Mendip Hills
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
The Mendip Hills
Country	England
County	Somerset
Districts	North Somerset, Mendip, Sedgemoor, Bath & North East Somerset
Settlements	Wells, Cheddar
Location
- coordinates	51°18′N 2°44′W / 51.3, -2.733Coordinates: 51°18′N 2°44′W / 51.3, -2.733
Area	200 km² (77 sq mi)
- SSSI	25 km² (10 sq mi)
- Nature Reserve	10 km² (4 sq mi)
- National Trust	71 km² (27 sq mi)
Length	30 km (19 mi), East-West
Width	10 km (6 mi), North-South
Highest point	Beacon Batch
- coordinates	51°18′43″N 2°44′28″W / 51.31194, -2.74111
- elevation	325 m (1,066 ft)
Biome	Calcareous grassland
Geology	Limestone, Karst, Caves
Plants	Geranium purpureum, Galium fleurotii, Dianthus gratianopolitanus, Helianthemum apenninum
Animals	Peregrine Falcon, Long-eared Owl, Greater Horseshoe Bat, Downy Emerald, White-clawed Crayfish, Hazel Dormouse
Founded	1972
Managed by	Mendip Hills AONB Partnership
- location	Charterhouse, Somerset
- coordinates	51°17′58″N 2°43′40″W / 51.29944, -2.72778
Location of the Mendip Hills in the UK
Website : www.mendiphillsaonb.org.uk

The Mendip Hills (commonly called The Mendips) are a range of limestone hills situated to the south of Bristol and Bath in Somerset, England. An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB is an area of countryside with significant landscape value in England, Wales or Northern Ireland England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Somerset ( or) is a county in south west England The County town is Taunton, which is in the south of the county North Somerset is a Unitary authority in England. Its area covers part of the ceremonial county of Somerset but it is administered Mendip is also a shortened name for The Mendip Hills, from which this district takes its name Sedgemoor is a local government district of Somerset in England. Bath and North East Somerset (commonly referred to as BANES or B&NES) is a Unitary authority that was created on 1 April 1996 Wells is a small Cathedral city and Civil parish in the Mendip district of Somerset, England, on the southern edge of the Mendip Cheddar is a large Village and Civil parish in the district of Sedgemoor in the English county of Somerset. A geographic coordinate system enables every location on the Earth to be specified in three coordinates using mainly a spherical coordinate system. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. The kilometre ( American spelling: kilometer) symbol km is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to one thousand A mile is a unit of Length, usually used to measure Distance, in a number of different systems including Imperial units United States The kilometre ( American spelling: kilometer) symbol km is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to one thousand A mile is a unit of Length, usually used to measure Distance, in a number of different systems including Imperial units United States Beacon Batch is the highest point in the Mendip Hills, Somerset, south-western England. The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit A biome is a climatically and geographically defined area of ecologically similar climatic conditions such as communities of Plants Animals and Calcareous grassland (or alkaline grassland) is an Ecosystem associated with thin basic Soil, such as that on Chalk and Limestone Limestone is a Sedimentary rock composed largely of the Mineral Calcite ( Calcium carbonate: CaCO3 Karst topography is a landscape shaped by the dissolution of a layer or layers of soluble Bedrock, usually Carbonate rock such as Limestone A cave is a natural underground void large enough for a human to enter Dianthus is a Genus of about 300 Species of Flowering plants in the family Caryophyllaceae, native mainly to Europe Helianthemum apenninum, the white rock-rose, is a white-flowering rock rose found in dry grassy and rocky places across large parts of Europe The Peregrine Falcon ( Falco peregrinus) also known simply as the Peregrine, and historically as the "Duck Hawk" in North America is a The Long-eared Owl ( Asio otus) is a species of Owl which breeds in Europe, Asia, and North America. The Greater Horseshoe Bat Rhinolophus ferrumequinum is a European Bat of the Rhinolophus genus The downy emerald ( Cordulia aenea) is a species of Dragonfly. Austropotamobius pallipes is an endangered European Freshwater Crayfish, and the only species of crayfish native to the British Isles The Hazel Dormouse ( Muscardinus avellanarius) is a small Mammal. Charterhouse, also known as Charterhouse-on-Mendip, is a small hamlet in the Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB in the Limestone is a Sedimentary rock composed largely of the Mineral Calcite ( Calcium carbonate: CaCO3 Bristol ( ˈbrɪstəl is a city, Unitary authority and ceremonial county in South West England, west of London Bath is a city in Somerset in the south west of England It is situated west of London and south-east of Bristol. Somerset ( or) is a county in south west England The County town is Taunton, which is in the south of the county England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Running east to west between Weston-super-Mare and Frome, the Hills overlook the Somerset Levels to the south and the Avon valley to the north. Weston-super-Mare is a Seaside resort town and Civil parish in North Somerset, England. Frome ( (ˈfruːm is a medium-sized Town and Civil parish in Somerset, England, near the Mendip Hills. The Somerset Levels (or Somerset Levels and Moors as they are less commonly but more correctly called is a sparsely populated Wetland area of central Somerset The River Avon is a River in the south west of England. Because of a number of other River Avons in England this river is often also known as the Lower The hills give their name to the local government district of Mendip, which covers most of the area. Mendip is also a shortened name for The Mendip Hills, from which this district takes its name

The hills are largely carboniferous limestone, which is quarried at several sites. Carboniferous Limestone is a type of Limestone rock, which was laid down in Great Britain and Ireland in the Dinantian stage The higher, western, part of the Hills, has been designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) which gives it the same level of protection as a national park. An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB is an area of countryside with significant landscape value in England, Wales or Northern Ireland A national park is a reserve of land usually declared and owned by a national Government, protected from most Human development and pollution The AONB is 200 km² (80 sq mi). Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. The Mendip Hills AONB Service and Somerset County Council's outdoor education centre is at the Charterhouse Centre near Blagdon. Charterhouse, also known as Charterhouse-on-Mendip, is a small hamlet in the Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB in the Blagdon is a village and Civil parish in the North Somerset Unitary authority in England.

The Mendips are home to a wide range of outdoor sports and leisure activities, many based on the particular geology of the area. Geology (from Greek γη gê, "earth" and λόγος Logos, "speech" lit It is recognised as a national centre for caving and cave diving. Caving or spelunking is the recreational Sport of exploring Caves In contrast Speleology is the scientific study of caves and the cave Cave diving is a type of Technical diving in which specialized SCUBA equipment is used to enable the exploration of natural or artificial Caves which are In addition to climbing and abseiling, the area is popular with hillwalkers and those interested in natural history. UserStan Shebs for a timetable --> Climbing is the activity of using one's hands and feet (or Abseiling (German abseilen, "to rope down" rappelling in American and British English is the controlled descent down a rope in Rock climbing In Britain, the term hillwalking or fellwalking is normally used to describe the recreational practice of walking in hilly or Mountainous terrain generally Natural history is the Scientific research of Plants or Animals leaning more towards the Observational than Experimental methods

Etymology

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 mediaeval term "Myne-deepes". ^[1][2] However, A D Mills derives its meaning from Celtic *monith mountain or hill with an uncertain second element, perhaps Old English yppe in the sense of upland, plateau ^[3].

An alternative explanation is that the name is cognate with Mened (Welsh mynydd), a Brythonic term for upland moorland. The Brythonic languages (or Brittonic languages or British languages) form one of the two branches of the Insular Celtic language family the other being The suffix may be a contraction of the Anglo-Saxon hop meaning a valley. Two 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 Celtic languages are descended from Proto-Celtic, or "Common Celtic" a branch of the greater Indo-European Language family. Cheddar is a large Village and Civil parish in the district of Sedgemoor in the English county of Somerset. The second is 'Mighty and Awesome' from the Old English moen and deop. ^[4]

Geology

Topographic map of the Mendips

The Mendip Hills are the most southerly Carboniferous Limestone Upland in Britain. The rock strata known as the Carboniferous Limestone were laid down during the Early Carboniferous Period, about 320–350 million years ago. In Geology and related fields a stratum (plural strata) is a layer of rock or Soil with internally consistent characteristics that distinguishes Carboniferous Limestone is a type of Limestone rock, which was laid down in Great Britain and Ireland in the Dinantian stage 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 Period, 300 million years ago. Continental collision is a phenomenon of the Plate tectonics of Earth. The Paleozoic or Palaeozoic Era (from the Greek palaio (παλαιο "old" and zoe (ζωη "life" meaning "ancient life" The Variscan (or Hercynian) orogeny is a geologic mountain-building event caused by Late Paleozoic Continental collision between Laurasia This tectonic activity produced a complex suite of mountain and hill ranges across what is now southern Ireland, south western England, Brittany, and elsewhere in western Europe. This article discusses the geologic usage for the philosophical or architectural usage see Architectonics ' Or see Plate tectonics. Ireland ( Irish: Éire, ˈeːrʲə is a country in north-western Europe. Brittany (Breizh bʁejs Bretagne; Gallo: Bertaèyn) is a former independent Celtic kingdom and Duchy, now incorporated into Western Europe at its most general meaning means 'all the countries in the West of Europe '

Cross-section of a Carboniferous limestone bored by Jurassic organisms; borings include Gastrochaenolites (some with boring bivalves in place) and Trypanites; Mendip Hills; scale bar = 1 cm. Bivalves are Molluscs belonging to the class Bivalvia. They have two-part shells and typically both valves are symmetrical along the hinge line

As a result of the Variscan mountain-building, the area now comprises three major anticlinal fold structures, each with a core of older Devonian sandstone and Silurian volcanic rocks. In Structural geology, an anticline is a fold that is convex up and has its oldest beds at its core See also Folding The term fold is used in Geology when one or a stack of originally flat and planar surfaces such as Sedimentary The Devonian is a geologic period and system of the Paleozoic era spanning from to  million years ago. Sandstone is a Sedimentary rock composed mainly of Sand -size Mineral or rock grains. The Silurian is a geologic period and system that extends from the end of the Ordovician period about 443 Plate tectonics and hotspots Divergent plate boundaries At the ^[5] The latter are quarried for use in road construction and as a concrete aggregate. Concrete is a construction material composed of Cement (commonly Portland cement) as well as other cementitious materials such as Fly ash and Slag ^[1] 200 to 300 million years ago the Mendips were considerably higher and steeper than they are today. ^[6] Since then, weathering has resulted in a range of surface features, including gorges, dry valleys, screes and swallets. For the song see CANYONMID. For the band see Canyon (band. A canyon (rarely cañon) or gorge Scree, also called talus and detritic cone, is a term given to broken rock that appears at the bottom of Crags mountain Cliffs or A sinkhole, also known as a sink, shake hole, swallow hole, swallet, doline or Cenote, is a natural depression These are complemented underground by a large number of caves, including Wookey Hole, both beneath the plateau and at the base of the southern escarpment. The Caves of the Mendip Hills are formed by the particular geology of the Mendip Hills, with large areas of limestone worn away by water makes it a national centre for Caving Wookey Hole is a village close to Wells in Somerset, England. In Geology and Earth science, a plateau, also called a high plateau or tableland, is an area of highland, usually consisting In Geomorphology, an escarpment is a transition zone between different physiogeographic provinces that involves a sharp steep Elevation differential characterized There are also limestone pavements and other karst features. A limestone pavement is a natural Karst landform consisting of a flat incised surface of exposed Limestone that resembles an artificial pavement Karst topography is a landscape shaped by the dissolution of a layer or layers of soluble Bedrock, usually Carbonate rock such as Limestone Karstic dissolution of the limestone produced many of the gorges including, most famously, Cheddar Gorge and Burrington Combe. Burrington Combe ( is a Carboniferous limestone Gorge near the village of Burrington, on the north side of the Mendip Hills, in North Somerset Springs, a number of which deposit tufa, are a particular feature of the eastern part of the hills. A spring is a point where Groundwater flows out of the ground and is thus where the Aquifer surface meets the ground surface Tufa article--> Tufa is the name for an unusual geological ^[1]

The Devonian and Silurian rocks are generally more resistant to weathering and form some of the highest points on the hills, including the highest point at Beacon Batch on Black Down which is 325 metres (1068 ft) above sea level. Beacon Batch is the highest point in the Mendip Hills, Somerset, south-western England. Black Down is an area of Open Access common on the Mendip Hills, Somerset, England. 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 the plateau. Moorland or moor is a type of habitat found in upland areas characterised by low growing vegetation on Acidic soils Brackens ( Pteridium) are a genus of about ten species of large coarse Ferns in the family Dennstaedtiaceae. In topography a summit is a point on a surface which is higher in Elevation than all points immediately adjacent to Calluna vulgaris (also known as Ling is the sole species in the Genus Calluna in the family Ericaceae. Pasture is land with Herbaceous vegetation cover used for grazing of Ungulate Livestock as part of a Farm or Ranch. 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 areas the Carboniferous Limestone and the Dolomitic Conglomerate have been mineralised with lead and zinc ores. Dolomite (ˈdɒləmaɪt is the name of a Sedimentary Carbonate rock and a Mineral, both composed A conglomerate (kɒnˈglɒmərət is a rock consisting of individual stones that have become cemented together Characteristics Lead has a dull luster and is a dense, Ductile, very soft highly Zinc (ˈzɪŋk from Zink is a Metallic Chemical element with the symbol Zn and Atomic number 30 An ore is a volume of rock containing components or Minerals in a mode of occurrence that renders it valuable for mining From the time of the Romans until 1908, the hills were an important source of lead. Roman Britain refers to those parts of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire between AD 43 and 410 ^[7] These areas were the centre of a major mining industry in the past and this is reflected in areas of contaminated rough ground known locally as "gruffy". Mining is the extraction of valuable Minerals or other geological materials from the earth usually (but not always from an Ore body The word "gruffy" is thought to derive from the grooves that were formed where the lead ore was extracted from veins near the surface. ^[8] Other commodities obtained included calamine, manganese, iron, copper and barytes. This article is about calamine in mineralogy For calamine used in calamine lotion see Calamine, for other uses of the word see Calamine (disambiguation. Manganese (ˈmæŋgəniːz is a Chemical element, designated by the symbol Mn. Iron (ˈаɪɚn is a Chemical element with the symbol Fe (ferrum and Atomic number 26 Copper (ˈkɒpɚ is a Chemical element with the symbol Cu (cuprum and Atomic number 29 Baryte ( Ba[[Sulfur S]] O 4 is a Mineral consisting of Barium sulfate. ^[9] The eastern area reaches into parts of the Somerset coalfield. The Somerset coalfield included pits in the north Somerset, England, area where Coal was mined from the 15th century until 1973

North and east of the Mendips, the same Carboniferous Limestone layers are found in the subsurface and are exposed in Avon Gorge, but younger strata overlie the Carboniferous Limestone in Dundry Hill and the Cotswolds,^[10] where the Oolitic Limestone of Jurassic age is found at the surface. For the gorge in Scotland with the same name see Avon Gorge Falkirk The Avon Gorge ( is a 1 Dundry Down is a large hill at the northern edge of the Mendip Hills, just south of Bristol, England. See also Cotswold The Cotswolds is a range of Hills in west-central England, sometimes called the "Heart of England" Oolite ( egg stone) is a Sedimentary rock formed from Ooids spherical grains composed of concentric layers The Jurassic is a geologic period and system that extends from about Ma (million years ago to  Ma that is from the end of the Triassic to the beginning

Climate

Along with the rest of South West England, the Mendip Hills has a temperate climate which is generally wetter and milder than the rest of England. South West England is one of the Regions of England. It is the largest such region in terms of area and extends from Gloucestershire and Wiltshire to England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland The annual mean temperature is approximately 10 °C (50 °F) and shows a seasonal and a diurnal variation, but due to the modifying effect of the sea the range is less than in most other parts of the UK. A season is one of the major divisions of the Year, generally based on yearly periodic changes in Weather. Diurnal motion is an astronomical term referring to the apparent daily motion of Stars around the Earth, or more precisely around the two 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 south west of England has a favoured location with respect to the Azores high pressure when it extends its influence north-eastwards towards the UK, particularly in summer. The Azores ( Açores ɐˈsoɾɨʃ or) is a Portuguese Archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, about 1500 km (950  mi) from

Cloud often forms inland, especially near hills, and acts to reduce sunshine amounts. A cumulus cloud' is a type of Cloud with noticeable vertical development and clearly defined edges The average annual sunshine totals around 1600 hours. Rainfall tends to be associated with Atlantic depressions or with convection. In Meteorology, precipitation (also known as one class of hydrometeors, which are atmospheric water phenomena is any product of the condensation of atmospheric A low pressure area, or " low " is a region where the Atmospheric pressure is lower in relation to the surrounding area In summer, convection caused by solar surface heating sometimes forms shower clouds and a large proportion of rainfall falls from showers and thunderstorms at this time of year. A cloud is a visible mass of droplets or frozen crystals floating in the atmosphere above the surface of the Earth or another Planetary body Average rainfall is around 800–900 mm (31–35 in). About 8–15 days of snowfall is typical. "Snowfall" redirects here For other uses see Snow (disambiguation or Snowfall (disambiguation. November to March have the highest mean wind speeds, with June to August having the lightest winds. Wind is the flow of Air or other Gases that compose an Atmosphere (including but not limited to the Earth's) The predominant wind direction is from the South West. ^[11]

A combination of the rainfall and geology leads to an estimated average daily runoff from springs and boreholes of some 330,000 m³ (72 million imperial gallons). Surface runoff is a term used to describe when soil is infiltrated to full capacity and excess Water, from Rain, Snowmelt, or other sources flows A spring is a point where Groundwater flows out of the ground and is thus where the Aquifer surface meets the ground surface Bristol Waterworks Company (now Bristol Water) recognised the value of this resource and between 1846 and 1853 created a series of underground tunnels, pipes and aqueducts called the "Line of Works" which still carry approximately 18,200 m³ (4 million imperial gallons) of water a day to Barrow Gurney Reservoirs for filtration and then on to Bristol and the surrounding areas. Bristol Water supplies 300 million litres of drinking water to over 1 million customers in a area centred on Bristol, England. An aqueduct is an artificial channel that is constructed to convey water from one location to another Barrow Gurney Reservoirs ( (also known as Barrow Gurney Tanks or Barrow Tanks are three artificial reservoirs near the village of Barrow Gurney, which lies southwest of Filtration is a mechanical or physical operation which is used for the separation of solids from fluids (liquids or gases by interposing a medium to fluid flow through which the fluid All this is done by gravity as it collects and conveys water from the Chewton Mendip and East and West Harptree areas. Gravitation is a natural Phenomenon by which objects with Mass attract one another Chewton Mendip is a village and Civil parish in the Mendip District of Somerset, England. East Harptree ( is situated 5 miles north of Wells and 15 miles south of Bristol, on the northern slope of the Mendip Hills overlooking the Chew West Harptree ( is a small village within the Chew Valley, Somerset in the unitary district of Bath and North East Somerset. ^[6]

Ecology

Peregrine Falcon

There are three nationally important semi-natural habitats which are characteristic of the area: Ash-Maple woodland (Fraxinus spp. A habitat (which is Latin for "it inhabits" is an Ecological or environmental area that is inhabited by a particular Species. An ash can be any of four different tree genera from four very distinct families; most commonly in a combined form (e Acer ( maple) is a Genus of Trees or Shrubs They are variously classified in a family of their own the Aceraceae, or and Acer spp. ) often with abundant small-leaved lime (Tilia cordata), Calcareous grassland and Mesotrophic grassland. Tilia cordata ( Small-leaved Lime, occasionally Small-leaved Linden is a species of Tilia native to much of Europe and western Calcareous grassland (or alkaline grassland) is an Ecosystem associated with thin basic Soil, such as that on Chalk and Limestone This article gives an overview of the Mesotrophic grassland communities in the British National Vegetation Classification system ^[1]

Much of the Mendip Hills is open calcareous grassland which supports a large variety of wild flowering plants and insects. Calcareous grassland (or alkaline grassland) is an Ecosystem associated with thin basic Soil, such as that on Chalk and Limestone Biodiversity is the variation of Life forms within a given Ecosystem, Biome or for the entire Earth. The flowering plants or angiosperms ( Angiospermae or Magnoliophyta) are the most widespread group Insects ( Class Insecta) are a major group of Arthropods and the most diverse group of Animals on the Earth with over a million described Grazing by rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus), sheep (Ovis aries) and cattle (Bos taurus) maintains the grassland habitat. Rabbits are small Mammals in the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha, found in several parts of the world Cattle, colloquially referred to as cows, are domesticated Ungulates a member of the Subfamily Bovinae of the family Some of the area is deciduous ancient woodland. Botany Autumn leaf color. See --> In Botany and Horticulture, deciduous Plants, including ‘ Ancient Woodland ’ is a term used in the United Kingdom to refer specifically to Woodland dating back to 1600 or before in England and Wales Some of the area has been used intensively for arable agriculture, particularly since World War I. In Geography, arable land (from Latin arare, to Plough) is an agricultural term meaning land that can be used for Agriculture refers to the production of goods through the growing of plants and fungi and the raising of domesticated Animals The study of agriculture World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Some of this land is now being returned to grassland as the demand for arable land in Britain declines, but the use of fertilisers and herbicides have reduced the biodiversity in these areas. Fertilizers ( also spelt fertiliser are chemical compounds given to Plants to promote growth they are usually applied either through the soil for uptake by plant A herbicide is used to kill unwanted Plants Selective herbicides kill specific targets while leaving the desired Crop relatively unharmed Biodiversity is the variation of Life forms within a given Ecosystem, Biome or for the entire Earth. ^[1]

Many bird species can also be found. Birds ( class Aves) are bipedal endothermic ( Warm-blooded) Vertebrate animals that lay eggs. Of particular significance is the Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) which has gradually recolonised the Mendips since the 1980s. The Peregrine Falcon ( Falco peregrinus) also known simply as the Peregrine, and historically as the "Duck Hawk" in North America is a It breeds on sea and inland cliffs and also on the faces of both active and disused quarries. The upland heaths of the west Mendips have recently increased in ornithological importance, due to colonisation by the Dartford Warbler (Sylvia undata), which can be found for example at Black Down and Crook Peak. The Dartford Warbler, Sylvia undata, is a Typical warbler from the warmer parts of western Europe, and northwestern Africa. Blackdown, or Black Down, is the highest hill in the historic county of Sussex, at 280 metres (918 feet and is second only to Leith Hill (295 metres Crook Peak to Shute Shelve Hill ( to ( is a 3322 Hectare (820 In Britain, this species is usually associated with lowland heath. The woodlands at Stock Hill are a breeding site for Nightjar (Caprimulgus europaeus) and Long-eared Owl (Asio otus). Stock Hill ( is a Forestry Commission plantation on the Mendip Hills, Somerset, England. The European Nightjar, or just Nightjar, Caprimulgus europaeus, is the only representative of the Nightjar family of Birds in most of Europe The Long-eared Owl ( Asio otus) is a species of Owl which breeds in Europe, Asia, and North America. The Waldegrave Pool, part of Priddy Mineries is an important site for dragonflies, including Downy Emerald (Cordulia aenea)(the only Mendip breeding site for this species) and Four-spotted Chaser (Libellula quadrimaculata). Priddy Mineries ( is a Nature reserve previously run by the Somerset Wildlife Trust. Anisoptera redirects here For the genus of trees see Anisoptera (tree. The downy emerald ( Cordulia aenea) is a species of Dragonfly. The Four-spotted Chaser, known in North America as the Four-spotted Skimmer ( Libellula quadrimaculata) is a Dragonfly of the family Libellulidae ^[1] In 2007 the first confirmed sighting of a Red Kite (Milvus milvus) on the Mendips was made at Charterhouse. The Red Kite ( Milvus milvus) is a medium-large Bird of prey in the family Accipitridae, which also includes many other diurnal raptors such ^[12]

A range of important small mammals are found in the area including the Hazel Dormouse (Muscardinus avellanarius) which is restricted largely to coppice woodland and scrub, Bats including the nationally rare lesser (Rhinolophus hipposideros) and Greater Horseshoe Bats (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum) which have a number of colonies in buildings, caves and mines in the area. Mammals ( class Mammalia) are a class of Vertebrate Animals characterized by the presence of Sweat glands, including sweat glands The Hazel Dormouse ( Muscardinus avellanarius) is a small Mammal. Coppicing is a traditional method of Woodland management in which young tree stems are cut down to near ground level The Lesser Horseshoe Bat ( Rhinolophus hipposideros) is a type of European Bat related to but smaller than its cousin the Greater Horseshoe Bat The Greater Horseshoe Bat Rhinolophus ferrumequinum is a European Bat of the Rhinolophus genus 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. The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom which aims to protect the Wildlife and Countryside of the The Habitats Directive (more formally known as Council Directive 92/43/EEC on the Conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora) is a European Union directive ^[13] Amphibians such as the Great crested newt (Triturus cristatus) have a wide distribution across Mendip and are often found in flooded disused quarries. The great crested newt, northern crested newt or warty newt ( Triturus cristatus) is a Newt in the family Salamandridae, found

Large Blue Butterfly

Several rare butterflies are also indigenous to the area. A butterfly is an Insect of the order Lepidoptera. Like all Lepidoptera butterflies are notable for their unusual life cycle with a The Large blue butterfly (Maculinea arion) became extinct in the hills in the late 1970s, since which time a research project has been undertaken into the butterfly's ecology and reintroduction. Other species include the nationally scarce Pearl-bordered Fritillary (Boloria euphrosyne), Duke of Burgandy (Hamearis lucina) and White-letter Hairstreak (Satyrium w-album). The Pearl-bordered Fritillary ( Boloria euphrosyne) is a Butterfly of the Nymphalidae family The Duke of Burgundy ( Hamearis lucina) is a European Butterfly in the family Riodinidae. The White-letter Hairstreak ( Satyrium w-album) is a Butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. ^[1] The White-clawed crayfish is also nationally rare and a declining species with small populations in a tributary of the Mells River and the River Chew. Austropotamobius pallipes is an endangered European Freshwater Crayfish, and the only species of crayfish native to the British Isles The River Chew is a small River in England. It merges with the River Avon after 17 miles forming the Chew Valley. ^[14]

A well known Mendip feature is the dry stone walls which fragment the pasture into fields. Dry stone is a building method by which structures are constructed from stones without any mortar to bind them together Constructed from local limestone and in an "A frame" design, the walls are strong yet contain no mortar. Unfortunately years of neglect are allowing many walls to disintegrate, being replaced or contained by a mix of barbed wire and sheep fencing. These dry-stone walls are of botanical importance, supporting important populations of the nationally scarce Wall Whitlow-grass. Amongst the plants which occur in the area are the Cheddar pink (Dianthus), Purple gromwell (Lithospermum purpurocaeruleum), White rock-rose (Helianthemum apenninum), Somerset hair-grass and Starved wood-sedge. Dianthus is a Genus of about 300 Species of Flowering plants in the family Caryophyllaceae, native mainly to Europe Lithospermum purpurocaeruleum or Purple Gromwell is a plant species of the genus Lithospermum. Helianthemum apenninum, the white rock-rose, is a white-flowering rock rose found in dry grassy and rocky places across large parts of Europe ^[1]

History

See also: Mining in Roman Britain

Roman lead mines at Charterhouse. Mining was one of the most prosperous activities in Roman Britain. Charterhouse, also known as Charterhouse-on-Mendip, is a small hamlet in the Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB in the

There are twenty identified Palaeolithic sites in the Mendips, including eleven representing material recovered from cave sites, including faunal remains and lithic artefacts, and eight relating to surface lithic discoveries. The term Paleolithic (or Palaeolithic) (from Greek παλαιός palaios, " Old " and λίθος Lithos, "stone" In the sequence of North American Prehistoric cultural stages first proposed by Gordon Willey and Philip Phillips in 1958, the Lithic stage In Archaeology, an artifact or artefact is any object made or modified by a human culture, and often one later recovered by some archaeological The material found includes handaxes, points, and scrapers. Twenty–seven Mesolithic finds are represented by flint and chert lithics. The Mesolithic or Middle Stone Age was a period in the development of human technology in between the Paleolithic or Old Stone Age and the Neolithic or New Stone Age ^[15] There have been large numbers of artefacts from Neolithic, Iron Age and Bronze Age remains, including barrows and forts, such as those around Priddy and at Dolebury Warren. The Neolithic (from Greek νεολιθικός — neolithikos from νέος neos, "new" + λίθος lithos This article is about the archaeological period known as the Iron Age for the mythological Iron Age see Ages of Man. The term Bronze Age refers to a period in human cultural development when the most advanced Metalworking (at least in systematic and widespread use included techniques for A tumulus (plural tumuli) is a Mound of earth and stones raised over a grave or graves Fortifications are Military Constructions and Buildings designed for defense in Warfare Humans have constructed defensive works for Priddy is a village in Somerset, England in the Mendip Hills, close to East Harptree and north west of Wells. Dolebury Warren ( is a 906 Hectare Biological Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI near the village of Churchill in North Somerset ^[16] There is good evidence for 286 definite examples of round barrows within the AONB. ^[17] There are at present over 1200 entries on the National Monuments Record (NMR) for the Mendip Hills AONB and just over 600 listed building records,^[18] including over 200 Scheduled Ancient Monuments. The National Monuments Record (NMRis the public Archive of English Heritage, located in Swindon. A listed building in the United Kingdom is a building or other structure officially designated as being of special architectural historical or cultural significance In the United Kingdom, a Scheduled Monument is a 'nationally important' Archaeological site or historic building given protection against unauthorised change ^[19] The caves of Cheddar Gorge in particular have yielded many archaeological remains as flood waters have washed artefacts and bones into the caves and preserved them in silt. Archaeology, archeology, or archæology (from Greek grc ἀρχαιολογία archaiologia – grc ἀρχαῖος archaīos The Cheddar Man was found here. Cheddar Man is the name given to the remains of a human male found in Gough's Cave in Cheddar Gorge, Somerset, England.

Settlement on the Mendip Hills appears to fall into two types. The first, apparent in the Neolithic and Bronze Age periods, and repeated on a small scale in the medieval and post–medieval era, comprised occupation by self-sufficient groups in small communities or isolated farms. The second was represented in the Iron Age and Roman periods by large sites with specialist functions, existing by virtue of their ability to exert power over lowland producers. The Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial From 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. ^[17]

There is evidence of mining dating back into the late Bronze Age when there were technological changes in metal working indicating the use of lead. Mining is the extraction of valuable Minerals or other geological materials from the earth usually (but not always from an Ore body Characteristics Lead has a dull luster and is a dense, Ductile, very soft highly The Roman invasion, and possibly the preceding period of involvement in the internal affairs of the south of England, was inspired, in part, by the mineral wealth of the Mendips. Much of the attraction of the lead mines may have been the potential for the extraction of silver;^[20] the Latin "EX ARG VEB" stamps on the Mendip lead pigs specify a de-silvering process and cast silver ingots have been found. Silver (ˈsɪlvɚ is a Chemical element with the symbol " Ag " (argentum from the Ancient Greek: ἀργήντος - argēntos gen Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. Characteristics Lead has a dull luster and is a dense, Ductile, very soft highly The silver coinage of the Dobunni and Durotriges is also likely to reflect the availability of silver from the mines. main - title Coin keywords numismatics coin review The Dobunni were one of the Celtic tribes living in the British Islands prior to the Roman invasion of Britain. The Durotriges were one of the Celtic tribes living in the British Islands prior to the Roman invasion of Britain.

By the end of the medieval period a complex body of customary law had come into existence dealing with the four "Mendip mineries". That the medieval control was in the hands of the monastic foundations may indicate some continuity of tenure of large scale holdings, focused on the mines, from the Roman period. Monasticism (from Greek μοναχός, monachos, derived from Greek monos, alone is the religious practice in which one ^[17]

When William Wilberforce visited Cheddar in 1789 and saw the poor circumstances of the locals, he inspired Hannah More to begin her work improving the conditions of the Mendip miners and agricultural workers. William Wilberforce (24 August 1759 – 29 July 1833 was a British Politician, a Philanthropist Hannah More ( February 2, 1745 – September 7, 1833) was an English religious writer and philanthropist ^[8] Between 1770 and 1813, 7,300 ha (18,039 acres) of land on the hills was enclosed, mainly with dry stone walls, which today form a key part of the landscape. Explanation The hectare is commonly used in most countries around the world especially in domains concerned with land planning and management such as Agriculture, The acre is a unit of Area in a number of different systems including the imperial and U Dry stone is a building method by which structures are constructed from stones without any mortar to bind them together In 2006 funding was obtained to maintain and improve the dry stone walls. ^[21]

A view across Black Down from Beacon Batch

Over 300 "Mendip Motor Cars" were built by an engineering works based in Chewton Mendip in the years immediately before and after World War I. Chewton Mendip is a village and Civil parish in the Mendip District of Somerset, England. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All ^[22][7] 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 the hilltop as a landing site. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Beacon Batch is the highest point in the Mendip Hills, Somerset, south-western England. A cairn ( carn in Irish is an artificial pile of stones often in a conical form Other high points include Bleadon Hill, and North Hill near Priddy. Bleadon Hill ( is a 1352 Hectare Geological Site of Special Scientific Interest just north of the village of Bleadon, North Somerset, Priddy is a village in Somerset, England in the Mendip Hills, close to East Harptree and north west of Wells. The Mendip Hills are home to the Mendip UHF television transmitter installed in the 1960s, the tallest mast in the region, which is situated on Pen Hill near Wells. The Mendip transmitting station is a Broadcasting and Telecommunications facility situated on the summit of Pen Hill, part of the Mendip Pen Hill forms part of the Mendip Hills plateau in Somerset, England. Wells is a small Cathedral city and Civil parish in the Mendip district of Somerset, England, on the southern edge of the Mendip

Since 2003 arguments have raged over plans to erect a Wind Turbine near Chewton Mendip. A wind turbine is a rotating machine which converts the Kinetic energy in Wind into Mechanical energy. Chewton Mendip is a village and Civil parish in the Mendip District of Somerset, England. The proposal was rejected by Mendip District Council, which enjoyed the support of a range of local groups and organisations, on the grounds that the environmental impact on the edge of the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty outweighed the nominal amount of electricity which would be generated. Mendip is also a shortened name for The Mendip Hills, from which this district takes its name In April 2006 a planning enquiry gave Ecotricity permission to build a 102 m (335 ft) turbine during the next year. Ecotricity is a Green energy company based in Stroud Gloucestershire, England specialising in Wind power. ^[23]

The Mendip Power Group are installing micro-hydroelectric turbines in a number of historic former watermills. The Mendip Power Group is a group of owners installing micro-hydroelectric turbines in a number of historic former Watermills in the Mendip area of Micro Hydro is a term used for Hydroelectric power installations that typically produce up to 100 kW of power This article is about a type of structure For other locational uses see Milldam. ^[24] The first to start electricity generation was Tellisford Mill, on the River Frome, which began operating in April 2007 and which is ultimately expected to produce 75kW. Electricity generation is the process of converting non-electrical Energy to Electricity. The River Frome is a River in Somerset. It is not to be confused with other rivers in the south west of England with the same name The watt (symbol W) is the SI derived unit of power, equal to one Joule of energy per Second. ^[25] Other mills in the Group, together with initial assessments of their capacity, include: Stowford Mill (37kW) and Shawford Mill (31kW), Jackdaws Iron Works (10kW), Glencot House (5. 8kW), Burcott Mill (5. 2kW), Bleadney Mill (5. 4kW), Coleford Mill (6. 6kW), Old Mill (5. 2kW) and Farrants Mill (9. 9kW). ^[24]

Government and politics

Logo of the Mendip Hills AONB at Burrington Combe. Burrington Combe ( is a Carboniferous limestone Gorge near the village of Burrington, on the north side of the Mendip Hills, in North Somerset

The western end of the Mendip Hills have, since 1972, been designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) under the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949. An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB is an area of countryside with significant landscape value in England, Wales or Northern Ireland The National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which created the Countryside Commission (which The Mendip Society which was formed in 1965, work to raise awareness of the designation and protect the area. The society now has 700 members and runs a programme of guided walks, educative talks and visits. The society also has a small grants fund to assist communities with the conservation and enhancement of the landscape and to encourage its enjoyment and celebration. ^[26]

As they have the same landscape quality, AONBs may be compared to the national parks of England and Wales. The national parks of England and Wales are areas of relatively undeveloped and scenic landscape that are designated under the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 AONBs are created under the same legislation as the national parks, the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949. A national park is a reserve of land usually declared and owned by a national Government, protected from most Human development and pollution Unlike AONBs, national parks have their own authorities, have special legal powers to prevent unsympathetic development. By contrast, there are very limited statutory duties imposed on local authorities within an AONB. However, further regulation and protection of AONBs was added by the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000. The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 is a UK Act of Parliament which came into force on November 30, 2000.

The Mendip Hills Partnership, which has an administrative role, includes the five local authorities that cover the AONB, statutory bodies such as the Countryside Agency and English Nature together with parish councils and other organisations and groups that have an interest in the conservation and care of the area. The Countryside Agency in England was a statutory body set up in 1999 with the task of improving the quality of the rural environment and the lives of those living English Nature was the United Kingdom government agency that promoted the conservation of Wildlife, Geology and wild places throughout England The Mendip Hills AONB Service is the staff unit of the partnership, and is based at the Charterhouse Centre in the heart of the AONB. Charterhouse, also known as Charterhouse-on-Mendip, is a small hamlet in the Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB in the The AONB Service consists of six staff, a manager, development officer, planning liaison officer, two wardens and a support officer. They are supported by 50 volunteer rangers who give approximately 3000 volunteer hours each year. ^[27] 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 the east. The Countryside Agency in England was a statutory body set up in 1999 with the task of improving the quality of the rural environment and the lives of those living Steep Holm ( is an English Island lying in the Bristol Channel. Brean Down is a promontory off the coast of Somerset standing high and extending into the Bristol Channel between Weston-super-Mare and Burnham on Frome ( (ˈfruːm is a medium-sized Town and Civil parish in Somerset, England, near the Mendip Hills. ^[28]

Many of the villages on the Mendips have their own parish councils which have some responsibility for local issues. A Parish council is a unit of Local government in Great Britain. They also elect councillors to district councils e. g. Mendip or Sedgemoor and Somerset County Council or unitary authorities e. Mendip is also a shortened name for The Mendip Hills, from which this district takes its name Sedgemoor is a local government district of Somerset in England. Somerset ( or) is a county in south west England The County town is Taunton, which is in the south of the county g. Bath and North East Somerset, or North Somerset. Bath and North East Somerset (commonly referred to as BANES or B&NES) is a Unitary authority that was created on 1 April 1996 North Somerset is a Unitary authority in England. Its area covers part of the ceremonial county of Somerset but it is administered Each of the villages is also part of a parliamentary constituency: Wells, Weston-super-Mare, or Wansdyke (which will become North East Somerset). Wells is a County constituency centred on the city of Wells in Somerset. Weston-super-Mare is a Constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Wansdyke is a Constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Boundaries The constituency covers the part of Bath and North East Somerset that is not in the Bath constituency. The area is also part of the South West England (European Parliament constituency) of the European Parliament. South West England is a Constituency of the European Parliament. Avon and Somerset Constabulary provides police services to the area. Avon & Somerset Constabulary is the Home Office Police force in England responsible for policing the non-metropolitan county of Somerset and

Demographics

The population on the higher plateau is widely dispersed in small farms and hamlets, although many of the population in these settlements no longer work in agriculture or forestry but commute to surrounding cities and towns for employment. Agriculture refers to the production of goods through the growing of plants and fungi and the raising of domesticated Animals The study of agriculture Forestry is the Art and Science of managing forests tree Plantations and related Natural resources. The largest villages on the plateau are Priddy and Charterhouse. Priddy is a village in Somerset, England in the Mendip Hills, close to East Harptree and north west of Wells. Charterhouse, also known as Charterhouse-on-Mendip, is a small hamlet in the Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB in the ^[1] The larger villages and towns are on the lower slopes of the western hills, often in river valleys. Axbridge, Cheddar, Shepton Mallet and Wells are along the southern border of the hills and Blagdon, Compton Martin and East and West Harptree along the northern edge. Axbridge is a Town in Somerset, England, situated in the Sedgemoor district on the River Axe, near the southern edge of the Mendip Cheddar is a large Village and Civil parish in the district of Sedgemoor in the English county of Somerset. Shepton Mallet is a small rural Town in Somerset, England. It is situated five miles (8 km to the east of Wells, and lies just Wells is a small Cathedral city and Civil parish in the Mendip district of Somerset, England, on the southern edge of the Mendip Blagdon is a village and Civil parish in the North Somerset Unitary authority in England. Compton Martin ( is a small village within the Chew Valley in Somerset and Civil parish in the North Somerset Unitary authority East Harptree ( is situated 5 miles north of Wells and 15 miles south of Bristol, on the northern slope of the Mendip Hills overlooking the Chew West Harptree ( is a small village within the Chew Valley, Somerset in the unitary district of Bath and North East Somerset.

Transport and communications

Pensford Viaduct

The ancient tracks across the hills were superseded in the middle of the first century by the Roman Fosse Way from Bath to Ilchester, which served the Charterhouse lead mines, and can be traced in some of the local place names such as Stratton-on-the-Fosse and Lydford-on-Fosse. Pensford ( is a village in the Civil parish of Publow and Pensford in Bath and North East Somerset, England. The Fosse Way was a Roman road in England that linked Exeter ( Isca Dumnoniorum) in South West England to Lincoln Ilchester is a Village and Civil parish, situated on the River Yeo five Miles north of Yeovil, in the English county of Charterhouse, also known as Charterhouse-on-Mendip, is a small hamlet in the Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB in the Stratton-on-the-Fosse is a village and Civil parish located on the edge of the Mendip Hills north east of Shepton Mallet, and from Frome, in Lydford-on-Fosse is a village and Civil parish in the Mendip district of Somerset, England. Much of the high plateau remained uncultivated and unenclosed until the eighteenth century resulting in many roads remaining as narrow winding lanes between high banks and hedges or stone walls, which become open roads with wide verges in places which had their origins as drovers roads. A drovers' road, drove or droveway is an ancient route for driving Livestock on foot from one place to another such as to market or between ^[29] The roads tend to follow the line of gorges and valleys as at Cheddar Gorge.

More major roads often started as turnpikes in the 16th century and are found avoiding the highest areas. A toll road, (also known as a tollway, turnpike, pike, or toll highway, especially if it is constructed to Freeway standards 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 A368 is a part Primary status A road in North Somerset, England. The Chew Valley is an area in North Somerset, England named after the River Chew, which rises at Chewton Mendip, and joins the River Avon The A371 is a primary Road in England running from Wincanton in Somerset, to Weston-super-Mare in North Somerset. The Somerset Levels (or Somerset Levels and Moors as they are less commonly but more correctly called is a sparsely populated Wetland area of central Somerset The western end of the hills is crossed by the M5 motorway and A38. This article is about the M5 motorway in England See M5 for other roads numbered "M5" The A38 is a major Trunk road in England. Though formally known as the Exeter - Leeds Trunk Road it actually runs from Bodmin in Cornwall Further east, and running almost north to south are the A37 and A39. The A37 is a major Road in southern England. It runs north from the A35 at Dorchester in Dorset into Somerset through The A39 is an A road in south west England. It runs south-west from Bath in Somerset through Wells, Glastonbury, Street

During the late nineteenth and early twentieth century the Bristol and North Somerset Railway ran roughly parallel to the A37 but this closed in 1965. The 19th century of the Common Era began on January 1, 1801 and ended on December 31, 1900, according to the Gregorian calendar The main railway The line was opened in 1873 between Bristol and Radstock, where it joined with an earlier freight only line from Frome to Radstock that had 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. History In the middle of the 19th century there were a large number of railway companies operating and this in part led to the line being built in several sections The Wrington Vale Light Railway was a railway from Congresbury on the Cheddar Valley Line to Blagdon and serving villages in the Yeo Valley, North Somerset The Bristol & Exeter Railway was a railway company formed to connect Bristol and Exeter. Cheddar is a large Village and Civil parish in the district of Sedgemoor in the English county of Somerset. Wells is a small Cathedral city and Civil parish in the Mendip district of Somerset, England, on the southern edge of the Mendip In the east, the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway ran south from Bath into Dorset, and also served Wells. The Somerset & Dorset Joint Railway – almost always referred to as "the S&D" – was an English railway line connecting Bath in north east Somerset and Bath is a city in Somerset in the south west of England It is situated west of London and south-east of Bristol. Dorset ( (or archaically, Dorsetshire) is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast Wells is a small Cathedral city and Civil parish in the Mendip district of Somerset, England, on the southern edge of the Mendip These have all now closed, although Mendip Rail has freight lines to carry limestone from the Quarries of the Mendip Hills. Mendip Rail is an independent freight operating railway company in the Great Britain. The Mendip Hills are the most southerly Carboniferous Limestone Upland in Britain and are found in northern Somerset. The Somerset Coal Canal reached some of the pits of the Somerset coalfield in the eastern end of the Mendips. The Somerset Coal Canal (originally known as the Somersetshire Coal Canal) was a narrow canal in England, built around 1800 from basins at Paulton and The Somerset coalfield included pits in the north Somerset, England, area where Coal was mined from the 15th century until 1973

Quarrying

Main article: Quarries of the Mendip Hills

Western extension of Whatley Quarry. The Mendip Hills are the most southerly Carboniferous Limestone Upland in Britain and are found in northern Somerset. Whatley Quarry, is a Limestone Quarry near the village of Whatley on the Mendip Hills, Somerset, England.

In recent centuries the hills, 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. See also Cotswold The Cotswolds is a range of Hills in west-central England, sometimes called the "Heart of England" The quarries are now major suppliers of road stone to southern England, between them producing around twelve million tonnes of limestone a year, employing over two thousand people and with an annual turnover of £150million. ^[30]

Part of Cheddar Gorge, seen from an aircraft.

There are two main rock types on the Mendips: the Devonian Sandstones visible around Blackdown and Downhead and the Carboniferous Limestones, which dominate the hills and surround the older rock formations. The Devonian is a geologic period and system of the Paleozoic era spanning from to  million years ago. Sandstone is a Sedimentary rock composed mainly of Sand -size Mineral or rock grains. Downhead is a village and Civil parish close to Leigh-on-Mendip in the Mendip district of Somerset, England. Carboniferous Limestone is a type of Limestone rock, which was laid down in Great Britain and Ireland in the Dinantian stage ^[15] There are nine active and a host of disused quarries, several of which have been designated as Geological Sites of Special Scientific by English Nature. A Site of Special Scientific Interest or SSSI is a Conservation designation denoting a Protected area in the United Kingdom. English Nature was the United Kingdom government agency that promoted the conservation of Wildlife, Geology and wild places throughout England Because of the effect of the quarries on the environment and local communities, a campaign has been started to stop the creation of any new quarries and for restrictions to be placed on the existing ones. ^[31]

Sport, leisure and tourism

The Mendips are home to a wide range of outdoor sports and leisure activities, including caving, climbing and abseiling. Caving or spelunking is the recreational Sport of exploring Caves In contrast Speleology is the scientific study of caves and the cave UserStan Shebs for a timetable --> Climbing is the activity of using one's hands and feet (or Abseiling (German abseilen, "to rope down" rappelling in American and British English is the controlled descent down a rope in Rock climbing The rich variety of fauna and flora also makes it attractive for hillwalking and those interested in natural history. Fauna is all of the Animal life of any particular region or time In Botany, flora ( Plural: floras or florae has two meanings The first meaning flora of an area or of time period, refers to all In Britain, the term hillwalking or fellwalking is normally used to describe the recreational practice of walking in hilly or Mountainous terrain generally Natural history is the Scientific research of Plants or Animals leaning more towards the Observational than Experimental methods There are a range of tourist attractions including Cheddar Gorge and Caves, Wookey Hole and the small city of Wells. Wookey Hole is a village close to Wells in Somerset, England. Wells is a small Cathedral city and Civil parish in the Mendip district of Somerset, England, on the southern edge of the Mendip

There is a gliding club at Halesland Airfield between Draycott and Priddy. Gliding is a Recreational activity and competitive Sport in which pilots fly un-powered aircraft known as Gliders or sailplanes Draycott is a small village in Somerset neighbouring the village of Cheddar on the southern edge of the Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Priddy is a village in Somerset, England in the Mendip Hills, close to East Harptree and north west of Wells. The Mendips Raceway is a popular venue for stock-car racing near Shipham. Stock car racing is a form of Automobile racing found mainly in the United States, Canada, New Zealand and Great Britain Shipham ( is a village in Somerset, England on the western edge of the Mendip Hills near the A38, approximately 15 miles south of Bristol The Mendips are also home to several festivals including the Big Green Gathering, and a folk music festival and sheep fair in Priddy. The Big Green Gathering (BGG is an annual Festival that is held every summer in the Mendip Hills between Charterhouse and Compton Martin, Folk music can have a number of different meanings including Traditional music: The original meaning of the term "folk music" was synonymous Priddy is a village in Somerset, England in the Mendip Hills, close to East Harptree and north west of Wells.

Caving and cave diving

Main article: Caves of the Mendip Hills

Stalagmites and Stalactites in Gough's Cave

The particular geology, within which large areas of limestone have been worn away by water, makes the hills a national centre for caving. The Caves of the Mendip Hills are formed by the particular geology of the Mendip Hills, with large areas of limestone worn away by water makes it a national centre for Caving Gough's Cave is located in Cheddar Gorge on the Mendip Hills, in Cheddar, Somerset, England. Some of the caves have been known about since the establishment of the Mendip lead mining industry in Roman times. Characteristics Lead has a dull luster and is a dense, Ductile, very soft highly The Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial However, many have only been discovered or explored in the 20th century. ^[32] The caves which are easily accessible to the public are at Cheddar Gorge and Caves and Wookey Hole, but specialist equipment and knowledge is required for the vast majority of the caves. Wookey Hole is a village close to Wells in Somerset, England. 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. ^[33] Attempts to move from one cave to another through the underground rivers led to the development of cave diving, with Swildon's Hole being the site of the first cave dive attempt in Britain, in 1934. Cave diving is a type of Technical diving in which specialized SCUBA equipment is used to enable the exploration of natural or artificial Caves which are Swildon's Hole ( is an extensive Cave in Priddy, Somerset. The first recorded exploration occurred in 1901 and new sections have frequently been The first successful cave dive in Britain was achieved the following year at Wookey Hole Caves, where the last sump is currently the deepest in Britain at 76 m (250 ft). Wookey Hole Caves is a show cave and tourist attraction in the village of Wookey Hole on the southern edge of the Mendip Hills near Wells in Somerset A sump is a low space that collects any often-undesirable liquids such as water or chemicals ^[34] The cave complexes at St. Dunstan's Well Catchment, Lamb Leer and Priddy Caves have been identified as geological Sites of Special Scientific Interest. St Dunstan's Well Catchment ( is a Biological Site of Special Scientific Interest, covering near Stoke St Michael in the Mendip Hills, Somerset Lamb Leer ( is a 1459 Hectare (3604 acre Geological Site of Special Scientific Interest between East Harptree and Priddy in the Mendip Priddy Caves ( is an Area 676 Hectare (1670 acre Geological Site of Special Scientific Interest at Priddy in the Mendip Hills, Somerset A Site of Special Scientific Interest or SSSI is a Conservation designation denoting a Protected area in the United Kingdom.

Walking

Several sites on the Mendips are designated as open access land and there are a myriad of footpaths and bridleways which are generally clearly marked. Open Country is a designation used for some UK access land It was first defined under the 1949 National Parks Act (and extended by the 1968 Countryside Act and was land A trail is a Path or Road used for Walking, Cycling, Cross-country skiing, or other activities In England and Wales, public rights of way are paths on which the public have a legally protected right to pass and re-pass

Several long distance trails cross the area including:

• Limestone Link 36 miles (58 km) path from the Mendips to the Cotswolds
• Mendip Way — 80 km (50 miles) long. The Limestone Link is a long-distance footpath from the Mendip Hills in Somerset to Cold Aston in the Cotswolds in Gloucestershire A mile is a unit of Length, usually used to measure Distance, in a number of different systems including Imperial units United States The kilometre ( American spelling: kilometer) symbol km is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to one thousand See also Cotswold The Cotswolds is a range of Hills in west-central England, sometimes called the "Heart of England" The Mendip Way is an long-distance footpath across the Mendip Hills from Weston-super-Mare to Frome. ^[35] From Weston-super-Mare to Frome. Weston-super-Mare is a Seaside resort town and Civil parish in North Somerset, England. Frome ( (ˈfruːm is a medium-sized Town and Civil parish in Somerset, England, near the Mendip Hills. The western section runs from the Bristol Channel at Uphill Cliff affording views over the Somerset Levels. The Bristol Channel ( Môr Hafren) is a major inlet in the island of Great Britain, separating South Wales from Devon and Somerset Uphill Cliff ( is a 198 Hectare Biological Site of Special Scientific Interest near the village of Uphill, North Somerset, although it is in It crosses the central Mendip plateau leading down to Cheddar Gorge and then to Wells and Frome. Wells is a small Cathedral city and Civil parish in the Mendip district of Somerset, England, on the southern edge of the Mendip
• Monarch's Way — 990 km (615 miles) long. The Monarch's Way is a long-distance footpath in England that approximates the escape route taken by King Charles II in 1651 after being ^[36] From Worcester to Shoreham-by-Sea in West Sussex. Worcester (ˈwʊstə is a city and County town of Worcestershire, in the West Midlands of England. Shoreham-by-Sea (shortened to Shoreham) is a small Town, Port and Seaside resort, also being the major settlement in the Adur District Settlements Most settlements in West Sussex are either along the south coast or are situated in the M23 corridor It closely follows the route taken by Charles II after his defeat at the Battle of Worcester in 1651. Charles II (Charles Stuart 29 May 1630 – 6 February 1685 was the King of England, Scotland, and Ireland. The Battle of Worcester took place on 3 September 1651 at Worcester England and was the final battle of the English Civil War. The route enters Somerset near Chewton Mendip and crosses the Mendip Hills heading for Wells. Chewton Mendip is a village and Civil parish in the Mendip District of Somerset, England. Wells is a small Cathedral city and Civil parish in the Mendip district of Somerset, England, on the southern edge of the Mendip

Mendips in the arts

Thomas Hardy described the Mendips as "a range of limestone rocks stretching from the shores of the Bristol Channel into the middle of Somersetshire",^[37] and several of his books refer to the Mendips or sites on the hills. Thomas Hardy OM (2 June 1840 – 11 January 1928 was an English novelist Short story writer and poet of the naturalist movement though he saw ^[38] Augustus Montague Toplady was inspired to write the words of the hymn "Rock of Ages" while sheltering under a rock in Burrington Combe during a thunderstorm in 1763. Augustus Montague Toplady ( November 4, 1740 &ndash August 11, 1778) was an Anglican clergyman and hymn-writer " Rock of Ages " Burrington Combe ( is a Carboniferous limestone Gorge near the village of Burrington, on the north side of the Mendip Hills, in North Somerset

In his 1995 novel Our Game, John le Carré uses Priddy Pools as the site for the drowning of one of his characters. Our Game is a novel by John le Carré published in 1995 The title refers to Winchester College Football, as the two main characters were at Winchester John le Carré is the Pseudonym of David John Moore Cornwell (born October 19, 1931 in Poole, Dorset, England Priddy Pools ( is a 527 Hectare (1302 acre Geological Site of Special Scientific Interest at Priddy in the Mendip Hills, Somerset ^[39] The Mendips have been used as the location for various film and television filming including the use of Cloford Quarry as the main location used for the planet Lakertya in the Doctor Who story Time and the Rani. Cloford Quarry ( is a 3992 Hectare Geological Site of Special Scientific Interest near Holwell on the Mendip Hills in Somerset, Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. Time and the Rani is a serial in the British Science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in The 2007 film Hot Fuzz was largely filmed in Wells and the surrounding area. Hot Fuzz is a 2007 British action Comedy film written by Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright and starring Simon Wells is a small Cathedral city and Civil parish in the Mendip district of Somerset, England, on the southern edge of the Mendip

See also

• Geology of the United Kingdom
• Geology of Somerset
• List of Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Somerset

References

Further reading

• Atthill, Robin (1971). Old Mendip, 2nd, Newton Abbot: David & Charles. ISBN 0715351710.  
• Hardcastle, Jim; Merryn Nisbet (2008). Lifelines: The Vital Dry Stone Walls of the Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Mendip Hills AONB Service. ISBN 978-0955911002.  

External links

• Mendip Hills AONB website
• The Mendip Society website
• Mendip Hills annual review 2004–2005PDF (0. 99 MiB)
• Mendip Hills management plan 2004–2009PDF (1. A mebibyte (a contraction of me ga bi nary byte) is a unit of Information or Computer storage, abbreviated MiB. 99 MiB)
• The official Mendips Raceway website