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Mendip Hills AONB Mendip Hills AONB 6. How successful was Starfish? It is impossible to definitively answer the question of how successful Col Turner’s decoy programme was. His own estimate, considered conservative, was 2221.13 tonnes of bombs diverted to decoys - mostly at night. This figure amounts to c. 4% of tonnage delivered by the Luftwaffe over Britain. The Bristol decoy sites were considered to have been some of the more successful, and certainly the sites at Chew Magna, Stockwood and Downside do seem to have attracted most bombs. Perhaps the Luftwaffe knew that Black Down or Four craters about 9m in diameter on some of the other Bristol sites were decoys. p Black Down photographed during 1946. Thanks to John Penny’s extensive research, we Different orientations suggest that they are have this information and extract (below) from the result of two different bombing sorties the Lufwaffe’s diary for 2/3 December, 1940: and were probably the result of payloads being emptied after bombing raids on the decoy. The craters are still visible. Trees and shrubs have grown up in them, taking advantage of the shelter they provide. Mendip Hills AONB OS MAP What remains? Explorer 141: Cheddar Gorge & t Three control bunkers that Mendip Hills West doubled as bomb shelters can Landranger 182: still be seen. They each Weston-super-Mare contained three generators to power the site. It was to one of these bunkers that the 126 tele - CONTACT phone call from RAF Radlett to 01761 462338 light or fire the site was received. [email protected] t Improved ground conditions WAR WALK during the dry spring of 2015 A new War Walk on revealed this embedded metal Black Down is available feature at Burrington c, that to download from the emulated Bristol Temple Meads Discovering Black Down Station. This charred post may project website. have been associated with a trough fire or moving tracks. AUDIO t The 1800 tumps! You can also listen to Details of these and the many interviews with people much older archaeological who were involved and features on Black Down can be download this and other found with a simple search of factsheets in this series. Somerset County Council’s Historic Environment Record. n FILM a m e Sources of further information: l o C The children of Blagdon h t u Fields of Deception by Colin Dobinson u R Primary School have y Somerset V Hitler by Donald Brown b made a short film to tell u d e u 20th century defences in England, Volume 2: Anti-Invasion c the story of what u d Defences of World War II by Colin Dobinson o happened on Black r p u Local Studies collection at Somerset Heritage Centre d Down during World War n a u Second World War remains on Black Down: a reinterpretation n II. Please find the link on e t t i Somerset Archaeology and Natural History 142 (1998), 271-286 r the Discovering Black w , by Schofield, AJ and Webster, CJ and Anderton, MJ. d Down website. e h c r a e s www.discoveringblackdown.org.uk e Thanks to everyone R involved for images, information, time, energy and interest!.
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  • Cheddar Complex
    Love Somerset, Love Nature Love Somerset, Love Introduction Black Rock Nature Trails Long Wood Nature Trail Velvet Bottom Trail Situated at the heart of the Mendip Hills AONB, Somerset Wildlife There are two circular nature trails to follow in Black Rock reserve. This circular walk (1 km) is way-marked in green with numbered This linear walk leads 1.7km (3.4km return) from Black Rock Trust’s Cheddar Complex comprises three individual nature Both the short trail (1.6 km) and the long trail (2.4 km) are way- stops at points of interest. nature reserve, through Velvet Bottom nature reserve, to reserves each with its own unique character and wildlife. All of marked with numbered stops at points of interest and begin at the 1.1 Charterhouse and Ubley Warren nature reserve. the nature reserves are Sites of Special Scientific Interest which reserve entrance. Follow the green marker posts for the short trail provides protection to the plants and animals found there. and the red marker posts for the long trail. Hedgehog Award – Use the map to lead your group The trail follows the path at the bottom of a long dry valley which around the Long Wood nature trail. has been associated with lead mining since pre-Roman times. www.wildlifewatch.org.uk Black Rock nature reserve is managed by Somerset Wildlife Trust 1.1 1 The remains of this industrial past can still be seen amongst the on behalf of the National Trust, who purchased the site in 1971. From the start of the trail near the reserve entrance follow the path From the reserve entrance follow the path to stop1.
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  • Caple Cottage Chew Stoke • North East Somerset Caple Cottage
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    Walk Mining the Mendips Discover the hidden history of a small Mendips village Black Down in winer © Andrew Gustar, Flickr (CCL) Time: 3 hours Distance: 6 miles Landscape: rural Welcome to the Mendips in Somerset. This is Location: an area of limestone escarpments and open Shipham, Somerset countryside; with rich and varied scenery, magnificent views and a fascinating history. Start: The Square, Shipham BS25 1TN Discover why the area’s curious geology made Finish: this a centre of lead and zinc mining and find Lenny’s Cafe out how the lives of villagers changed during the ‘boom and bust’ stages of Mendip’s mining Grid reference: past. ST 44416 57477 Rich resources need defending and this walk Keep an eye out for: will take you on a journey through the past Wonderful views of the Bristol Channel and its islands from an Iron Age hill fort to the remains of a fake decoy town designed to distract German bombers away from Bristol. Thank you! This walk was created by Andrew Newton, a Fellow of The Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) Every landscape has a story to tell – find out more at www.discoveringbritain.org Route and stopping points 01 Shipham Square 02 Layby on Rowberrow Lane 03 The Swan Inn, Rowberrow Lane 04 Rowberrow Church 05 Dolebury Warren Iron Age Hill Fort 06 Junction between bridleway to Burrington Combe and path to Black Down 07 Black Down 08 Starfish Control Bunker 09 Rowberrow Warren Conifer plantation 10 The Slagger’s Path 11 Gruffy Ground 12 St Leonard’s Church 13 Lenny’s Café Every landscape has a story to tell – Find out more at www.discoveringbritain.org 01 Shipham Square Welcome to the Mendips village of Shipham.
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    Climbing in the Mendip Hills AONB Introduction to the Mendips Climbing places within the AONB This is one of England’s most special places – the There are 22 climbing places within the AONB, with Cheddar limestone Mendip Hills with the lakes of the Chew Gorge being the best known. The others are: Ubley warren, Valley is a stunning landscape of steep slopes and Goblin Combe, Banwell, Knightcott rocks, North Quarry, undulating plateau punctuated by spectacular gorg- Crooks Peak, Compton Hill Cliff, Wavering Down, Sandford es and rocky outcrops. On the hilltops there are Quarry, Callow Rocks, Churchill Rocks, Doleburry Warren, hundreds of ancient monuments, whilst on steeper Burrington Combe, Deepstar Wall, The perch Quarry, Black slopes flower rich grasslands and wooded combes Rock Quarry, Pylon King’s Secret Crag, Ebbor Gorge, Split offer varied habitats for a wide variety of wildlife. Rock Quarry, and Horrington Hill Quarry For more information check out the RAD (Regional Access Database) on the BMC’s (British Mountaineering council) website. The AONB and the BMC Restrictions The BMC access rep for Cheddar Gorge can provide information and answer questions on climbing in Be aware that throughout the year there are restrictions the Gorge. on the times you can access climbing places. To make sure you are permitted to climb please check out the BMC RAD (link at bottom of the page) Conserving the AONB while you climb You always have to be careful whilst climbing. You have to be extra-careful in the AONB. Be aware of your surroundings and make sure you don’t have an impact on the wildlife, plants or animals.
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  • Cheddar Gorge, Somerset
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  • Here Needs Conserving and Enhancing
    OS EXPLORER MAP OS EXPLORER MAP OS EXPLORER MAP OS EXPLORER MAP 141 141 154 153 GRID REFERENCE GRID REFERENCE GRID REFERENCE GRID REFERENCE A WILD LAND VISITOR GUIDE VISITOR ST 476587 ST466539 ST578609 ST386557 POSTCODE POSTCODE POSTCODE POSTCODE READY FOR BS40 7AU CAR PARK AT THE BOTTOM OF BS27 3QF CAR PARK AT THE BOTTOM BS40 8TF PICNIC AND VISITOR FACILITIES, BS25 1DH KINGS WOOD CAR PARK BURRINGTON COMBE OF THE GORGE NORTH EAST SIDE OF LAKE ADVENTURE BLACK DOWN & BURRINGTON HAM CHEDDAR GORGE CHEW VALLEY LAKE CROOK PEAK Courtesy of Cheddar Gorge & Caves This area is a very special part of Mendip.Open The internationally famous gorge boasts the highest Slow down and relax around this reservoir that sits in The distinctive peak that most of us see from the heathland covers Black Down, with Beacon Batch at inland limestone cliffs in the country. Incredible cave the sheltered Chew Valley. Internationally important M5 as we drive by. This is iconic Mendip limestone its highest point. Most of Black Down is a Scheduled systems take you back through human history and are for the birds that use the lake and locally loved by the countryside, with gorgeous grasslands in the summer ADVENTURE Monument because of the archaeology from the late all part of the visitor experience. fishing community. and rugged outcrops of stone to play on when you get Stone Age to the Second World War. to the top. Travel on up the gorge and you’ll be faced with Over 4000 ducks of 12 different varieties stay on READY FOR FOR READY Burrington Combe and Ham are to the north and adventure at every angle.
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  • Somerset Geology-A Good Rock Guide
    SOMERSET GEOLOGY-A GOOD ROCK GUIDE Hugh Prudden The great unconformity figured by De la Beche WELCOME TO SOMERSET Welcome to green fields, wild flower meadows, farm cider, Cheddar cheese, picturesque villages, wild moorland, peat moors, a spectacular coastline, quiet country lanes…… To which we can add a wealth of geological features. The gorge and caves at Cheddar are well-known. Further east near Frome there are Silurian volcanics, Carboniferous Limestone outcrops, Variscan thrust tectonics, Permo-Triassic conglomerates, sediment-filled fissures, a classic unconformity, Jurassic clays and limestones, Cretaceous Greensand and Chalk topped with Tertiary remnants including sarsen stones-a veritable geological park! Elsewhere in Mendip are reminders of coal and lead mining both in the field and museums. Today the Mendips are a major source of aggregates. The Mesozoic formations curve in an arc through southwest and southeast Somerset creating vales and escarpments that define the landscape and clearly have influenced the patterns of soils, land use and settlement as at Porlock. The church building stones mark the outcrops. Wilder country can be found in the Quantocks, Brendon Hills and Exmoor which are underlain by rocks of Devonian age and within which lie sunken blocks (half-grabens) containing Permo-Triassic sediments. The coastline contains exposures of Devonian sediments and tectonics west of Minehead adjoining the classic exposures of Mesozoic sediments and structural features which extend eastward to the Parrett estuary. The predominance of wave energy from the west and the large tidal range of the Bristol Channel has resulted in rapid cliff erosion and longshore drift to the east where there is a full suite of accretionary landforms: sandy beaches, storm ridges, salt marsh, and sand dunes popular with summer visitors.
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  • Cheddar Club Site Discover Somerset
    Cheddar Club Site Discover Somerset Places to see and things to do in the local area Make the most of your time 04 Tickenham Bristol Keynsham 11 Congresbury Bath Weston-super-Mare Farmborough Blagdon 09 01 06 07 East Brent 05 03 Wedmore Oakhill Frome 02 Minehead Dunster Kilve Shepton Mallet Puriton 08 12 10 Bridgwater Glastonbury Visit 1 Cheddar Gorge 4 Clevedon Pier and Caves The only fully intact, beautifully Limestone cliffs towering 450 restored Grade 1 listed pier in the feet above the gorge, and country. underground cathedrals of stalactites and stalagmites. 5 Karting A great karting experience with 2 Wells both an indoor and outdoor England’s smallest city with a track, and all year round racing. Cathedral and impressive Bishop’s Palace in it’s medieval centre. 6 Caveclimb For caving, climbing and abseiling Wookey Hole Cave adventures. 3 A wonderful day out, with amazing caves, gardens, Victorian penny Cheddar Caves arcade, shows and lots of family attractions. Don’t forget to check your Great Saving Guide for all the latest offers on attractions throughout the UK. Great Savings Guide camc.com/greatsavingsguide Walk Cycle To walk into Cheddar, turn left at 9 Strawberry Line the site entrance and walk to the A 10 mile traffic free cycle route railway arch. Go up the steps, turn offering views over the Somerset left at the top and this footpath levels. takes you into Cheddar. There is no pavement on the main road. 10 Quantock Hills 7 Mendips Technical descents, challenging climbs and outstanding views The Mendip Hills, designated await you in the Quantock Hills.
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  • Mendip Hills AONB Survey
    Mendip Hills An Archaeological Survey of the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty by Peter Ellis ENGLISH HERITAGE Contents List of figures Introduction and Acknowledgements ...................................................1 Project Summary...................................................................................2 Table 1: New sites located during the present survey..................3 Thematic Report Introduction ................................................................................10 Hunting and Gathering...............................................................10 Ritual and Burial ........................................................................12 Settlement...................................................................................18 Farming ......................................................................................28 Mining ........................................................................................32 Communications.........................................................................36 Political Geography....................................................................37 Table 2: Round barrow groups...................................................40 Table 3: Barrow excavations......................................................40 Table 4: Cave sites with Mesolithic and later finds ...................41 A Case Study of the Wills, Waldegrave and Tudway Quilter Estates Introduction ................................................................................42
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  • The Prehistory of Mendip
    The Prehistory of Mendip A weekend study tour by the Prehistoric Society led by Dr Jodie Lewis (Worcester University) Friday 15th–Sunday 17th August 2008 £120 In a new experiment for the Prehistoric Society we offer a ‘budget’ field study tour of the Prehistory of the Mendip Hills. There will be nothing ‘budget’ about the archaeology but the tour will be based at Bath Youth Hostel. The building is described as ‘a beautiful Italianate mansion in its own gardens’ and has just undergone extensive refurbishment (http://www.yha.org.uk/find-accommodation/south-west-england/hostels/Bath/ index.aspx). It is situated on the edge of the city about 1½ miles from the train/bus stations. Details of buses will be provided and we will arrange timed pick-ups from the railway station. The price will include two nights bed and breakfast in 3-star dormitory accommodation, transport and entry to all sites and packed lunches. Evening meals are not included but there are hundreds of eateries in Bath to suit every budget and there is plenty of nightlife as well as a beautiful city to explore in the evenings. The Mendip Hills boast a huge variety of archaeological sites including, probably most famously, the Cheddar Caves with their Palaeolithic and Mesolithic content, as well as henges, long barrows, exptensive barrow cemeteries, Iron Age hillforts and much more. The tour will be led by Dr Jodie Lewis, a leading expert on the archaeology of Mendip who is currently conducting a programme of fieldwork at Priddy Circles henges and other sites in the area.
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