Frampton Cotterell & Coalpit Heath Coalpit Heath Frampton Cotterell Coalmining Half Moon Wheelchair Users’ Route Brockeridge Detectives Frampton Detectives Heritage Walks PROV LP Id E E H E O X T T R N A O I C T O A P N I E O S D Frampton Cotterell & Coalpit Heath • Heritage Walks | 3 Key to symbols Buggy Coalpit Heath 6-13 f r i e n d l y Frampton Cotterell 14-23 Wheelchair friendly Coalmining 24-33 Easy short walk on paved surfaces, suited to those Half Moon 34-39 with limited mobility Firm even Wheelchair Users’ Route 40-45 surface, mostly level Brockeridge Detectives 46-55 Uneven ground Frampton Detectives 56-63 Contents Stile(s) Toilets (restricted opening) Picnic tables & toilets at Bitterwell Lake Often muddy/slippery so sturdy footwear advised Tea/coffee & toilets at Brockeridge Centre (weekday mornings, some afternoons) Route Alternative route avoiding mud 4 | Frampton Cotterell & Coalpit Heath • Heritage Walks Frampton Cotterell & Coalpit Heath • Heritage Walks | 5 6 1 Frampton Cotterell resident Sonia Taylor suggested at the Parish Plan Open Day in January 2 2008 that we should celebrate our local heritage N by producing this Heritage Walks Booklet. Sonia felt 3 this would enable people of all ages and abilities to 4 find out about and appreciate what remains from days gone by in an enjoyable and healthy way. 5 7 This illustrated booklet describes seven walks in and around Frampton Cotterell and Coalpit Heath. Two of the walks have been designed for school children but we are sure parents and grandparents will enjoy them too! There is also a route especially for wheelchair or buggy users and others which focus on our mining heritage. For those walks which cross our lovely local countryside, please respect it, stick to the ‘Country Code’, expect a bit of mud, put on appropriate footwear and clothing and enjoy yourselves. ACKNOWLEdGEMENTS This booklet was developed by Stella Beecher, Sue Punnett, Jen Dunford and Dave Hockey from the Village Action (Parish Introduction Plan) Team working in partnership with Trevor Thompson, Ian Haddrell and Jeffrey Spittal of the Frampton Cotterell Local History Society. It was funded by grants from South Gloucestershire Council. Help was also provided by staff at our local schools, by wheelchair users from Paul’s Place and also from local resident, Ron Morris. NOTES Each walk is colour coded as shown on the front cover. Historical information appears Key to map in italics. 1 Coalpit Heath 5 Wheelchair User 2 Frampton Cotterell 6 Brockeridge Detectives 3 Coalmining 7 Frampton Detectives 4 Half Moon Parish Boundary © Copyright South Gloucestershire Council All rights reserved LA100023410, 2009 6 | Frampton Cotterell & Coalpit Heath • Heritage Walks Frampton Cotterell & Coalpit Heath • Heritage Walks | 7 Coalpit Heath Description Start at The Brockeridge Centre in Woodend Road. Mostly firm Opposite the centre is Coalpit Heath Coalpit surfaces. Buggy 1. British Brockeridge School. Heath Coalpit 1 alternative avoids 1 kissing gates and Opened in 1846, three years after its uneven fields Church of England counterpart. The that are muddy, cheap fees, generally one penny a week, especially after were attractive to many of the poorer rain. inhabitants of the village. 1 Toilets, seats and picnic tables at Bitterwell Lake (if walking round lake, do not disturb anglers). Coalpit Heath Go back past the Brockeridge Centre and stop at the first corner (the intersection of Woodend Road and Lower Stone Close), called 2. The Spot. Slag heap This “Hallelujah Spot” was where, since 1882, Sunday missionary walks of the Salvation Army set out round the village. Continue along Woodend Road to house No 19, where once stood Total Distance 3miles/5km Ring O’Bells (6) 8 | Frampton Cotterell & Coalpit Heath • Heritage Walks Frampton Cotterell & Coalpit Heath • Heritage Walks | 9 3. Bethel Chapel. 5. Manor School. the gate of a field. Keep to the hedge 9. Ram Hill Colliery. on your right to reach the farm gate Established in 1851 by seceders from Opened July 1st 1868, the architect is ahead. 9 the Wesleyan Chapel in Church Road, it unknown but a plaque credits two Lords became redundant in 1969 when four of the Manor with its erection and reflects Look to your left for evidence of past chapels combined to form the United ecclesiastical patronage. It closed in 1986 mining activity: small slag heaps and Reform Church at Zion. when the replacement school was built. undulating contours in the land surface, indicating settlement of the subterranean Turn right at the Post Office into Exit field via the squeezer stile structure. Church Lane. Proceed along footpath (beside metal gate). to its end. Turn left and then right Go through kissing gate and continue Coalpit Heath Coalpit along the main Badminton Road to straight ahead to 2nd kissing gate. This coal pit was sunk around 1840 and Heath Coalpit Turn right. Exit corner of field via 3rd worked for about 40 years. 4. St Saviour’s Church and 1 kissing gate onto footpath that leads It is a fine example of an early colliery 1 Lychgate. to gate of and incorporated many typical features The church was the first Anglican including an oval shaft (280 feet deep to 7. Ha’penny Bridge. commission for the eminent Victorian High Vein) and a horse gin ( horse drawn architect William Butterfield (1814-1900). The bridge maintains an ancient footway mechanism for raising coal and men to the Built 1844 - 1845, at the same time as over the railway. surface). Foundations of an atmospheric the vicarage, it is a landmark in the Turn left to engine, the holding down bolts and Proceed across the bridge to arrive at development of English ecclesiastical foundation blocks are clearly visible. This 6. Ring O’ Bells. architecture. The lychgate was a 8. Railway Cottages. site was also the terminus of the Dramway processional resting place for the departed, Possibly of seventeenth century origin. ( horse drawn railway) which, from 1829 These red brick cottages were built by the prior to the funeral service. In 1837 it was the local headquarters of a to 1866, transported coal nine miles to Great Western Railway to accommodate funeral and benefit club and later merged Londonderry Wharf on the River Avon, Return a few metres to cross the main railway employees who held key positions, with the colliers’ doctors’ fund which was near Keynsham. Recently, Ram Hill Pit has road at the traffic island.C ontinue such as the signalmen. linked to the miners’ trade union. It also become a site of industrial archaeological a few metres along the main road served as a Coroner’s Court investigating Directly opposite the cottages, enter restoration, recognised as an Ancient to enter playing field via gate and pit accidents. (via gate) the site of Monument. diagonally cross the corner of playing field. DETOUR FOR bUGGIES ANd TO AVOId MUddY FIELd AFTER RAIN: 4 Turn right in front of pub (Henfield Rd). Under railway, then first left (Ram Hill). Straight on (Broad Lane) and first leftR ailway Cottages (see note 8). After Ram Hill Colliery, retrace your steps and turn right (Broad lane). Continue up Roundways, passing the new school. At St Anne’s Drive (on right), take the signposted footpath to 5 10 | Frampton Cotterell & Coalpit Heath • Heritage Walks Frampton Cotterell & Coalpit Heath • Heritage Walks | 11 Exit the site and continue to end. Turn Continue along and downhill, passing Continue along the winding track Continue along, passing the Ring O’ right (Broad Lane). Turn left at the Serridge Lane, to eventually reach (on until it terminates at Henfield Bells on the right. Continue straight junction which is left) Road, opposite the entrance to the onto footpath (between old and new Kendleshire Golf Club. Turn right and schools). 10. Ram Hill. 13. Bitterwell Lake. proceed 500 metres until reaching (on At the end of the path, continue The origins of this lake are unknown. left) the site of 10 straight along South View Crescent; The site was originally owned by The 15. Serridge Engine then follow it left to the main road. On Coalpit Heath Colliery Company and was your right is purchased from them in 1930 by Mr C 15 Newman who presented it to Westerleigh 18. The Miners’ Hall. Coalpit Heath Coalpit Parish Council. The car park is sited on the Heath Coalpit Originally, The Miners’ Institute was original dramway sidings. 1 opened in 1927 by H.B.Napier Esq. (see 1 After leaving Bitterwell Lake, turn right commemorative plaque) to promote the (opposite HenfieldH all) into Bitterwell welfare of local miners and their families. The name possibly derived from the Old Close. Then fork right The building costs were met by weekly English name “hramsa” for wild garlic. The contributions of six old pennies from the first house on the right is where there is an old engine house with a This site is being excavated by industrial miners and an equal sum by the colliery circular walled building in the garden - one archaeologists of South Gloucestershire 11. Bleak House. company. of the few remaining horse gin houses Mines Research Group. The work is Once the residence of Frog Lane Colliery in South Gloucestershire. This was the ongoing and can be viewed from the wall 18 Manager, Francis Eames, who was a much 19th century headquarters of the colliery to the right of the gate. respected mining engineer. He features in company and is called At the top of the rise, on the left, is: many of the mining photographs taken 14. New Engine, Henfield. by the eminent Victorian photographer, 16. Serridge Barn and House. J.C.Burrows, on his visit to Coalpit Heath in 14 Formerly the home of Mr Henry Hewitt, 1904.