76-517: Radstock Museum in Radstock , Somerset , England has a range of exhibits which offer an insight into North Somerset life since the nineteenth century. The museum was originally opened in 1989 in barns in Haydon . The museum moved to its current site in the restored and converted Victorian Market Hall, a grade II listed building dating from 1897 which was opened on 10 July 1999 by Loyd Grossman . Many of
152-464: A carbohydrate energy source. The carbohydrate source can be combinations of discrete sugars or can be derived from other sources such as banana , pineapple , peach , or even tomato puree or coconut water . After the preparation of the agar medium, it is poured into test tubes or jars which are then autoclaved (or cooked in a pressure cooker) to sterilize the medium. After cooking, the medium begins to gel as it cools. The taxonomy of this family
228-477: A commuter town for the cities of Bath and Bristol . Radstock is home to the Radstock Museum which is housed in a former market hall, and has a range of exhibits which offer an insight into north-east Somerset life since the 19th century. Many of the exhibits relate to local geology and the now disused Somerset coalfield . The town is also home to Writhlington School , famous for its Orchid collection, and
304-460: A forge , and a printers. Artefacts and memorabilia of the Somerset Coal Canal , Somerset and Dorset and Great Western Railways are also on display. Religious life in the area is represented with exhibits related to John Wesley who founded Methodism and John Skinner who, as well as being rector of Camerton was also an archaeologist and antiquarian. Radstock Radstock
380-401: A seta , knocking the pollinator off the flower. After pollination, the sepals and petals fade and wilt, but they usually remain attached to the ovary. In 2011, Bulbophyllum nocturnum was discovered to flower nocturnally. Some species, such as in the genera Phalaenopsis , Dendrobium , and Vanda , produce offshoots or plantlets formed from one of the nodes along the stem , through
456-474: A spur of the labellum ( 8 in the illustration above), or on the point of the sepals, or in the septa of the ovary, the most typical position amongst the Asparagales . In orchids that produce pollinia, pollination happens as some variant of the following sequence: when the pollinator enters into the flower, it touches a viscidium, which promptly sticks to its body, generally on the head or abdomen. While leaving
532-551: A velamen , has the function of absorbing humidity. It is made of dead cells and can have a silvery-grey, white or brown appearance. In some orchids, the velamen includes spongy and fibrous bodies near the passage cells, called tilosomes. The cells of the root epidermis grow at a right angle to the axis of the root to allow them to get a firm grasp on their support. Nutrients for epiphytic orchids mainly come from mineral dust, organic detritus, animal droppings and other substances collecting among on their supporting surfaces. The base of
608-511: A community based station which broadcast on 97.5 FM and also online. Radstock contains four churches, united under the umbrella of "Churches together in Radstock". There are frequent interfaith unity services in the town. The Anglican parish church of St Nicholas has a west tower dating from the 15th century. The rest of the church was rebuilt in 1879 in Geometric style, by William Willcox. It
684-473: A different species of bee, so as to enforce proper cross-pollination. A rare achlorophyllous saprophytic orchid growing entirely underground in Australia, Rhizanthella slateri , is never exposed to light, and depends on ants and other terrestrial insects to pollinate it. Catasetum , a genus discussed briefly by Darwin , actually launches its viscid pollinia with explosive force when an insect touches
760-530: A favoured location, particularly in summer, when the Azores High extends its influence north-eastwards towards 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
836-549: A few years after the railway's closure to passenger traffic, until the colliery closed in 1973. Today the nearest railway station is Bath Spa which is easily accessible via regular direct bus routes. Radstock is situated on the A367 between Bath and Shepton Mallet , and on the A362 between Farrington Gurney and Frome , very close to the A37 . Since the closure of the railways the railway land in
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#1732844660444912-760: A gas works. As part of the development of the Wilts, Somerset and Weymouth Railway an 8-mile (13 km) line from Radstock to Frome was built to carry the coal. In the 1870s the broad-gauge line was converted to standard gauge and connected to the Bristol and North Somerset Line connecting it to the Great Western Railway at Bristol; the GWR also took over the Wiltshire, Somerset and Weymouth Railway in 1876. The Bristol and North Somerset line closed to passenger traffic in 1959. The line
988-429: A large proportion of the annual precipitation falls from showers and thunderstorms at that time of year. Average rainfall is 800–900 mm (31–35 in). About 8–15 days of snowfall is typical. November to March have the highest mean wind speeds, and June to August having the lightest. The predominant wind direction is from the southwest. At the 2011 Census, Radstock parish had a population of 5,620. At that time
1064-545: A local practice of landscape architects , New Leaf Studio were commissioned by Bath & North East Somerset Council to develop proposals for the land. The first phase of the park, the Memorial gardens were then built for the Norton Radstock Town Council in 2005 to New leaf Studio's designs incorporating a new sculptural base for the old mine wheel by artist Sebastien Boyesen. The new Memorial Gardens incorporate
1140-697: A range of educational, religious and cultural buildings and sporting clubs. Radstock has been settled since the Iron Age . Its importance grew with the construction of the Fosse Way , the Roman road that ran along what is now part of the A367 in Radstock. As a result, the town was known as Stoche at the time of the Domesday Book of 1086, meaning the stockade by the Roman road , from
1216-592: A reduced national demand together with competition from more economical coalfields led to the closure of the last two pits in the coalfield, Kilmersdon and Writhlington, in September 1973. In 2011, Radstock gained a town council. Until then, the town was part of the Norton Radstock civil parish , which was created in 1974 as a successor to the Norton-Radstock Urban District, itself created in 1933 by
1292-615: A second railway station on the Somerset & Dorset Joint Railway extension to Bath, which closed to passengers in 1966. The stations were adjacent to each other in the centre of the town, and each had level crossings across the busy A367 road, causing long tailbacks at busy periods. The S&D line also carried substantial coal traffic. A spur from the Great Western line on to the S&;D and continuing to Writhlington Colliery remained open for
1368-455: A semiterrestrial or rock-hugging (" lithophyte ") orchid, show a sparkling silver and gold veining on a light green background. The cordate leaves of Psychopsiella limminghei are light brownish-green with maroon-puce markings, created by flower pigments. The attractive mottle of the leaves of lady's slippers from tropical and subtropical Asia ( Paphiopedilum ), is caused by uneven distribution of chlorophyll. Also, Phalaenopsis schilleriana
1444-538: A single mass. Each time pollination succeeds, thousands of ovules can be fertilized. Pollinators are often visually attracted by the shape and colours of the labellum. However, some Bulbophyllum species attract male fruit flies ( Bactrocera and Zeugodacus spp.) solely via a floral chemical which simultaneously acts as a floral reward (e.g. methyl eugenol , raspberry ketone , or zingerone ) to perform pollination. The flowers may produce attractive odours. Although absent in most species, nectar may be produced in
1520-440: A single track section, resulting in the deaths of 15 passengers. The last passenger train services in Radstock closed in 1966, and the last coal mines closed in 1973. Manufacturing industries such as printing , binding and packaging provide some local employment. More recently Radstock has become a commuter town for the nearby cities of Bath and Bristol , leading to traffic problems at peak hours. In 1763, coal
1596-628: A sticky disc near the top of the column. Just below the pollinia is a second, larger sticky plate called the stigma . The complex mechanisms that orchids have evolved to achieve cross-pollination were investigated by Charles Darwin and described in Fertilisation of Orchids (1862). Orchids have developed highly specialized pollination systems, thus the chances of being pollinated are often scarce, so orchid flowers usually remain receptive for very long periods, rendering unpollinated flowers long-lasting in cultivation. Most orchids deliver pollen in
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#17328446604441672-429: A tramway in 1815. It then became a central point for railway development, with large coal depots, wash houses, workshops and a gas works. As part of the development of the Wiltshire, Somerset and Weymouth Railway, an 8-mile (13 km) line from Radstock to Frome was built to carry the coal. In the 1870s the broad-gauge line was converted to standard gauge and connected to the Bristol and North Somerset Line which linked
1748-507: Is Lias Limestone (white and blue) while the very highest part above 130 m, south of Haydon , is a small outcrop of Inferior Oolitic Limestone. All these limestones are from the Jurassic period. The steepest slopes of both the Kilmersdon and Snail's Bottom valleys have frequently slipped. Below all of the area is the coal bearing Carboniferous strata. Haydon is an outlier of Radstock and
1824-555: Is Grade II listed . Radstock Methodist Church was formed in 1842 but the present building opened in 1902. It was damaged by a fire in 2004, and reopened in 2005. Radstock Baptist Church , situated on Wells Hill, was founded in 1844. Radstock was one of the missions established in 1913 by the Downside community . A temporary building of thin wooden beams and asbestos blocks was erected in 1913, and dedicated to St Hugh . Its altar rails and benches came from Prior Park . Dom Mackey
1900-418: Is a pastel pink orchid with leaves spotted dark green and light green. The jewel orchid ( Ludisia discolor ) is grown more for its colorful leaves than its white flowers. Some orchids, such as Dendrophylax lindenii (ghost orchid), Aphyllorchis and Taeniophyllum depend on their green roots for photosynthesis and lack normally developed leaves, as do all of the heterotrophic species. Orchids of
1976-467: Is a secondary school for pupils aged 11–18. It has specialist status as a Business and Enterprise College . The school has 1,242 pupils in both compulsory and sixth-form education. The school is notable for its orchid project, which includes the biggest collection of orchids outside Kew Gardens and has won numerous awards including a gold medal at the 2009 Chelsea Flower Show . The school has also won awards in business with its enterprise companies and
2052-483: Is a town and civil parish on the northern slope of the Mendip Hills in Somerset , England, about 9 miles (14 km) south-west of Bath and 8 miles (13 km) north-west of Frome . It is within the area of the unitary authority of Bath and North East Somerset . The Radstock built-up area had a population of 9,419 at the 2011 Census. Radstock has been settled since the Iron Age , and its importance grew after
2128-417: Is achieved by removing the pollinia with a small instrument such as a toothpick from the pollen parent and transferring them to the seed parent. Some orchids mainly or totally rely on self-pollination , especially in colder regions where pollinators are particularly rare. The caudicles may dry up if the flower has not been visited by any pollinator, and the pollinia then fall directly on the stigma. Otherwise,
2204-542: Is in constant flux, as new studies continue to clarify the relationships between species and groups of species, allowing more taxa at several ranks to be recognized. The Orchidaceae is currently placed in the order Asparagales by the APG III system of 2009. Five subfamilies are recognised. The cladogram below was made according to the APG system of 1998. It represents the view that most botanists had held up to that time. It
2280-469: Is now the Writhlington Site of Special Scientific Interest , which includes 3,000 tons of Upper Carboniferous spoil from which more than 1,400 insect fossil specimens have been recovered. The complex geology and narrow seams made coal extraction difficult. Tonnage increased throughout the 19th century, reaching a peak around 1901, when there were 79 separate collieries and annual production
2356-503: Is now the route of National Cycle Route 24 , otherwise known as the Colliers' Way , a national cycle route which passes many landmarks associated with the coal field; other local roads and footpaths follow the tramways developed during the coal mining years. The cycle route currently runs from Dundas Aqueduct to Frome via Radstock, although it is intended to provide a continuous cycle route to Southampton and Portsmouth . Radstock had
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2432-592: Is often called a backbulb. Backbulbs still hold nutrition for the plant, but then a pseudobulb usually takes over, exploiting the last reserves accumulated in the backbulb, which eventually dies off, too. A pseudobulb typically lives for about five years. Orchids without noticeable pseudobulbs are also said to have growths, an individual component of a sympodial plant. Like most monocots , orchids generally have simple leaves with parallel veins , although some Vanilloideae have reticulate venation . Leaves may be ovate, lanceolate, or orbiculate, and very variable in size on
2508-510: Is one of the two largest families of flowering plants, along with the Asteraceae . It contains about 28,000 currently accepted species distributed across 763 genera . The Orchidaceae family encompasses about 6–11% of all species of seed plants . The largest genera are Bulbophyllum (2,000 species), Epidendrum (1,500 species), Dendrobium (1,400 species) and Pleurothallis (1,000 species). It also includes Vanilla (the genus of
2584-419: Is used as a food reserve for wintry periods, and provides for the development of the other one, from which visible growth develops. In warm and constantly humid climates, many terrestrial orchids do not need pseudobulbs. Epiphytic orchids, those that grow upon a support, have modified aerial roots that can sometimes be a few meters long. In the older parts of the roots, a modified spongy epidermis , called
2660-672: The Cam Brook at Midford to form Midford Brook before joining the River Avon close to the Dundas Aqueduct and the remains of the Somerset Coal Canal . The base of the valley is of alluvium deposits. Above this on both sides of all of the valley is a band of shales and clays from the Penarth Group. These rocks are from the Triassic period. The majority of the remaining upland around Radstock
2736-527: The Old English stoc . The rad part of the name is believed to relate to red; the soil locally is reddish marl . The parish of Radstock was part of the Kilmersdon Hundred , The Great Western Railway , and the Somerset and Dorset Railway , established stations and marshalling yards in the town. Radstock was the terminus for the southern branch of the Somerset Coal Canal , which was turned into
2812-400: The family Orchidaceae ( / ˌ ɔːr k ɪ ˈ d eɪ s i . iː , - s i . aɪ / ), a diverse and widespread group of flowering plants with blooms that are often colourful and fragrant. Orchids are cosmopolitan plants that are found in almost every habitat on Earth except glaciers . The world's richest diversity of orchid genera and species is found in the tropics . Orchidaceae
2888-454: The vanilla plant ), the type genus Orchis , and many commonly cultivated plants such as Phalaenopsis and Cattleya . Moreover, since the introduction of tropical species into cultivation in the 19th century, horticulturists have produced many hybrids and cultivars . Orchids are easily distinguished from other plants, as they share some very evident derived characteristics or synapomorphies . Among these are: bilateral symmetry of
2964-454: The 19th century. The museum was originally opened in 1989 in barns in Haydon, and moved to its current site in the restored and converted Victorian Market Hall, a grade II listed building dating from 1897 which was opened on 10 July 1999 by Loyd Grossman . Many of the exhibits relate to the now disused local Somerset coalfield and geology . Other areas include aspects of local history including
3040-428: The accumulation of growth hormones at that point. These shoots are known as keiki . Epipogium aphyllum exhibits a dual reproductive strategy, engaging in both sexual and asexual seed production. The likelihood of apomixis playing a substantial role in successful reproduction appears minimal. Within certain petite orchid species groups, there is a noteworthy preparation of female gametes for fertilization preceding
3116-499: The act of pollination. The ovary typically develops into a capsule that is dehiscent by three or six longitudinal slits, while remaining closed at both ends. The seeds are generally almost microscopic and very numerous, in some species over a million per capsule. After ripening, they blow off like dust particles or spores. Most orchid species lack endosperm in their seed and must enter symbiotic relationships with various mycorrhizal basidiomyceteous fungi that provide them
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3192-541: The anther may rotate and then enter the stigma cavity of the flower (as in Holcoglossum amesianum ). The slipper orchid Paphiopedilum parishii reproduces by self-fertilization . This occurs when the anther changes from a solid to a liquid state and directly contacts the stigma surface without the aid of any pollinating agent or floral assembly. The labellum of the Cypripedioideae is poke bonnet-shaped , and has
3268-422: The centre of the town stood empty for many years. Most prominent was a green space between the museum and brook which housed a dis-used pit wheel on a low steel frame, which many passers-by mistook for a spinning wheel. There had long been an aspiration to develop a memorial park or garden on the site to commemorate both the mining history of the town and to provide a new setting for the town's war memorial. In 2001
3344-600: The construction of the Fosse Way , a Roman road . The town grew after 1763, when coal was discovered in the area. Large numbers of mines opened during the 19th century, including several owned by the Waldegrave family , who had been Lords of the Manor since the Civil War . Admiral Lord Radstock, brother of George, fourth Earl Waldegrave , took the town's name as his title when created a Baron . The spoil heap of Writhlington colliery
3420-463: The exhibits relate to the now disused local Somerset Coalfield and geology . The geology exhibits including fossils found locally particularly relate to the work of William Smith , who was known as "the Father of English Geology", and spent much of his early career in the local area. Other areas include aspects of local history including home life, schools and shops, and industries such as agriculture ,
3496-537: The flower ( zygomorphism ), many resupinate flowers, a nearly always highly modified petal (labellum), fused stamens and carpels , and extremely small seeds . All orchids are perennial herbs that lack any permanent woody structure. They can grow according to two patterns: Terrestrial orchids may be rhizomatous or form corms or tubers . The root caps of terrestrial orchids are smooth and white. Some sympodial terrestrial orchids, such as Orchis and Ophrys , have two subterranean tuberous roots . One
3572-536: The flower develops, it undergoes a twisting through 180°, called resupination , so that the labellum lies below the column . The labellum functions to attract insects, and in resupinate flowers, also acts as a landing stage, or sometimes a trap. The reproductive parts of an orchid flower are unique in that the stamens and style are joined to form a single structure, the column . Instead of being released singly, thousands of pollen grains are contained in one or two bundles called pollinia that are attached to
3648-436: The flower, it pulls the pollinium out of the anther, as it is connected to the viscidium by the caudicle or stipe. The caudicle then bends and the pollinium is moved forwards and downwards. When the pollinator enters another flower of the same species, the pollinium has taken such position that it will stick to the stigma of the second flower, just below the rostellum, pollinating it. In horticulture, artificial orchid pollination
3724-409: The flowers to gather volatile chemicals they require to synthesize pheromonal attractants. Males of such species as Euglossa imperialis or Eulaema meriana have been observed to leave their territories periodically to forage for aromatic compounds, such as cineole, to synthesize pheromone for attracting and mating with females. Each type of orchid places the pollinia on a different body part of
3800-510: The function of trapping visiting insects. The only exit leads to the anthers that deposit pollen on the visitor. In some extremely specialized orchids, such as the Eurasian genus Ophrys , the labellum is adapted to have a colour, shape, and odour which attracts male insects via mimicry of a receptive female. Pollination happens as the insect attempts to mate with flowers. Many neotropical orchids are pollinated by male orchid bees , which visit
3876-430: The genus Corallorhiza (coralroot orchids) lack leaves altogether and instead have symbiotic or parasitic associations with fungal mycelium, though which they absorb sugars. Orchid flowers have three sepals , three petals and a three-chambered ovary . The three sepals and two of the petals are often similar to each other but one petal is usually highly modified, forming a "lip" or labellum . In most orchid genera, as
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#17328446604443952-455: The individual plant. Their characteristics are often diagnostic. They are normally alternate on the stem, often folded lengthwise along the centre ("plicate"), and have no stipules . Orchid leaves often have siliceous bodies called stegmata in the vascular bundle sheaths (not present in the Orchidoideae ) and are fibrous. The structure of the leaves corresponds to the specific habitat of
4028-401: The largest orchid in the world, Grammatophyllum speciosum (giant orchid), it can reach three meters. Some Dendrobium species have long, canelike pseudobulbs with short, rounded leaves over the whole length; some other orchids have hidden or extremely small pseudobulbs, completely included inside the leaves. With ageing the pseudobulb sheds its leaves and becomes dormant. At this stage it
4104-533: The merger of Midsomer Norton and Radstock urban districts, along with part of Frome Rural District . Under the Local Government Act 1972 it became a successor parish to the urban district. Radstock is administered by the unitary authority of Bath and North East Somerset and by Radstock Town Council. The area is within the Frome and East Somerset UK Parliament constituency. Prior to Brexit in 2020, it
4180-481: The modifying effect of the sea, the range is less than 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 months in the region, with mean daily maxima around 21 °C (70 °F). In general, December is the dullest month and June the sunniest. The southwest of England enjoys
4256-418: The necessary nutrients to germinate, so almost all orchid species are mycoheterotrophic during germination and reliant upon fungi to complete their lifecycles. Only a handful of orchid species have seed that can germinate without mycorrhiza , namely the species within the genus Disa with hydrochorous seeds. As the chance for a seed to meet a suitable fungus is very small, only a minute fraction of all
4332-658: The plant. Species that typically bask in sunlight, or grow on sites which can be occasionally very dry, have thick, leathery leaves and the laminae are covered by a waxy cuticle to retain their necessary water supply. Shade-loving species, on the other hand, have long, thin leaves. The leaves of most orchids are perennial, that is, they live for several years, while others, especially those with plicate leaves as in Catasetum , shed them annually and develop new leaves together with new pseudobulbs. The leaves of some orchids are considered ornamental. The leaves of Macodes sanderiana ,
4408-403: The railways and the subsequent ending of mining and disuse of the railways has created valuable habitats of nature conservation interest. Along with the rest of South West England , Radstock has a temperate climate , which is 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 because of
4484-538: The school and shops, a forge , carpenter 's shop and exhibits relating to agriculture . Artefacts and memorabilia of the Somerset Coal Canal , Somerset and Dorset and Great Western Railways are also on display. First schools for children up to 11 include St Mary's C of E Primary School, St Nicholas C of E Primary School and Trinity Primary School. In the neighbouring parish of Westfield lie Westfield Primary School and, for pupils with complex learning difficulties, Fosseway School. Writhlington School in Radstock
4560-417: The seeds released grow into adult plants. In cultivation, germination typically takes weeks. Horticultural techniques have been devised for germinating orchid seeds on an artificial nutrient medium, eliminating the requirement of the fungus for germination and greatly aiding the propagation of ornamental orchids. The usual medium for the sowing of orchids in artificial conditions is agar gel combined with
4636-598: The southeast and in the New Rock and Moorewood pits to the southwest. The Hercynian orogeny caused shock waves in the rock as the Mendip Hills were pushed up, forcing the coal measures to break along fractures or faults. Along the Radstock Slide Fault the distance between the broken ends of a coal seam can be as much as 1,500 feet (457 m). Radstock lies on the Wellow Brook which then runs through Wellow to join
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#17328446604444712-419: The stem of sympodial epiphytes, or in some species essentially the entire stem, may be thickened to form a pseudobulb that contains nutrients and water for drier periods. The pseudobulb typically has a smooth surface with lengthwise grooves, and can have different shapes, often conical or oblong. Its size is very variable; in some small species of Bulbophyllum , it is no longer than two millimeters, while in
4788-480: The terms and conditions of the miners in 1899, a new company, Writhlington Collieries Co., was set up to run the mines. The Upper and Lower Writhlington, Huish and Foxcote were all merged into one colliery. The spoil heap is a now Writhlington Site of Special Scientific Interest . The site and includes 3,000 tons of Upper Carboniferous spoil from which more than 1,400 insect fossils have been recovered. These include Phalangiotarbida , and Graeophonus . and
4864-492: The town to the Great Western Railway . The Radstock Railway Land covers the old marshalling yards and sheds and comprises an area of approximately 8.8 hectares of land which is the subject of ongoing planning and development applications to redevelop the area. The town is close to the site of the Radstock rail accident , a rail crash that took place on the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway, on 7 August 1876. Two trains collided on
4940-745: The town. 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. Local news and television programmes are provided by BBC West and ITV West Country . Television signals are received from the Mendip TV transmitter. The town is served by the local radio stations: BBC Radio Somerset on 95.5 FM, Heart West on 102.6 FM, Greatest Hits Radio South West on 102.4 FM and Somer Valley FM ,
5016-438: The war memorial which was moved from Victoria Square as part of the project. The planting employs a naturalistic style with broad drifts of herbaceous perennials and grasses providing colour through a long season, extending through the winter with dry stems and seed heads. The Radstock Museum is housed in the town's former market hall. The museum has a range of exhibits which offer an insight into north-east Somerset life since
5092-551: The wider built-up area, defined by the Office for National Statistics to include the Westfield area south-west of the town, had a population of 9,419. Radstock was the terminus for the southern branch of the Somerset Coal Canal , which was turned into a tramway in 1815 and later incorporated into the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway . It then became a central point for railway development with large coal depots, warehouses, workshops and
5168-428: The world's earliest known Damselfly . It is a Geological Conservation Review Site. The complex geology and narrow seams made the coal extraction difficult; three underground explosions, in 1893, 1895 and 1908, were amongst the first attributable solely to airborne coal dust. Tonnage increased throughout the 19th century, reaching a peak around 1901, when there were 79 separate collieries and annual production
5244-451: Was 1,250,000 tons per annum. However, due to local geological difficulties and manpower shortages, output declined and the number of pits reduced from 30 at the beginning of the 20th century to 14 by the mid-thirties; the last two pits, Kilmersdon and Writhlington, closed in September 1973. Manufacturing industries such as printing , binding and packaging provide some local employment. In recent years, Radstock has increasingly become
5320-418: Was 1.25 million tons per annum. However, due to local geological difficulties and manpower shortages, decline soon took hold and the number of pits reduced from 30 at the beginning of the 20th century to 14 by the mid-thirties, 12 at nationalisation to create National Coal Board on 1 January 1947, 5 by 1959 and none after 1973. Narrow seams made production expensive, limiting profit and investment, and
5396-461: Was built to house the miners for the local pit. The disused railway line and inclined railway at Haydon form important elements within the Kilmersdon valley east of Haydon . The modern landscape has a less maintained and "rougher" character and texture than neighbouring agricultural areas. This is caused in the main by the remnants of the coal industry and its infrastructure and changes in agricultural management. The disturbance caused by coal mining and
5472-672: Was discovered in Radstock and mining began in the area. In, 1896 the pits were owned by the Trustee of Frances, late Countess of Waldegrave. The Waldegrave family had been Lords of the Manor of Radstock since the English Civil War . Between 1800 and 1850, Ludlows, Middle Pit, Old Pit, Smallcombe, Tynings, and Wellsway mines opened. There were also a series of pits east of the town at Writhlington and under different ownership. In 1896, they were owned by Writhlington, Huish and Foxcote Colliery Co.; however, following an acrimonious dispute about
5548-696: Was in the South West England constituency of the European Parliament . 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 southern part of the Radstock Syncline have coals of the Lower and Middle Coal Measures been worked, mainly at the Newbury and Vobster collieries in
5624-563: Was named the most enterprising school in England in 2006. The town is served by the Somer Valley site of Bath College , a further education college in neighbouring Westfield . Radstock has a Non-League football club Radstock Town F.C. who play at The Southfields Recreation Ground. The local free newspaper, the Midsomer Norton, Radstock & District Journal , has its offices in
5700-529: Was succeeded in 1918 by Dom Ambrose Agius, who acquired a disused printing works, formerly a barn and converted it into the present church in Westfield , which opened in 1929. It was rebuilt after a serious fire in 1991. It has a statue of the patron on its façade. St Hugh's church closed and was converted to private housing in 2018. Radstock is also home to a Jehovah's Witness Kingdom Hall . [REDACTED] Media related to Radstock at Wikimedia Commons Orchid Orchids are plants that belong to
5776-594: Was supported by morphological studies , but never received strong support in molecular phylogenetic studies. Apostasioideae : 2 genera and 16 species, south-eastern Asia Cypripedioideae : 5 genera and 130 species, from the temperate regions of the world, as well as tropical America and tropical Asia Vanilloideae : 15 genera and 180 species, humid tropical and subtropical regions, eastern North America Epidendroideae : more than 500 genera and more or less 20,000 species, cosmopolitan Orchidoideae : 208 genera and 3,630 species, cosmopolitan In 2015,
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