concrete aggregate. The Mendips were considerably higher and steeper 200 to 300 million years ago, and subsequent erosion has resulted in varying geological features including gorges, dry valleys, screes , swallets and others typical of karst landscapes. Beneath the southern escarpment and plateau are caves . There are also areas of limestone pavement and other karst features. Dissolution of
678-590: A large proportion of the annual precipitation falls from showers and thunderstorms at this time of year. Average rainfall is around 800–900 mm (31–35 in). About 8–15 days of snowfall is typical. November to March have the highest mean wind speeds, with June to August having the lightest; the prevailing wind direction is from the south-west. A combination of the rainfall and geology leads to an estimated average daily runoff from springs and boreholes of some 330,000 m (72 million imperial gallons). Bristol Waterworks Company (now Bristol Water ) recognised
791-533: A level of protection comparable to a national park . The hills are largely formed from Carboniferous Limestone , which is quarried at several sites. Ash – maple woodland, calcareous grassland and mesotrophic grassland which can be found across the Mendip Hills provide nationally important semi-natural habitats. With their temperate climate these support a range of flora and fauna including birds, butterflies and small mammals. The dry stone walls that divide
904-588: A mix of barbed wire and sheep fencing. These dry-stone walls are of botanical importance as they support important populations of the nationally scarce wall whitlowgrass ( Draba muralis ). Amongst the plants which occur in the area are the Cheddar pink ( Dianthus gratianopolitanus ), purple gromwell ( Lithospermum purpurocaeruleum ), white rock-rose ( Helianthemum apenninum ), Somerset hair-grass ( Koeleria vallesiana ), and starved wood-sedge ( Carex depauperata ). Twenty Palaeolithic sites have been identified in
1017-662: A similarly popular Guide group a short distance away at Rock Hall. Mendip Hills The Mendip Hills (commonly called the Mendips ) is a range of limestone hills to the south of Bristol and Bath in Somerset , England. Running from Weston-super-Mare and the Bristol Channel in the west to the Frome valley in the east, the hills overlook the Somerset Levels to the south and
1130-491: A variation. Eilert Ekwall wrote that the village "is said to be so called in allusion to the festival held at midsummer on the day of St. John, the patron saint." John Wesley wrote of the appalling local road conditions which ensured it was reachable "only in midsummer." As Simon Winchester notes in his book The Map that Changed the World , "...the roads on this part of Somerset were atrocious, thick with mud and as rough as
1243-490: A wide distribution across the Mendips and are often found in flooded disused quarries. Several rare butterflies are indigenous to the area, including the nationally scarce pearl-bordered fritillary ( Boloria euphrosyne ), Duke of Burgundy ( Hamearis lucina ), and white-letter hairstreak ( Satyrium w-album ). The large blue butterfly ( Maculinea arion ) became extinct in the hills in the late 1970s. The white-clawed crayfish
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#17328369532481356-753: Is a 58-kilometre (36 mi) long-distance footpath from the Mendips to the Cotswolds, and the Mendip Way covers 80 km (50 mi) from Weston-super-Mare to Frome. The western section runs from the Bristol Channel at Uphill Cliff , affording views over the Somerset Levels, crosses the central Mendip plateau leading down to Cheddar Gorge, and then continues to Wells and Frome. The much longer Monarch's Way runs for 990 km (620 mi), from Worcester to Shoreham-by-Sea in West Sussex. It closely follows
1469-476: Is about 10 °C (50 °F) with seasonal and diurnal variations, but the modifying effect of the sea restricts the range to less than that in most other parts of the United Kingdom. January is the coldest month, with mean minimum temperatures between 1 °C (34 °F) and 2 °C (36 °F). July and August are the warmest, with mean daily maxima around 21 °C (70 °F). In general, December
1582-571: Is accomplished by the effect of gravity on the runoff. Water from the Mendips is also collected in Cheddar Reservoir , which was constructed in the 1930s and takes water from the springs in Cheddar Gorge. The area hosts three semi-natural habitats of national importance: ash – maple woodland ( Fraxinus spp. and Acer spp.) often with abundant small-leaved lime ( Tilia cordata ), calcareous grassland and mesotrophic grassland . Much of
1695-536: Is also nationally rare and is a declining species with small populations in a tributary of the Mells River and the River Chew . The dry stone walls that divide the pasture into fields are a well-known feature of the Mendips. Constructed from local limestone in an "A frame" design, the walls are strong yet contain no mortar; many have been neglected and allowed to disintegrate, or have been replaced or contained by
1808-468: Is around 800–900 mm (31–35 in). About 8–15 days of snowfall is typical. November to March have the highest mean wind speeds, with June to August having the lightest; the prevailing wind direction is from the south-west. For many years, the centre of Midsomer Norton was prone to flooding. Sometimes several times a year, the Somer rose up during prolonged rainfall and flooded shops, particularly where
1921-640: Is based at the Charterhouse Centre in the heart of the AONB. The AONB Unit consists of four staff: a manager, project officer, support officer and part-time planning officer and fixed term project officers. They are supported by volunteer rangers. In 2005 a proposal was submitted to the Countryside Agency to extend the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty to Steep Holm and Brean Down in the west and towards Frome in
2034-488: Is evidence of mining in the Mendips dating back to the late Bronze Age, which increased after the Roman invasion, particularly for lead and silver around Charterhouse . The difficult conditions in the area were noted by William Wilberforce in 1789, which inspired Hannah More to begin her work improving the conditions of the Mendip miners and agricultural workers. In the 18th and early 19th centuries 7,300 ha (18,000 acres) of
2147-457: Is located on Warrens Hill Road, on the rim of Batts Combe quarry between Shipham and Charterhouse. Thomas Hardy described the Mendips as "a range of limestone rocks stretching from the shores of the Bristol Channel into the middle of Somersetshire", and several of his books refer to the Mendips or sites on the hills. According to legend, Augustus Montague Toplady was inspired to write
2260-449: Is required to visit the vast majority of the caves, but Cheddar Gorge and Wookey Hole Caves are two show caves which are easily accessible to the public. The active Mendip Caving Group and other local caving organisations organise trips and continue to discover new caverns. The Hills conceal the largest underground river system in Britain; attempts to move from one cave to another through
2373-625: Is set in the Mendip Hills and is one of the largest outdoor activity centres in the South West. It is a key part of the local tourism community bringing significant revenue and visitor numbers each year, welcoming 10,000s of visitors. They have a thriving outdoor education program with schools, delivering school residentials. Families and individuals take part in activities including skiing and snowboarding, climbing and abseiling, kayaking and paddle boarding, caving, archery, air rifle, tobogganing and disc golf. Their pop-up campsite, Mendip Basecamp, opened to
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#17328369532482486-509: Is that the name is cognate with Mened ( Welsh mynydd ), a Brythonic term for upland moorland. The suffix may be a contraction of the Old English hop , meaning a valley. Possible further meanings have been identified. The first is 'the stone pit' from the Celtic meyn and dyppa in reference to the collapsed cave systems of Cheddar . The second is "mighty and awesome" from
2599-720: Is the Midsomer Norton, Radstock & District Journal . The other local weekly paper is the Somerset Guardian , which is part of the Daily Mail and General Trust . The monthly magazine, the Mendip Times , also includes local features. Somer Valley FM (97.5FM and online) is the Community Radio for the district. There is also a community website where residents can discuss local issues called Midsomer Norton People. In 2016
2712-463: Is the coldest month with mean minimum temperatures between 1 °C (34 °F) and 2 °C (36 °F). July and August are the warmest, with mean daily maxima around 21 °C (70 °F). In general, December is the dullest month and June the sunniest. The south-west of England enjoys a favoured location, particularly in summer, when the Azores High extends its influence north-eastwards towards
2825-563: Is the dullest month and June the sunniest. The south-west of England enjoys a favoured location, particularly in summer, when the Azores High extends its influence north-eastwards towards the UK. Cumulus cloud often forms inland, especially near hills, and reduces exposure to sunshine. The average annual sunshine is about 1,600 hours. Rainfall tends to be associated with Atlantic depressions or with convection. In summer, convection caused by solar surface heating sometimes forms shower clouds, and
2938-407: Is the only Mendip breeding site for downy emerald dragonflies. In 2007 the first confirmed sighting of a red kite ( Milvus milvus ) on the Mendips was made at Charterhouse. A range of important small mammals are found in the area, including the hazel dormouse ( Muscardinus avellanarius ) and bats. The hazel dormouse is restricted largely to coppice woodland and scrub, while the bats, including
3051-652: The A38 . Further east, and running almost north to south, are the A37 , A39 , A36 and the A361 . During the late 19th and early 20th century, the Bristol and North Somerset Railway ran roughly parallel to the A37. Further south and west, the Cheddar Valley Line and Wrington Vale Light Railway , branches of the Bristol and Exeter Railway , served towns and villages from Cheddar to Wells. In
3164-442: The Bristol Channel . The hills gave their name to the rare mineral mendipite , an oxohalide of lead with chlorine with formula Pb 3 Cl 2 O 2 which was first described in the area. A sample of mendipite was found at the head of Ebbor Gorge . Along with the rest of South West England , the Mendip Hills have a temperate climate that is generally wetter and milder than the rest of England. The annual mean temperature
3277-582: The Chew Valley and other tributaries of the Avon to the north. The highest point, at 325 metres above sea level, is Beacon Batch which is the summit area atop Black Down . The hills gave their name to the former local government district of Mendip , which administered most of the local area until April 2023. The higher, western part of the hills, covering 198 km (76 sq mi) has been designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), which gives it
3390-543: The Dartford warbler ( Sylvia undata ), which can be found at Black Down and Crook Peak . In Britain, this species is usually associated with lowland heath. The woodlands at Stock Hill are a breeding site for nightjars ( Caprimulgus europaeus ) and long-eared owls ( Asio otus ). The Waldegrave Pool, part of Priddy Mineries , is an important site for dragonflies , including downy emerald ( Cordulia aenea ) and four-spotted chaser ( Libellula quadrimaculata ). Waldegrave Pool
3503-510: The Italianate style and completed in 1860. The main geological feature in this area of the Mendip Hills south of Hallatrow consists of Supra-Pennant Measures which includes the upper coal measures and outcrops of sandstone. The relics of the industrial past are very evident within the area, including the distinct conical shape of the Old Mills batch overlooking the town. Midsomer Norton lies on
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3616-436: The Mendip Way and Limestone Link . Several explanations for the name "Mendip" have been suggested. Its earliest known form is Mendepe in 1185. One suggestion is that it is derived from the medieval term Myne-deepes . Others suggest it derives from Celtic monith , meaning mountain or hill, with an uncertain second element, perhaps Old English yppe in the sense of upland or plateau. A third explanation
3729-624: The Priddy Nine Barrows and Ashen Hill Barrow Cemeteries . The Historic England Archive holds over 1,200 entries for the area, and there are over 600 listed buildings , in addition to over 200 scheduled ancient monuments . These protected monuments range from prehistoric barrows and hillforts to the Black Down bombing decoy from the Second World War. Settlement on the Mendip Hills appears to fall into two types. The first, apparent in
3842-574: The River Somer which rises to the west of Chilcompton and on the Wellow Brook which rises near the village of Ston Easton . The town therefore occupies two valleys of the Mendip Hills and these merge west of Radstock. The combined river then flows east reaching the River Avon near Midford , thence to Bath and through Bristol into the Bristol Channel at Avonmouth . On the southern fringes of
3955-436: The Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway (S&D) in 1874, transformed the conveyance of coal out of the area. The last pit in the town, at Norton Hill, closed in 1966. Despite modernisation in the early 1960s, this final pit lapsed into unprofitability due to local geological difficulties and manpower shortages. One of the town's best known businesses was Prattens , manufacturer of prefabricated buildings, founded in 1912. It
4068-614: The barrows and forts around Priddy and at Dolebury Warren . The caves of Cheddar Gorge have yielded many archaeological remains, as flood waters have washed artefacts and bones into the caves and preserved them in silt. The Cheddar Man , Britain's oldest complete skeleton, was found in Gough's Cave , part of the Cheddar Complex . Within the Mendip Hills AONB, good evidence exists for 286 definite examples of round barrows, including
4181-611: The 20th century with new chancel and lady chapel. It is a grade II* listed building. The churchyard includes a memorial to the 12 miners killed in 1839 when their rope was severed. St. John's is part of the Diocese of Bath and Wells . The Patronage vests in Christ Church, Oxford . The Methodist Church in the town's High Street celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2009. In 1746, John Wesley 's travelling preachers, based in Bristol were invited in
4294-511: The Cantilupe family whose heiress Eleanor de Cantelowe married Sir Thomas West (1251–1344)), by his wife Alice FitzHerbert (died 1395), a sister and co-heiress of Sir Edmund FitzHerbert, both children of Sir Reynold Fitzherbert of Midsomer Norton , Somerset, members of the venerable Winchester family. Sir Thomas West (d.1386) had fought in the Battle of Crécy and the subsequent siege of Calais under
4407-479: The Iron Age onward the ownership of land took on increasing importance, with large landholdings based on the mines or on stock grazing, denying settlers access to the plateau or forcing them off the hills. There is evidence of mining dating back to the late Bronze Age, when there were technological changes in metal-working indicating the use of lead. The Roman invasion, and possibly the preceding period of involvement in
4520-537: The Mendip Hills has, since 1972, been designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) under the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 . The Mendip Society, which was formed in 1965, helps to raise awareness of this designation and protect the area. The society runs a programme of guided walks and educational presentations. The society also has a small grants fund to assist communities with
4633-539: The Mendip Hills is Charterhouse Cave with a vertical range of 220 m (722 ft). Many caves in the Mendip area were excavated for archaeological and natural history studies by pioneer explorer Herbert E. Balch and were photographed by the early caver Harry Savory at the start of the 20th century using cameras , glass plates and flash powder . Several sites on the Mendips are designated as open access land , and there are many footpaths and bridleways that are generally clearly marked. The Limestone Link
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4746-452: The Mendips is open calcareous grassland, supporting a wide variety of flowering plants and insects. Some parts are deciduous ancient woodland , and some have been used intensively for arable agriculture, particularly since World War I. As the demand for arable land in Britain declined, some areas were returned to grassland, but the use of fertilisers and herbicides has reduced biodiversity. Grazing by rabbits, sheep and cattle maintains
4859-687: The Mendips the Carboniferous Limestone layers are found in the subsurface and are exposed in Avon Gorge , and are overlain by younger strata in Dundry Hill and the Cotswolds , where oolitic limestone of Jurassic age is found at the surface. West of the main Mendip plateau the Carboniferous Limestone continues in Bleadon Hill and Brean Down , and on the islands of Steep Holm and Flat Holm in
4972-487: The Mendips, many based on the particular geology of the area. The hills are recognised as a national centre for caving and cave diving , as well as being popular with climbers, hillwalkers and natural historians. Wookey Hole Caves and some of the caves in Cheddar Gorge are open as show caves ; however, many of the caves of the Mendip Hills are only accessible to members of caving clubs. Long-distance footpaths include
5085-412: The Mendips, of which eleven represent faunal remains and lithic artefacts recovered from caves. The remaining eight sites refer to surface lithic discoveries, and the artefacts found include points, scrapers, and handaxes. Twenty-seven Mesolithic finds are represented by flint and chert lithics. Large numbers of artefacts have been found near Neolithic , Iron Age , and Bronze Age features, such as
5198-455: The Mendips, reflect the arrival of this new road. Much of the high plateau, however, remained uncultivated and unenclosed until the 18th century, resulting in many roads remaining as narrow winding lanes between high banks and hedges or stone walls. Where the tracks had their origins as drovers roads , they typically become open roads with wide verges. The roads tend to follow the line of gorges and valleys, as at Cheddar Gorge. The more major of
5311-592: The Mendips: the Devonian sandstones visible around Blackdown and Downhead and the Carboniferous Limestones, which dominate the hills and surround the older rock formations. There are nine active quarries and a host of disused sites, several of which have been designated as geological Sites of Special Scientific Interest by English Nature. Because of the effect quarrying has on the environment and local communities,
5424-633: The Methodist Church and in the North East Somerset & Bath Circuit. The Baptist Church have their building in Welton but hold their Sunday morning service at Paulton Rovers Football Club now in order to accommodate their congregation. The Salvation Army meet in their citadel at Stones Cross. There is a successful Scout group, the 1st Midsomer Norton Scout Group based at Radstock Road, providing scouting to around 140 boys and girls per week, and
5537-565: The Neolithic and Bronze Age Britain periods, and repeated on a small scale in the Middle Ages and post-medieval era, comprised occupation by self-sufficient groups in small communities or isolated farms. The second was represented in the Iron Age Britain and Roman periods by large sites with specialist functions, existing by virtue of their ability to exert power over lowland producers. From
5650-571: The Old English moen and deop . The rock strata known as the Carboniferous Limestone were laid down during the early Carboniferous Period , about 320–350 million years ago. Subsequently, much of northwestern Europe underwent continental collision throughout the late Paleozoic Era , culminating in the final phases of the Variscan orogeny near the end of the Carboniferous, 300 million years ago. This tectonic activity produced
5763-711: The Paradis Palm Court Trio perform free classical concerts in the Town Hall. Choir concerts (male voices in particular) command a local following and the Lions club is a promoter of such attractions usually held in the Methodist or Parish churches. There are a number of local brass bands . In 2006 Midsomer Norton hosted the European Open Marching and Show Band Championship which saw many bands from all over Europe visit
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#17328369532485876-448: The UK. Cloud often forms inland, especially near hills, and reduces exposure to sunshine. The average annual sunshine is about 1,600 hours. Rainfall tends to be associated with Atlantic depressions or with convection. In summer, convection caused by solar surface heating sometimes forms shower clouds and a large proportion of the annual precipitation falls from showers and thunderstorms at this time of year. Average rainfall
5989-524: The area closed in the 1960s. Although the Roman Fosse Way crossed the hills, the main roads generally avoid the higher areas and run along the bottom of the scarp slope on the north and south of the hills. The western end of the hills is crossed by the M5 motorway and A38 . Further east, and running almost north to south, are the A37 and A39 . A wide range of outdoor sports and leisure activities take place in
6102-464: The birthplace or home to several notable people. "Norton" means 'northish enclosure' from the Old English , while the use of its forename to distinguish it from other 'Nortons' is of late origin and not mentioned until 1334. Sources point to the town being situated midway between two branches of the River Somer ; the Somer itself and Wellow Brook , which joins the Somer a short distance to the east near Radstock. The spelling "Missomerys Norton" may be
6215-483: The cinema's former names. The town was left without cinema for almost two decades. Cinema was brought back to the town under the Palladium name in 2012 with a new community cinema at the Town Hall. In 2013, permanent cinema equipment was installed in the building and an upgrade in 2018 saw new release cinema return to the town for the first time in 25 years. The town is commemorated in "The Sheriff of Midsomer Norton", by Somerset band The Wurzels . Midsomer Norton hosts
6328-405: The command of Richard FitzAlan, 10th Earl of Arundel . The younger Thomas almost certainly served alongside his father under King Richard II ; one of them was in active service in Calais in 1386, the year of his father's death. A knight banneret , he served in Ireland with the Duke of Aumale in 1399, and attended Richard's young Queen Isabella of Valois homeward to Calais in 1401. When West
6441-400: The common heathland on the hills were enclosed . In World War II a bombing decoy was constructed on top of Black Down at Beacon Batch. More recently, the mast of the Mendip transmitting station , micro-hydroelectric turbines and a wind turbine have been installed. There are several quarries on the Mendip Hills . Some of the stone is still carried by Mendip Rail ; the other railways in
6554-468: The conservation and enhancement of the landscape and to encourage its enjoyment and celebration. As their landscapes have similar scenic qualities, AONBs may be compared to the national parks of England and Wales . In contrast to national parks, which have their own authorities and legal power to prevent unsympathetic development, very few statutory duties are imposed on the local authorities within an AONB. However, further regulation and protection of AONBs
6667-399: The conurbation and large civil parish of Norton Radstock , but is now a town council in its own right. It is also part of the unitary authority of Bath and North East Somerset . Midsomer Norton is characterised by the River Somer which runs the length of the town centre. The river itself was regenerated with new plant life during the summer of 2012 in a bid to improve the aesthetics of
6780-459: The current roads often started as turnpikes in the 16th century. These avoid the highest areas of the hills. To the north of the western part of the Mendips, the A368 separates the hills from the Chew Valley , while on the southern edge the A371 similarly runs along the bottom of the scarp slope between the hills and the Somerset Levels . The western end of the hills is crossed by the M5 motorway with access at junctions 21 and 22, along with
6893-447: The disused collieries in the area have subsequently been developed for light industry. In recent years some large local firms have closed or relocated blaming poor transport links. Packaging company, Alcan Mardon closed in 2006, although its social club remains. Polestar Purnell , based in nearby Paulton also closed the same year with the loss of 400 jobs. In August 2011, the town's largest remaining employer, Welton, Bibby & Baron,
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#17328369532487006-435: The early eighteenth century, in The Island in the centre of the town in 1865. The family later moved to a house in Silver Street. As a boy, Evelyn Waugh spent his summer holidays in Midsomer Norton with his maiden aunts. He later described his visits there: "I suppose that in fact I never spent longer than two months there in any year, but the place captivated my imagination as my true home never did." The Palladium cinema
7119-402: The east, the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway ran south from Bath into Dorset , and also served Wells. These have all now closed, but Mendip Rail has freight lines to carry limestone from the quarries of the Mendip Hills . There is also the East Somerset Railway which is an operational heritage railway . The Somerset Coal Canal reached some of the pits of the Somerset Coalfield in
7232-598: The east. Many of the villages on the Mendips have their own parish councils , which have some responsibility for local issues. Local people also elect councillors to district councils or to unitary authorities. The 198 km (76 sq mi) of the AONB are split across four districts: Mendip District Council 87.67 km (33.8 sq mi), Sedgemoor District Council 34.03 km (13.1 sq mi), Bath and North East Somerset Council 36.95 km (14.3 sq mi), and North Somerset Council 39.35 km (15.2 sq mi). The population on
7345-492: The eastern end of the Mendips. In recent centuries the Mendips, like the Cotswolds to the north, have been quarried for stone to build the cities of Bath and Bristol, as well as smaller towns in Somerset. The quarries are now major suppliers of road stone to southern England, among them producing around twelve million tonnes of limestone every year, employing over two thousand people, and turning over approximately £150 million per annum. There are two main rock types on
7458-416: The elderly and handicapped are well used, along with the local Community minibus set up by the local Rotary Club in 1967 under Midsomer Norton & Radstock Community Service Vehicle Trust. This vehicle is for use primarily by organisations in the area serving the disabled and infirm. The town was previously served by a station on the Somerset and Dorset Railway (S&D) but this closed in 1966, and by
7571-401: The grassland habitat. Of the many bird species found in the Mendips, the peregrine falcon ( Falco peregrinus ), which has gradually recolonised the area since the 1980s, is particularly significant. It breeds on sea and inland cliffs and on the faces of active and disused quarries. The upland heaths of the west Mendips have recently increased in ornithological importance due to colonisation by
7684-441: The high street is at its lowest point in the middle between Martin's newsagent and the former Palladium cinema. To prevent future deluges, a major flood alleviation tunnel — completed in 1977 – was constructed beneath the high street to remove excess water when the town centre was threatened with flooding. The infrastructure comprises a sluice gate situated at the top of the high street near Somervale School through which
7797-404: The higher plateau is widely dispersed in small farms and hamlets, although rather than working in agriculture or forestry, most people now commute to employment in surrounding cities and towns. The largest village on the plateau on the western Mendips is Priddy , which had a population of 624 at the 2011 census along with the smaller hamlet of Charterhouse . The larger villages and towns are on
7910-454: The hills were enclosed, mainly with dry stone walls that today form a key part of the landscape. In 2006 funding was obtained to maintain and improve the walls, which had steadily deteriorated over the years. In World War II, a bombing decoy was constructed on top of Black Down at Beacon Batch in an attempt to confuse bombers aiming to damage the city of Bristol, and piles of stones (known as cairns ) were created to prevent enemy aircraft using
8023-444: The hilltop as a landing site. In the 1960s, the tallest mast in the region at 293 metres (961 ft) above ground level, the Mendip UHF television transmitter , was installed on Pen Hill near Wells , one of the highest points of the Mendips. The transmitter's antenna rises to almost 589 metres (1,932 ft) above sea level. Since 2003, arguments have raged over plans to erect a wind turbine near Chewton Mendip. The proposal
8136-511: The internal affairs of the south of England, was inspired, in part, by the mineral wealth of the Mendips. William Wilberforce 's visit to Cheddar in 1789, during which he saw the poor circumstances of the locals, inspired Hannah More to begin her work improving the conditions of the Mendip miners and agricultural workers. Under her influence, schools were built and children were formally instructed in reading and Christian doctrine. Between 1770 and 1813 some 7,300 ha (18,000 acres) of land on
8249-695: The largest producer of recyclable paper bags in Europe, announced the closure of its site in Welton, which it occupied for 150 years. The company, known locally as ‘Welton Bag’ planned to move to larger premises at Westbury in Wiltshire , but promised to transfer all 400 jobs to the new site. The business parks remain busy however, and the town and environs has its share of national trading companies including supermarkets and retail outlets. The town's High Street has free parking. Many inhabitants commute to Bath and Bristol for employment and shopping. Dial-a-Ride services for
8362-463: The latter of which is the most easily accessible via regular direct bus routes. Midsomer Norton's railway station was mentioned in Slow Train by Michael Flanders and Donald Swann : No more will I go to Blandford Forum and Mortehoe, on the slow train from Midsomer Norton and Munby Road No churns, no porter, no cat on a seat, at Chorlton-cum-Hardy or Chester-le-Street We won't be meeting you, on
8475-409: The limestone produced many of the gorges including Cheddar Gorge and Burrington Combe . Springs are a common feature of the eastern part of the hills, a number of which have associated tufa deposits. Black Down is a moorland area, with its steeper slopes covered in bracken ( Pteridium ) and its flatter summit in heather ( Calluna ) and grasses rather than the pasture which covers much of
8588-505: The local Catholic community were served by Benedictine monks from the now defunct Downside Abbey , formerly under the Diocese of Clifton . The Anglican Church of St John the Baptist has a tower dating from the 15th century, although the upper stages are from the 17th century, but the rest was rebuilt in Gothic Revival style by John Pinch the younger in 1830–1831 and was extended in
8701-510: The lower slopes of the western hills, often in river valleys. Axbridge , with a population of 2,057, and Cheddar (5,755), both within the Sedgemoor district, together with the Mendip town of Shepton Mallet (10,369) and the city of Wells (10,636) are along the southern border of the hills. The North Somerset parishes of Blagdon (1,116), and the parishes of Compton Martin (508), East Harptree (644) and West Harptree (439), lie along
8814-553: The main settlement of Causton ( Corston ). Despite some occasional confusion, there is no other link between Midsomer Norton and the television series. The Old Priory , which was a hotel and restaurant, dates from the early to mid 17th century. Another old building is the Catholic Church of the Holy Ghost , which is a 15th-century tithe barn converted by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott . It is a grade II* listed building. For many years,
8927-401: The manor was held by the family of Thomas West, 1st Baron West and his descendants. The Duchy of Cornwall owned most of the mineral rights around Midsomer Norton and various small pits opened around 1750 to exploit these. Coal mining in the Somerset coalfield gave the town and area its impetus as an industrial centre. Around 1866 an obelisk Crimean War monument with two marble plaques,
9040-618: The manors of Midsomer Norton , Somerset , and Hinton Martell , Dorset , from his mother. He was later granted joint custody of Beaulieu Abbey . He died in 1405 and was interred alongside his mother at Christchurch Priory, Dorset . West married, before 2 May 1384, Joan La Warre, widow of Ralph de Wilington (d. 16 August 1382) of Sandhurst, Gloucestershire , and daughter of Roger la Warr, 3rd Baron De La Warr (d. 27 August 1370), and his second wife, Eleanor Mowbray, daughter of John de Mowbray, 3rd Baron Mowbray , by Joan of Lancaster , daughter of Henry, 3rd Earl of Lancaster . Joan la Warre
9153-484: The meadow in the stewardship of Somervale School. Along with the rest of South West England , the Midsomer Norton has a temperate climate generally wetter and milder than the rest of England. The annual mean temperature is about 10 °C (50 °F) with seasonal and diurnal variations, but the modifying effect of the sea, restricts the range to less than that in most other parts of the United Kingdom. January
9266-535: The mid-1700s to support the local society, the man himself first coming in 1767. By the middle of the 1800s, the congregation had outgrown the original chapel erected in 1775 in Rackvernal Road (now demolished). In the 1990s, the present church building and adjoining hall were totally refurbished and linked, the facilities being well used by the local community. Local Methodists are part of the Bristol District of
9379-551: The nationally rare lesser ( Rhinolophus hipposideros ) and greater horseshoe bats ( Rhinolophus ferrumequinum ), have a number of colonies in buildings, caves, and mines. A rare and endangered species, the greater horseshoe bat is protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and is listed in Annex ;II of the 1992 European Community Habitats Directive . Amphibians such as the great crested newt ( Triturus cristatus ) have
9492-506: The northern edge. Further east are the towns of Midsomer Norton and Radstock and the village of Paulton (population 5,302) within the unitary authority of Bath and North East Somerset. In the middle of the 1st century, ancient tracks across the hills were superseded by the Roman Fosse Way , from Bath to Ilchester , a branch of which served the Charterhouse lead mines. Stratton-on-the-Fosse and Lydford-on-Fosse , two villages of
9605-573: The only unofficial carnival on the West Country Carnival circuit. Originally, floats travelled through the main High Street but road improvements put paid to the larger vehicles and for many years the procession was held on the main Fosseway through Westfield . Since 2014 however, the carnival has returned to the High Street following changes made to the traffic layout. The town's free newspaper
9718-481: The past and this is reflected in areas of contaminated rough ground known locally as "gruffy". The word "gruffy" is thought to derive from the grooves that were formed where the lead ore was extracted from veins near the surface. Other commodities obtained included calamine ( zinc ore), manganese , iron, copper and baryte . The eastern area reaches into parts of the Somerset Coalfield . North and east of
9831-494: The pasture into fields are of botanical importance as they support important populations of the nationally scarce wall whitlowgrass ( Draba muralis ). The origin of the name "Mendip" is unclear, but it is known that there has been human habitation since Palaeolithic and Mesolithic times with a range of artefacts being recovered from caves. Neolithic , Iron Age , and Bronze Age features such as barrows are numerous with over 200 scheduled ancient monuments recorded. There
9944-419: The plateau. The main body of the range is an extended plateau, 6–8 km (4–5 miles) wide and generally about 240 metres (800 ft) above sea level. In some places lead and zinc ores have mineralised the limestone and the dolomitic conglomerate . From the time of Roman Britain until 1908, the hills were an important source of lead. These areas were the centre of a major mining industry in
10057-450: The public in 2020 and in 2023 was named Gold Campsite at the Bristol, Bath and Somerset Tourism Awards. Large areas of limestone on the Mendips have been worn away by water, making the hills a national centre for caving . Some of the caves have been known about since the establishment of the Mendip lead mining industry in Roman times. However, many have been discovered or explored only in the 20th century. Specialist equipment and knowledge
10170-606: The roar of my motor and would come out of their cottages with jugs and buckets to buy a gallon of kerosene for their lamps and their heaters. It is fun for a young man to do that sort of thing. Nobody gets a nervous breakdown or a heart attack from selling kerosene to gentle country folk from the back of a tanker in Somerset on a fine summer’s day. The Waugh family connection with Midsomer Norton began when Dr Alexander Waugh, father of Arthur Waugh and grandfather of Evelyn Waugh and Alec Waugh moved to Island House, which had been built in
10283-549: The route taken by Charles II after his defeat at the Battle of Worcester in 1651. The route enters Somerset near Chewton Mendip and crosses the Mendip Hills heading for Wells. A shorter local path, the 72-kilometre (45 mi) long Mendip Pub Trail, connects six pubs owned by Butcombe Brewery. The trail runs from Hinton Blewett through Priddy, Axbridge, Bleadon , Rowberrow , and Compton Martin. Various forms of oval short-track racing, including F1 and F2 stock cars , have taken place at Mendips Raceway since 1969. The track
10396-422: The slow train ... Children's author Roald Dahl sold kerosene in Midsomer Norton and the surrounding area in the 1930s. He described the experience in his autobiographical work Boy: Tales of Childhood (published 1984): My kerosene motor-tanker had a tap at the back and when I rolled into Shepton Mallet or Midsomer Norton or Peasedown St John or Huish Champflower, the old girls and the young maidens would hear
10509-556: The south-western edge of the town between Westfield, Somerset and Stratton-on-the-Fosse . The parish was part of the hundred of Chewton . Following the Norman Conquest William the Conqueror gave large parts of north Somerset, including the manor of Norton to Geoffrey de Montbray , bishop of Coutances , and Norton was held under him by Ulveva. From about 1150 until 1300 the manor was held by Alured de Lincoln. From 1387
10622-455: The surface of the moon". In some church records the town is referred to as 'Norton Canonicorum' as an alternative to Midsomer Norton, and this may be because of the local Priory's link to Merton Priory in London until the dissolution of the monasteries in 1538. The area at what is now Langley’s Lane in Midsomer Norton was an important and rare area of Mesolithic activity focused around an active tufa spring. The Fosse Way runs through
10735-573: The town are now rated at increased risk of flooding from Wellow Brook due to climate change and the increased provision of housing in the vicinity. In 2008 a new monitoring station was installed at nearby Welton through which data on water pressure and flood levels can be collected via metal tubes placed in the river linked to a telemetry box. This facility is now providing the Environment Agency with extremely useful information for use in future assessments of flood risk. For hundreds of years mining
10848-455: The town centre. The Town has a long history which can be seen through a number of early churches which remain, but really started to grow and become a transport hub with the development of the Somerset coalfield . For many years the coalmines provided employment for local men until they ceased operations in the 1960s, around the same time that the town's two railway stations also closed. Afterwards, good employment opportunities still remained for
10961-523: The town from which Midsomer Norton elects its own Town Council with an elected Mayor. It is part of the Frome and East Somerset constituency , which elects a Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom . The Palladian council offices were built in the mid to late 18th century. Midsomer Norton Town Hall was commissioned by a local brewer, Thomas Harris Smith, designed in
11074-487: The town is the 2 hectares (4.9 acres) Silver Street Local Nature Reserve , on the site of the estate of Norton House, an eighteenth century mansion built by the coalmine-owning Savage family but demolished in 1937-8. It contains a broad-leaf woodland around several ponds, a restored nineteenth-century wellhead that supplied water to the house, and a grassland field. The woodland is leased to the Somerset and Dorset Heritage Railway Trust by Bath and North East Somerset Council and
11187-495: The town with elements of the print industry. Some of these plants have also now begun to close, but overall employment levels in the area remain very high. Midsomer Norton provides shopping and service industries for the surrounding areas and supports several music venues and bands. The town has four primary schools and two large secondary schools. Midsomer Norton is home to a leisure centre, several sports clubs and provides youth opportunities such as Scouts and Guides . It has been
11300-430: The town's first LGBT Pride celebration event was held at The Wunderbar who had previously been host to comedians Matt Lucas and Ed Byrne . The event was held again in 2017. Throughout the 90's and early 2000 The alternative live music and DJ scene in Midsomer Norton flourished with help of venues such as The Stones Cross, The Wunderbar who promoted unsigned bands for over 25 years. On the first Friday of every month
11413-520: The town. Anthony Horowitz , the original writer of Midsomer Murders , borrowed part of the name of the town when he adapted Caroline Graham's Chief Inspector Barnaby series for television in 1997. Although no filming of the show has ever taken place in Midsomer Norton or the surrounding parishes, some names of other nearby locations have been used by the producers in creating their fictional county of Midsomer, including Midsomer Wellow ( Wellow ), Midsomer Magna ( Chew Magna ), Midsomer Morton and
11526-461: The underground rivers led to the development of cave diving in Britain. The first cave dive was attempted at Swildon's Hole in 1934, and the first successful dive was achieved the following year at Wookey Hole Caves, which has the deepest sump in Britain at 76 m (250 ft). The cave complexes at St. Dunstan's Well Catchment , Lamb Leer , and Priddy Caves have been identified as Sites of Special Scientific Interest. The deepest cave in
11639-482: The value of this resource and between 1846 and 1853 created a series of tunnels, pipes, and aqueducts called the "Line of Works", which still carry approximately 18,200 m (4 million imperial gallons) of water a day to Barrow Gurney Reservoirs for filtration and then on to Bristol and the surrounding areas. This collection and conveyance of water from the Chewton Mendip and East and West Harptree areas
11752-414: The water is carried under the town via a pre-cast concrete culvert several metres in diameter to an outlet further downstream at Rackvernal. Since it began operation, no flooding has occurred to the high street and an Environment Agency report confirms that the relief scheme remains in good condition and continues to serve to its 100-year standard. Despite the success of the scheme, some outlying areas of
11865-538: The words of the hymn " Rock of Ages " while sheltering under a rock in Burrington Combe during a thunderstorm in 1763; there is a metal plaque marking the site. Thomas West, 1st Baron West Thomas West, 1st Baron West (1365 – 19 April 1405) was an English nobleman and member of parliament. He was the only son of Sir Thomas West (1321–3 September 1386 ) of Hempston Cauntelow in Devon (named after its lords
11978-460: Was acquired by Beazer in 1980 and its factory in Charlton Road was demolished in the 1990s. Midsomer Norton traditionally hosted other industries and became a major manufacturing centre for printing and packaging. Some 2,000 people (27% of total employment) work in this industry locally. Following the decline of mining, these companies expanded on local trading estates and in Welton. The sites of
12091-465: Was added by the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 . The Mendip Hills Partnership, which performs an administrative role, includes the five local authorities that cover the AONB, statutory bodies such as Natural England , together with parish councils and other organisations and groups that have an interest in the conservation and care of the area. The Mendip Hills AONB staff unit of the partnership
12204-513: Was an important industry for the area, and there were a number of mines in Midsomer Norton, e.g. Old Mills, Norton Hill, and Welton. However the seams were thin and with the hilly nature around, not easily worked. Generations of miners who worked in the difficult conditions of the local collieries are remembered at the Radstock Museum . The coming of the railways, particularly the Bath extension of
12317-431: Was built at the site of St Chad's well, by the mother of Frederick Stukeley Savage for the benefit of the poor. The obelisk was in the grounds of Norton House , a Georgian mansion built by Thomas Savage, an investor in coalmines in the area, in 1789. The house itself has since been demolished but other features of its estate are still visible at Silver Street Nature reserve (see below). There are two electoral wards in
12430-411: Was initially rejected by Mendip District Council, with the support of a range of local groups and organisations, on the grounds that the environmental impact on the edge of the AONB outweighed the amount of electricity which would be generated. In April 2006, however, a planning enquiry gave Ecotricity permission to build a 102 m (335 ft) turbine during the following year. The western end of
12543-631: Was opened as the Empire in 1913 in a building which had previously been a brewery. It closed in 1993 and various attempts were made to turn it into a club and shop, before Wetherspoons announced in January 2015 that they had acquired the site and intended to seek planning and licensing permission to convert it to a pub, which opened in September 2018 with the name of the Palladium Electric in reference to one of
12656-463: Was originally called just "Welton"); under British Railways, the S&D station was renamed as Midsomer Norton South after a short period as Midsomer Norton Upper; and is currently being restored with occasional open weekends with engines in steam. The Somerset & Dorset Railway Heritage Trust operates steam trains for a mile up to Chilcompton Tunnel. Today the nearest operating railway stations are at Frome (10.5 miles away) and Bath Spa (11 miles),
12769-421: Was seventeen, he and his mother and sister Eleanor were assaulted and robbed, by Sir Nicholas de Clifton , who carried his sister off; he was probably the same Nicholas de Clifton who later married her. West was knighted in 1399, and summoned to Parliament as Baron West in 1402, by which time he held the manor of Harby, Nottinghamshire . He inherited the manor of Newton Tony , Wiltshire , from his father, and
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