Quantock Hills
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
Upland scrub in the Quantocks
Country	England
County	Somerset
Districts	Taunton Deane, West Somerset, Sedgemoor
Location
- coordinates	51°08′39″N 3°13′59″W / 51.14417, -3.23306Coordinates: 51°08′39″N 3°13′59″W / 51.14417, -3.23306
Area	38 sq mi (98 km²)
- Biological SSSI	9. 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 Taunton Deane is a local government district with Borough status in Somerset, England. West Somerset is a local government district in the English county of Somerset. Sedgemoor is a local government district of Somerset in England. A geographic coordinate system enables every location on the Earth to be specified in three coordinates using mainly a spherical coordinate system. 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 A Site of Special Scientific Interest or SSSI is a Conservation designation denoting a Protected area in the United Kingdom. 7 sq mi (25 km²)
Length	12 mi (19 km), northeast–southwest
Width	4 mi (6 km), north–south
Highest point	Wills Neck
- coordinates	51°06′33″N 3°11′37″W / 51.10917, -3.19361
- elevation	1,261 ft (384 m)
Geology	Devonian
Plants	Heather, Bilberry
Animals	Palmate Newt, Red Deer
Managed by	Quantock Hills AONB
- location	Fyne Court, Broomfield, Bridgwater,
- coordinates	51°04′52″N 3°06′56″W / 51.08111, -3.11556
Website : Quantock Hills AONB

The Quantock Hills are a range of hills west of Bridgwater in Somerset, England. 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 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 The kilometre ( American spelling: kilometer) symbol km is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to one thousand Wills Neck is the highest summit on the Quantock Hills and one of the highest points in Somerset, England. A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International The Devonian is a geologic period and system of the Paleozoic era spanning from to  million years ago. Calluna vulgaris (also known as Ling is the sole species in the Genus Calluna in the family Ericaceae. Bilberry is a name given to several species of low-growing Shrubs in the Genus Vaccinium (family Ericaceae) that bears fruits The Palmate Newt ( Lissotriton helveticus) is a species of Newt found in parts of Great Britain, Western and Northern Europe. The Red Deer ( Cervus elaphus) is one of the largest Deer species Fyne Court is a National Trust -owned Nature reserve and Visitor centre in Broomfield, Bridgwater, Somerset, England Bridgwater in Somerset, England, is a Market town, the administrative centre of the Sedgemoor district, and the leading industrial Bridgwater in Somerset, England, is a Market town, the administrative centre of the Sedgemoor district, and the leading industrial 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 The highest point on the Quantocks is Wills Neck, at 1,261 feet (384 m). Wills Neck is the highest summit on the Quantock Hills and one of the highest points in Somerset, England. A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International ^[1] The hills are officially designated as the Quantock Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB is an area of countryside with significant landscape value in England, Wales or Northern Ireland

The hills run from the Vale of Taunton Deane in the south, for about 15 miles (24 km) to the north-west, ending at East Quantoxhead and West Quantoxhead on the coast of the Bristol Channel. Taunton Deane is a local government district with Borough status in Somerset, England. 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 East Quantoxhead is a village in West Somerset, from West Quantoxhead, east of Williton, and west of Bridgwater, within the Quantock West Quantoxhead is a small village and Civil parish in the West Somerset district of Somerset, England. The Bristol Channel ( Môr Hafren) is a major inlet in the island of Great Britain, separating South Wales from Devon and Somerset They form the western border of Sedgemoor and the Somerset Levels. Sedgemoor is a local government district of Somerset in England. 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 From the top of the hills on a clear day, it is possible to see Glastonbury Tor and the Mendips to the east, Wales as far as the Gower peninsula to the north, the Brendon Hills and Exmoor to the west, and the Blackdown Hills to the south. Glastonbury Tor is a Hill at Glastonbury, Somerset, England, which features the roofless St The Mendip Hills (commonly called The Mendips) are a range of Limestone hills situated to the south of Bristol and Bath in Somerset The Brendon Hills are composed of a lofty ridge of hills in the west of Somerset, England. Exmoor is a National Park situated on the Bristol Channel coast of south west England The Blackdown Hills are a range of hills along the Somerset - Devon border in south-western England, which were designated an Area of Outstanding Soil types and weather combine to support the hills' plants and animals. In 1970 an area of 6,194. 5 acres (2,506. 9 hectares) was designated as a Biological Site of Special Scientific Interest. A Site of Special Scientific Interest or SSSI is a Conservation designation denoting a Protected area in the United Kingdom. ^[2]

They have been occupied since prehistoric times with Bronze Age round barrows and Iron Age hill forts. 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 Round barrows are one of the most common types of archaeological Monuments Although concentrated in Europe they are found in many parts of the world because This article is about the archaeological period known as the Iron Age for the mythological Iron Age see Ages of Man. Evidence from Roman times includes silver coins discovered in West Bagborough. Ancient Rome was a Civilization that grew out of a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 10th century BC Silver (ˈsɪlvɚ is a Chemical element with the symbol " Ag " (argentum from the Ancient Greek: ἀργήντος - argēntos gen West Bagborough is a village and Parish in Somerset, England, situated north of Taunton in the Taunton Deane district In the later Saxon period, King Alfred led the resistance to Viking invasion, and Watchet was plundered by Danes in 987 and 997. Alfred the Great (also Ælfred from the Old English Ælfrēd ˈælfreːd (c A Viking is one of the Norse ( Scandinavian Explorers Warriors Merchants, and pirates who raided and colonized wide areas Watchet is a Harbour Town and Civil parish in the English county of Somerset, with an approximate The hills were fought over during the English Civil War and Monmouth rebellion but are now a peaceful area popular with tourists and walkers. The English Civil War (1642-1651 was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists. The Monmouth Rebellion of 1685, also known as the Pitchfork Rebellion, was an attempt to overthrow James II, who had become King of England at They explore paths such as the Coleridge Way used by the poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge, who lived in Nether Stowey from 1797 to 1799, or visit places of interest such as Quantock Lodge. The Coleridge Way is a footpath in Somerset, England. It was opened in April 2005 and follows the walks taken by poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge Samuel Taylor Coleridge ( 21 October 1772 &ndash 25 July 1834) was an English Poet, Critic and philosopher Nether Stowey is a small village in the Sedgemoor district of Somerset, South West England. Quantock Lodge is a green-grey nineteenth-century mansion built by Henry Clutton from Cockercombe tuff and is located near the hamlet of Aley, near the

Etymology

The name first appears in Saxon charters in around 880 AD as Cantuctun and two centuries later in the Domesday Book as Cantoctona and Cantetone. For their language see Anglo-Saxon language. Anglo-Saxon is the term usually used to describe the invading Tribes in the south The Domesday Book (ˈduːmzdeɪ bʊk also known as Domesday, or Book of Winchester) was the record of the great survey The name means settlement by a rim or circle of hills;^[3] Cantuc is Celtic for a rim or circle, and -ton or -tun is Old English for a settlement. The Celtic languages are descended from Proto-Celtic, or "Common Celtic" a branch of the greater Indo-European Language family. An alternative meaning is ridge of the Welshman, probably referring to a Saxon tribe that fought a battle locally. ^[1]

Geology

Beach at Quantock's Head. The wave cut platform is visible at low tide below the short "cliff" exposing the rock strata.

The Quantock Hills are largely formed by rocks of the Devonian period, which consist of sediments originally laid down under a shallow sea and slowly compressed into solid rock. The Devonian is a geologic period and system of the Paleozoic era spanning from to  million years ago. In the higher north-western areas older Early Devonian rocks known as Hangman Grits predominate^[3] and can be seen in the exposed rock at West Quantoxhead quarry, which was worked for road building. West Quantoxhead is a small village and Civil parish in the West Somerset district of Somerset, England. ^[4] Further south there are newer Middle and Late Devonian rocks, known as Ilfracombe beds and Morte Slates. ^[4] These include sandstone and limestone, which have been quarried near Aisholt. Aisholt is a Hamlet in the English county of Somerset. It is one of the Thankful Villages. At Great Holwell, south of Aisholt, is the only limestone cave in the Devonian limestone of North Devon and West Somerset. Devon is a large county in the South West of England. The county is also referred to as Devonshire, but that is an entirely unofficial name ^[4] The lower fringes around the hills are composed of younger New Red Sandstone rocks of the Triassic period. The New Red Sandstone is a chiefly British geological term for the beds of red sandstone laid throughout the Permian (280 million years ago to the beginning The Triassic is a geologic period and system that extends from about 251 to 199 Ma (million years ago ^[5] These rocks were laid down in a shallow sea and often contain irregular masses or veins of gypsum, which was mined on the foreshore at Watchet. Gypsum is a very soft Mineral composed of Calcium sulfate dihydrate with the Chemical formula Ca[[sulfur S]] O 4·2 Watchet is a Harbour Town and Civil parish in the English county of Somerset, with an approximate ^[4]

Several areas have outcrops of slates. Younger rocks of the Jurassic period can be found between St Audries and Kilve. 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 West Quantoxhead is a small village and Civil parish in the West Somerset district of Somerset, England. Kilve is a village in West Somerset within the Quantock Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the first A This area falls within the Blue Anchor to Lilstock Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and is considered to be of international geological importance. Blue Anchor to Lilstock Coast SSSI ( to) is a 7428 Hectare Geological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Somerset, notified in 1971 A Site of Special Scientific Interest or SSSI is a Conservation designation denoting a Protected area in the United Kingdom.

Kilve has the remains of a red-brick retort built in 1924 after the shale in the cliffs was found to be rich in oil. In a Chemistry laboratory a retort is a glassware device used for Distillation or Dry distillation of substances Along this coast, the cliffs are layered with compressed strata of oil-bearing shale and blue, yellow and brown Lias embedded with fossils. Blue Lias is a sequence of layers of Limestones and Shales laid down in Jurassic times between 195 and 200 million years ago For general context see Jurassic. The Early Jurassic (in geology referred to as the Lower Jurassic, originally (and still in Europe the FOSSIL is a standard protocol for allowing serial communication for Telecommunications programs under the DOS Operating system. The Shaline Company was founded in 1924 to exploit these strata but was unable to raise sufficient capital. The company's retort house is thought to be the first structure erected here for the conversion of shale to oil and is all that remains of the anticipated Somerset oil boom. ^[6]

At Blue Anchor the coloured alabaster found in the cliffs gave rise to the name of the colour "Watchet Blue". Blue Anchor is a seaside village close to Carhampton in the West Somerset district of Somerset, England. Alabaster is a name applied to varieties of two distinct Minerals Gypsum (a hydrous sulfate of Calcium) and Calcite ^[1] The village has the only updraught brick kiln known to have survived in Somerset. Kilns are thermally insulated chambers or Ovens in which controlled temperature regimes are produced It was built around 1830 and was supplied by small vessels carrying limestone to the small landing jetty. ^[7] Now used as a garage, the kiln is thought to have operated until the 1870s, when the large-scale production of bricks in Bridgwater rendered small brickyards uneconomic. Bridgwater in Somerset, England, is a Market town, the administrative centre of the Sedgemoor district, and the leading industrial ^[8]

Climate

Along with the rest of South West England, the Quantock Hills has a temperate climate that 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 mean temperature is approximately 10 °C (50 °F) and shows a seasonal and a diurnal variation, but because of the modifying effect of the sea the range is less than in most other parts of the United Kingdom (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 The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located 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, with mean daily maxima around 21 °C (70 °F). December is normally the most cloudy month and June the sunniest. High pressure over the Azores often brings clear skies to south-west England, 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. A cumulus cloud' is a type of Cloud with noticeable vertical development and clearly defined edges The average annual sunshine totals around 1,600 hours. Rainfall tends to be associated with Atlantic depressions or with convection. 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 rain falls from showers and thunderstorms at this time of year. Average rainfall is around 31 to 35 inch (800 to 900 mm). About 8 to 15 days of snowfall is typical. From November to March, mean wind speeds are highest; winds are lightest from June to August. The predominant wind direction is from the south-west. ^[9]

Ecology

In 1970 an area of 6,194. A Site of Special Scientific Interest or SSSI is a Conservation designation denoting a Protected area in the United Kingdom. 5 acres (2,506. 9 hectares) in the Quantocks was designated as a Biological Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). A Site of Special Scientific Interest or SSSI is a Conservation designation denoting a Protected area in the United Kingdom. ^[2] This a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom, selected by Natural England, for areas with particular landscape and ecological characteristics. A conservation designation is a name and/or acronym which explains the status of an area of land in terms of conservation or protection. Protected areas are locations which receive protection because of their environmental cultural or similar value The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Natural England is a Non-Departmental Public Body of the UK government. It provides some protection from development, from other damage, and (since 2000) also from neglect, under 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.

Flora

The Northern Flank of Beacon Hill (Quantocks). In late summer the northern Quantocks are ablaze with Heather and Gorse. Minehead can be seen in the distance. Minehead is a coastal Town and Civil parish in the west of the the English county of Somerset.

The hilltops are covered in heathland of gorse, heather, bracken and thorn with plantations of conifer. The western side of the Quantocks are steep scarp slopes of pasture, woods and parkland. In Geomorphology, an escarpment is a transition zone between different physiogeographic provinces that involves a sharp steep Elevation differential characterized Deep stream-cut combes to the north-east contain extensive oak-woods with small flower-rich bogs above them. The areas where there is limited drainage are dominated by Heather {Calluna vulgaris), with significant populations of Cross-leaved Heath (Erica tetralix), Purple Moor-grass (Molinia caerulea), Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) and Wavy Hair-grass (Deschampsia flexuosa). Calluna vulgaris (also known as Ling is the sole species in the Genus Calluna in the family Ericaceae. Erica tetralix (often called " cross-leaved heath " is a species of heather found in Atlantic areas of Europe, from Purple Moor Grass ( Molinia caerulea) is a grass native to Europe, west Asia, north Africa and the east of North America Bilberry is a name given to several species of low-growing Shrubs in the Genus Vaccinium (family Ericaceae) that bears fruits Deschampsia is a Genus of wild plant in the Grass family Poaceae, commonly known as hair grass or tussock grass Drier areas are covered with Bell Heather (Erica cinerea), Western Gorse (Ulex gallii) and Bristle Bent (Agrostis curtisii), while Bracken (Pteridium aquilinum) is common on well-drained deeper soils. Erica cinerea ( Bell Heather, or heather-bell) is a Species of Heather native to western and central Europe. Dwarf Furze ( Ulex gallii) also known as Western Gorse, is an Evergreen Shrub in the family Fabaceae, native to southern Agrostis ( bent or bentgrass) is a genus of over 100 species belonging to the grass family Poaceae. Brackens ( Pteridium) are a genus of about ten species of large coarse Ferns in the family Dennstaedtiaceae. The springs and streams provide a specialist environment that supports Bog Pimpernel (Anagallis tenella). For the 2nd century BC grammarian sometimes thought to be named Anagallis see Agallis. The woodland is generally Birch/Sessile Oak woodland, Valley Alder woodland and Ash/Wych Elm woodland, which support a rich lichen flora. Lichens (ˈlaɪkən or /lɪtʃən/ are symbiotic associations of a Fungus (the mycobiont with a photosynthetic partner (the photobiont also known as Alfoxton Wood is one of only three British locations where the lichen Tomasellia lectea is present. Stringston is a Village and Civil parish on the northern edge of the Quantock Hills in the English county of Somerset. ^[2]

Fauna

The various habitats, together with the wide range of slopes and aspects, provide ideal conditions for a rich fauna. Amphibians such as the Palmate Newt (Triturus helveticus), Common Frog (Rana temporaris), and Common Toad (Bufu bufo) are represented in the damper environments. Prehistoric amphibian Amphibians (class Amphibia such as Frogs Toads Salamanders Newts Gymnophiona, Sirens and The Palmate Newt ( Lissotriton helveticus) is a species of Newt found in parts of Great Britain, Western and Northern Europe. The Common Frog, Rana temporaria also known as the European Common Frog or European Common Brown Frog is found throughout much of Europe The Common Toad ( Bufo bufo) or European Toad is widespread throughout Europe, with the exception of Ireland and some Mediterranean Reptiles present include Adder (Vipera berus), Grass Snake (Natrix natrix), Slow Worm (Angula fragilis) and Common Lizard (Lacerta vivipara). Common names common European adder common European viper ( more) This article is about the European Grass Snake or Ringed Snake Natrix natrix Anguis fragilis (the slow worm, slow-worm, slowworm, blindworm or blind worm) is a limbless Reptile native The viviparous lizard, common lizard, common lacerta, mammal-like lizard or viviparous lacerta ( Zootoca vivipara, formerly Many bird species breed on the Quantocks, including the Grasshopper Warbler (Locustella naevia), Nightjar (Caprimulgus europaeus), Raven (Corvus corax) and the Pied Flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca). The Grasshopper Warbler, Locustella naevia, is an Old World warbler in the Grass warbler genus Locustella. This article is about the bird For the aircraft see Gloster Nightjar. Raven is the common name given to the largest species of Passerine Birds in the Genus Corvus. The Pied Flycatcher, Ficedula hypoleuca, is a small Passerine bird in the Old World flycatcher family one of the four Species of The Quantocks are also an important site for Red Deer (Cervus elaphus). The Red Deer ( Cervus elaphus) is one of the largest Deer species Invertebrates of note include the Silver-washed Fritillary butterfly (Argynnis paphia), and three nationally rare dead-wood beetles: Thymalus limbatus, Orchesia undulata and Rhinosimus ruficollis. The Silver-washed Fritillary ( Argynnis paphia) is a European species of butterfly which was in decline for much of the 1970s and 1980s but seems to ^[2]

History

Evidence of activity in the Quantocks from prehistoric times includes finds of Mesolithic flints at North Petherton and Broomfield^[10] and many Bronze Age round barrows (marked on maps as tumulus, plural tumuli), such as Thorncombe Barrow above Bicknoller. 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 North Petherton is a small Town in Somerset, England, situated on the edge of the eastern foothills of the Quantocks, and close to the edge of Broomfield is a village and Civil parish in the Sedgemoor district of Somerset, England, situated about five miles north of Taunton 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 Round barrows are one of the most common types of archaeological Monuments Although concentrated in Europe they are found in many parts of the world because A tumulus (plural tumuli) is a Mound of earth and stones raised over a grave or graves Bicknoller is a Village and Civil parish in the Quantock Hills in the English county of Somerset. Several ancient stones can be seen, such as the Triscombe Stone and the Long Stone above Holford. Triscombe is a small village in the parish of Crowcombe in Somerset, England near Bishops Lydeard. Holford is a village in West Somerset within the Quantock Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and about west of Bridgwater and east of Many of the tracks along ridges of the Quantocks probably originated as ancient ridgeways. ^[4][3] A Bronze Age hill fort, Norton Camp, was built to the south at Norton Fitzwarren, close to the centre of bronze making in Taunton. A hill fort is a fortified refuge or defended settlement Norton Camp is a Bronze Age Hill fort at Norton Fitzwarren near Taunton in Somerset, England. Norton Fitzwarren is a village and Parish in Somerset, England, situated two Miles north west of Taunton in the Taunton Deane Taunton is the County town of Somerset, England. The Unparished area (or former Municipal borough) of Taunton has a Population

Earthworks at Ruborough Camp

Iron Age sites in the Quantocks include major hill forts at Dowsborough and Ruborough, as well as several smaller earthwork enclosures, such as Trendle Ring and Plainsfield Camp. Ruborough Camp is an Iron Age Hill fort on the Quantock Hills near Broomfield in Somerset, England. This article is about the archaeological period known as the Iron Age for the mythological Iron Age see Ages of Man. Dowsborough Camp (or Danesborough or Dawesbury) is an Iron Age Hill fort on the Quantock Hills near Nether Stowey in Ruborough Camp is an Iron Age Hill fort on the Quantock Hills near Broomfield in Somerset, England. Trendle Ring (or Trundle Ring) is an Iron Age earthwork on the Quantock Hills near Bicknoller in Somerset, England Plainsfield Camp (or Park Plantation) is an Iron Age earthwork on the Quantock Hills near Aisholt in Somerset, England Ruborough near Broomfield is on an easterly spur from the main Quantock ridge, with steep natural slopes to the north and south east. Broomfield is a village and Civil parish in the Sedgemoor district of Somerset, England, situated about five miles north of Taunton The fort is triangular in shape, with a single rampart and ditch (univallate), enclosing 4 acres (1. 6 ha). A linear outer work about 131 yards (120 m) away, parallel to the westerly rampart, encloses another 4 acres. The name Ruborough comes from Rugan beorh or Ruwan-beorge meaning Rough Hill. ^[11] The Dowsborough fort has an oval shape, with a single rampart and ditch (univallate) following the contours of the hill top, enclosing an area of 7 acres (2. 8 ha). The main entrance is to the east, towards Nether Stowey, with a simpler opening to the north west, aligned with a ridgeway leading down to Holford. Nether Stowey is a small village in the Sedgemoor district of Somerset, South West England. A col to the south connects the hill to the main Stowey ridge, where a linear earthwork known as Dead Woman's Ditch cuts across the spur. In a range of hills or especially of mountains, a pass (also gap, notch, col, saddle, bwlch, ^[12]

Little evidence exists of Roman influence on the Quantock region beyond isolated finds and hints of transient forts. Ancient Rome was a Civilization that grew out of a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 10th century BC A Roman port was at Combwich, and it is possible that a Roman road ran from there to the Quantocks, because the names Nether Stowey and Over Stowey come from the Old English stan wey, meaning stone way. Combwich (pronounced " Cummidge "is a village in the Sedgemoor district of Somerset, between Bridgwater and the Steart Peninsula The Roman Roads were essential for the growth of the Roman Empire, by enabling the Romans to move armies and trade goods and to communicate news Over Stowey is a small village and Civil parish in the Sedgemoor district of Somerset, South West England. ^[1] In October 2001 a hoard of 4th-century Roman silver was discovered in West Bagborough. Ancient Rome was a Civilization that grew out of a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 10th century BC Silver (ˈsɪlvɚ is a Chemical element with the symbol " Ag " (argentum from the Ancient Greek: ἀργήντος - argēntos gen West Bagborough is a village and Parish in Somerset, England, situated north of Taunton in the Taunton Deane district The 681 coins included two denarii from the early 2nd century, and eight miliarense and 671 siliqua dating to 337–367 AD. The Roman Currency system included the denarius (plural denarii) after 211 BC a small Silver coin, A miliarense (neuter form of the late Latin miliarensis "pertaining to a thousand" was the only fairly regularly minted Silver coin issued by The siliqua is the modern name given to small thin Roman silver coins produced from 4th century and later The majority were struck in the reigns of emperors Constantius II and Julian and derive from a range of mints including Arles and Lyons in France, Trier in Germany and Rome. Flavius Iulius Constantius, known in English as Constantius II ( 7 August, 317 - November 3, 361) was a Roman Emperor Marcus Didius Severus Julianus (133 or 137–193 was briefly Roman Emperor from 28 March 193 to 1 June 193. Arles (aʁl̥ Provençal Occitan: Arles in both classical and Mistralian norms is a City in the south of France, ||-||} Lyon, also known as Lyons in English is a city in east-central France. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Trier (Trèves Luxembourgish: Tréier; Augusta Treverorum is a City in Germany on the banks of the Moselle River. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Rome ( Roma ˈroma Roma is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city with more than 2 ^[13] The area remained under Romano-British Celtic control until 681–685 AD, when Centwine of Wessex pushed west from the River Parrett, conquered the Welsh King Cadwaladr, and occupied the rest of Somerset north to the Bristol Channel. Celts (ˈkɛlts or /ˈsɛlts/, see Names of the Celts Centwine (died after 685 was King of Wessex from Circa 676 to 685 or 686 although he was perhaps not the only king of the West Saxons at the time The River Parrett has its source in the Thorney Mills springs in the hills around Chedington in Dorset in England and flows west Cadwaladr ap Cadwallon (c 633&ndash682 reigned from about 655 (Catuvelladurus Cadwallader also known as Cadwaladr Fendigaid ('the Blessed' was a ^[14] Saxon rule was later consolidated under King Ine, who established a fort at Taunton in about 700 AD. Ine was King of Wessex from 688 to 726 He was unable to retain the territorial gains of his predecessor Cædwalla, who had brought much of Southern ^[15]

The first documentary evidence of the village of Crowcombe is by Æthelwulf of Wessex in 854, where it was spelt 'Cerawicombe'. Crowcombe is a village and Parish under the Quantock Hills in Somerset, England, south east of Watchet, and from Taunton Æthelwulf, also spelled Aethelwulf or Ethelwulf; Old English: Æþelwulf, means 'Noble Wolf' (c ^[16] At that time the manor belonged to Glastonbury Abbey. Glastonbury Abbey, founded in the seventh century was a rich and powerful monastery in Glastonbury, Somerset, England. ^[17] In the later Saxon period, King Alfred led the resistance to Viking invasion from Athelney, south-east of the Quantocks. Alfred the Great (also Ælfred from the Old English Ælfrēd ˈælfreːd (c A Viking is one of the Norse ( Scandinavian Explorers Warriors Merchants, and pirates who raided and colonized wide areas Athelney is located between the villages of Burrowbridge and East Lyng in the Sedgemoor district of Somerset, England. ^[4] According to the Anglo-Saxon chronicle, the early port at Watchet was plundered by Danes in 987 and 997. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle is a collection of Annals in Old English chronicling the history of the Anglo-Saxons. Watchet is a Harbour Town and Civil parish in the English county of Somerset, with an approximate ^[7] Alfred established a series of forts and lookout posts linked by a military road, or herepath, so his army could cover Viking movements at sea. Herepath, a military road (literally an army path in use in southern England in the ninth century CE. The herepath has a characteristic form that is familiar on the Quantocks: a regulation 66-foot (20 m) wide track between avenues of trees growing from hedge laying embankments. Hedge laying is a country skill typically found in the United Kingdom and Ireland, which through the creation and maintenance of hedges, achieves the The herepath ran from the ford on the River Parrett at Combwich, past Cannington Hill (fort) to Over Stowey, where it climbed the Quantocks along the line of the current Stowey road, to Crowcombe Park Gate. The Battle of Cannington, in 878, took place at the fort of Cynwit, now recognised as being on Cannington Hill, near Cannington, Bridgwater Then it went south along the ridge, to Triscombe Stone. Triscombe is a small village in the parish of Crowcombe in Somerset, England near Bishops Lydeard. One branch may have led past Lydeard Hill and Buncombe Hill, back to Alfred's base at Athelney. The main branch descended the hills at Triscombe, then along the avenue to Red Post Cross, and west to the Brendon Hills and Exmoor. The Brendon Hills are composed of a lofty ridge of hills in the west of Somerset, England. Exmoor is a National Park situated on the Bristol Channel coast of south west England ^[18]

After the Norman conquest of England in 1066 William de Mohun was given land at Dunster, Broomfield and Quantoxhead, his son becoming William de Mohun of Dunster 1st Earl of Somerset, while William Malet received Enmore. Dunster is a village in west Somerset, England, situated on the Bristol Channel coast 2 Quantoxhead may refer to East Quantoxhead, Somerset England West Quantoxhead, Somerset England William Malet (died 1071 fought at the Battle of Hastings, a fact recorded in the Bayeux Tapestry. Enmore is a village and Civil parish west of Bridgwater on the Quantock Hills in the Sedgemoor district of Somerset, England ^[4] East Quantoxhead was given to the Luttrells (previously spelled de Luterel), who passed the manor down through descendants into the 20th century. East Quantoxhead is a village in West Somerset, from West Quantoxhead, east of Williton, and west of Bridgwater, within the Quantock A Luttell also became the Earl of Carhampton and acquired Dunster Castle in 1376, holding it until it became a National Trust property in 1976. The title of Earl of Carhampton was created in the Peerage of Ireland in 1785, but became extinct upon the death of the 3rd Earl in 1829. Dunster Castle is the historical home of the Luttrell family located in the small town of Dunster, Somerset, England ( The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organization in England, Wales

Stowey Castle at Nether Stowey was built in the 11th century. Stowey Castle (also known as Nether Stowey Castle) was a Norman Motte-and-bailey castle built in the 11th century in the village of Nether Stowey The castle is sited on a small isolated knoll, about 390 ft (119 m) high. A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International It consisted of a square keep (which may have been stone, or a wooden superstructure on stone foundations) and its defences and an outer and an inner bailey. A keep is a strong central Tower which is used as a dungeon or a fortress nA motte-and-bailey is a form of Castle. Many were built in Britain, Ireland and France in the 11th and 12th centuries favored as a relatively ^[19] The mount is 29 ft (9 m) above the 6 ft (2 m) wide ditch which itself is 7 ft (2 m) deep. The motte has a flat top with two large and two small mounds, which may be sites of towers, at the edge. nA motte-and-bailey is a form of Castle. Many were built in Britain, Ireland and France in the 11th and 12th centuries favored as a relatively ^[20] The blue lias rubble walling is the only visible structural remains of the castle, which stand on a conical earthwork with a ditch approximately 820 ft (250 m) in circumference. Blue Lias is a sequence of layers of Limestones and Shales laid down in Jurassic times between 195 and 200 million years ago ^[21] The castle was destroyed in the 15th century, which may have been as a penalty for the local Lord Audley's involvement in the Second Cornish Uprising of 1497 led by Perkin Warbeck against the taxes of Henry VII. Sir James Tuchet 7th Lord Audley (c1463 &ndash 28 June, 1497) was born in the Heleigh Castle Staffordshire England to John Tuchet 6th Baron Audley The Second Cornish Uprising is the name given to the Cornish uprising of September 1497 when the pretender to the throne Perkin Warbeck landed at Whitesand Bay Perkin Warbeck (1474 &ndash 23 November 1499) was a Pretender to the English throne during the reign of King Henry VII of England ^[22] Some of the stone was used in the building of Stowey Court in the village. ^[4]

Dunster Castle

During the English Civil War Dunster was a Royalist stronghold under the command of Colonel Wyndham. Dunster Castle is the historical home of the Luttrell family located in the small town of Dunster, Somerset, England ( The English Civil War (1642-1651 was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists. Sir Francis Dodington of Dodington was a local commander. Dodington is a small village in the Civil parish of Holford, on the northern slopes of the Quantock Hills, Somerset, England. In November 1645 Parliamentary forces started a siege that lasted until an honourable surrender of the castle in April 1646. Royalist reinforcements for the siege of Dunster Castle were sent by sea to Watchet, but the tide was on the ebb, and a troop of Roundheads rode into the shadows and forced the ship to surrender. Cavalier was the name used by Parliamentarians for a Royalist supporter of King Charles I during the English Civil War ( 1642 &ndash 1651 " Roundheads " was the Nickname given to the Puritan supporters of Parliament during the English Civil War. Thus a ship at sea was taken by a troop of horse. ^[1] Dunster shared the fate of many other Royalist castles and had its defences demolished to prevent any further use against Parliament. Sir John Stawell of Cothelstone had raised a small force at this own expense to defend the King. Cothelstone is a village and Parish in Somerset, England, situated in the Quantock Hills six Miles north of Taunton in the When Taunton fell to parliamentary troops and was held by Robert Blake, he attacked Stawell at Bishops Lydeard and imprisoned him. Taunton is the County town of Somerset, England. The Unparished area (or former Municipal borough) of Taunton has a Population Robert Blake (1599 — August 17, 1657) was one of the most important military commanders of the Commonwealth of England, and one of the most famous Bishops Lydeard is a village and Parish in Somerset, UK, situated on the A358 road and West Somerset Railway north west of Taunton After the restoration Charles II conferred the title of Baron Stawell on Blake's son Ralph. The English Restoration, or simply The Restoration began in 1660 when the English monarchy, Scottish monarchy and Irish monarchy were restored Charles II may refer to Charles the Bald (823 &ndash 877 king of the West Franks and Holy Roman Emperor Charles II of Naples (1248 The title Baron Stawell was created in 1683 for Ralph Stawell. ^[4]

At the end of the Monmouth rebellion of 1685, (also known as the Pitchfork Rebellion), many participants were executed in the Quantocks. The Monmouth Rebellion of 1685, also known as the Pitchfork Rebellion, was an attempt to overthrow James II, who had become King of England at The rebellion was an attempt to overthrow the King of England, James II, who became king when his elder brother, Charles II, died on 6 February 1685. The Kings of Wessex, who conquered Kent and Sussex from Mercia in 825 became increasingly dominant over the other kingdoms of England during James II of England and Ireland James VII of Scotland (14 October 1633 &ndash 16 September 1701 was King of England, King of Scots, Later that same year James Charles II (Charles Stuart 29 May 1630 – 6 February 1685 was the King of England, Scotland, and Ireland. Events 46 BC - Julius Caesar defeats the combined army of Pompeian followers and Numidians under Metellus Scipio James II was unpopular because he was Roman Catholic, and many people were opposed to a "papist" king. Papist is a term usually disparaging or an Anti-Catholic slur referring to a member of the Catholic Church. James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth, claimed to be rightful heir to the throne and attempted to displace James II. James Crofts, later James Scott 1st Duke of Monmouth and 1st Duke of Buccleuch ( April 9 1649 &ndash July 15 1685) was an English ^[23] The rebellion ended with the defeat of Monmouth's forces at the Battle of Sedgemoor on 6 July 1685. The Battle of Sedgemoor was fought on 6 July 1685 and took place at Westonzoyland near Bridgwater in Somerset, England Events 1044 - The Battle of Ménfő takes place 1189 - Richard the Lionheart is crowned King of England Monmouth was executed for treason on 15 July,^[23] and many of his supporters were executed, including some by hanging at Nether Stowey and Cothelstone,^[4] or transported in the Bloody Assizes of Judge Jeffreys. Capital punishment, the death penalty or execution, is the Killing of a person by judicial process as Punishment. In Law, treason is the Crime that covers some of the more serious acts of disloyalty to one's sovereign or Nation. Events 1099 - First Crusade: Christian soldiers take the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem after the final Transportation or penal transportation refers to the deporting of Convicted Criminals to a Penal colony, for example by France The Bloody Assizes were a series of trials started at Winchester on 25th August 1685 in the aftermath of the Battle of Sedgemoor, which ended the Monmouth Rebellion George Jeffreys 1st Baron Jeffreys of Wem, PC ( May 15 1645 &ndash April 18 1689) also known as " The Hanging Judge

Dodington was the site of the Buckingham Mine where copper was extracted. Dodington is a small village in the Civil parish of Holford, on the northern slopes of the Quantock Hills, Somerset, England. Copper (ˈkɒpɚ is a Chemical element with the symbol Cu (cuprum and Atomic number 29 ^[24] The mine was established before 1725 and followed earlier exploration at Perry Hill, East Quantoxhead. East Quantoxhead is a village in West Somerset, from West Quantoxhead, east of Williton, and west of Bridgwater, within the Quantock It was financed by the Marquis of Buckingham until 1801 when it was closed, until various attempts were made to reopen it during the 19th century. The titles Marquess and Duke of Buckingham, referring to Buckingham, have been created several times in the peerages of England, Great Britain ^[25]

Crowcombe Church

In 1724 the 14th-century spire of the Church of the Holy Ghost in Crowcombe was damaged by a lightning strike. Crowcombe is a village and Parish under the Quantock Hills in Somerset, England, south east of Watchet, and from Taunton The top section of the spire was removed and is now planted in the churchyard,^[26] and stone from the spire was used in the flooring of the church. Inside the church, carved bench-ends dating from 1534^[27] depict such pagan subjects as the Green Man and the legend of the men of Crowcombe fighting a two-headed dragon. A Green Man is a Sculpture, Drawing, or other representation of a face surrounded by or made from leaves. The dragon is a Legendary creature of which some interpretation or depiction appears in almost every culture worldwide ^[28]

Norton Fitzwarren was the site of a boat lift on the now unused section of the Grand Western Canal from 1839 to 1867. The Grand Western Canal ran between Tiverton in Devon and Taunton in Somerset in the United Kingdom A 300-person prisoner of war camp built here during World War II housed Italian prisoners from the Western Desert Campaign and German prisoners from the Battle of Normandy. 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 Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest The Western Desert Campaign, also known as the Desert War was the initial stage of the North African Campaign of The Second World War.

Footpaths

Poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge lived in Nether Stowey in the Quantocks from 1797 to 1799. Samuel Taylor Coleridge ( 21 October 1772 &ndash 25 July 1834) was an English Poet, Critic and philosopher Nether Stowey is a small village in the Sedgemoor district of Somerset, South West England. In his memory a footpath, The Coleridge Way, was set up by the Exmoor park authorities. The Coleridge Way is a footpath in Somerset, England. It was opened in April 2005 and follows the walks taken by poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge Exmoor is a National Park situated on the Bristol Channel coast of south west England The 36-mile (58 km) route begins in Nether Stowey and crosses the Quantocks, the Brendon Hills and Exmoor before finishing in Porlock. 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 Porlock is a quiet coastal village in Somerset, England, situated in a deep hollow below Exmoor, five miles west of Minehead. ^[29]

The Quantock Greenway is a footpath that opened in 2001. The Quantock Greenway is a footpath in the Quantock Hills in Somerset, England, which opened in 2001 A trail is a Path or Road used for Walking, Cycling, Cross-country skiing, or other activities The route of the path follows a figure of eight centred on Triscombe. Triscombe is a small village in the parish of Crowcombe in Somerset, England near Bishops Lydeard. The northern loop, taking in Crowcombe and Holford, is 19 miles (31 km) long, and the southern loop to Broomfield extends for 18 miles (29 km). Crowcombe is a village and Parish under the Quantock Hills in Somerset, England, south east of Watchet, and from Taunton Holford is a village in West Somerset within the Quantock Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and about west of Bridgwater and east of Broomfield is a village and Civil parish in the Sedgemoor district of Somerset, England, situated about five miles north of Taunton The path travels through many types of landscape, including deciduous and coniferous woodland, private parkland, grazed pasture and cropped fields. ^[30]

Governance

The Quantock Hills were designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) in 1956, the first such designation in England 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 ^[31] 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. 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 and special legal powers to prevent unsympathetic development. By contrast, few statutory duties are 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.

Many of the villages on the Quantocks 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 Somerset County Council and district councils, such as Taunton Deane, West Somerset and Sedgemoor. Somerset ( or) is a county in south west England The County town is Taunton, which is in the south of the county Taunton Deane is a local government district with Borough status in Somerset, England. West Somerset is a local government district in the English county of Somerset. Sedgemoor is a local government district of Somerset in England. Each of the villages is also part of a parliamentary constituency: Taunton, Yeovil, or Bridgwater. Taunton is a County constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Yeovil is a County constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Bridgwater is a Constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. 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.

Cultural references

Wooded hillside in the Quantocks

Coleridge Cottage is a cottage situated in Nether Stowey. Coleridge Cottage is a Cottage situated in Nether Stowey, Bridgwater, Somerset, England. In modern usage a cottage is a dwelling typically in a rural or semi-rural location (although there are cottage-style dwellings in cities Nether Stowey is a small village in the Sedgemoor district of Somerset, South West England. It was constructed in the 17th century as a building containing a parlour, kitchen and service room on the ground floor and three corresponding bed chambers above. ^[32] It has been designated by English Heritage as a grade II* listed building. English Heritage is a Non-departmental public body of the United Kingdom government ( Department for Culture Media and Sport) with a broad remit of A listed building in the United Kingdom is a building or other structure officially designated as being of special architectural historical or cultural significance ^[33] The poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge lived here for three years from 1797 while he wrote The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, part of Christabel, Frost at Midnight and Kubla Khan. Samuel Taylor Coleridge ( 21 October 1772 &ndash 25 July 1834) was an English Poet, Critic and philosopher The Rime of the Ancient Mariner (original The Rime of the Ancyent Marinere) is the longest major Poem by the English Poet Christabel is a lengthy poem by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, in two parts " Kubla Khan or a Vision in a Dream A Fragment " is a poem by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, which takes its title from the Mongol and Chinese ^[34] Having served for many years as Moore's Coleridge Cottage Inn, the building was acquired for the nation in 1908, and the following year it was handed over to the National Trust. The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organization in England, Wales ^[35] On 23 May 1998, following a £25,000 appeal by the Friends of Coleridge and the National Trust, two further rooms on the first floor were officially opened by William Duke Coleridge, 5th Baron Coleridge. Events 1430 - Siege of Compiègne: Joan of Arc is captured by the Burgundians while leading an army to relieve Compiègne Year 1998 ( MCMXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar)

Poet William Wordsworth and his sister Dorothy lived at Alfoxton House in Holford between July 1797 and June 1798,^[36] during the time of their friendship with Coleridge. Dorothy Mae Ann Wordsworth ( December 25, 1771 – January 25, 1855) was an English Author, Poet and Alfoxton House, also known as Alfoxton Park, was built as an 18th century country house in Holford, Somerset, England, within the Quantock Holford is a village in West Somerset within the Quantock Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and about west of Bridgwater and east of The 2000 film Pandaemonium, based on the lives of Wordsworth and Coleridge, was set in the hills. Pandaemonium is a 2000 Film, directed by Julien Temple, screenplay by Frank Cottrell Boyce.

Virginia and Leonard Woolf spent a few days of their honeymoon at The Plough Inn, Holford, before continuing to the continent in 1912. (Adeline Virginia Woolf (née Stephen; 25 January 1882 – 28 March 1941 was an English Novelist and Essayist, regarded as one of the foremost Leonard Sidney Woolf ( November 25, 1880 &ndash August 14, 1969) was a noted British political theorist author publisher and civil servant They returned about a year later to try to help Virginia recover from one of her recurring nervous breakdowns.

The opening of John le Carré's 1974 novel Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy is set in the Quantocks. John le Carré is the Pseudonym of David John Moore Cornwell (born October 19, 1931 in Poole, Dorset, England Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is a Spy novel by John le Carré, first published in 1974 The 1980 Doctor Who episode "Shada" makes a sidelong reference to this region – the Fourth Doctor (played by Tom Baker) claims that walking through the Time Vortex "is a little trick I learned from a space-time mystic in the Quantocks". Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. For the Arabic emphasis sign see Shadda; for the village in Azerbaijan see Şada. The Fourth Doctor is the name given to the fourth incarnation of the Fictional character known as the Doctor seen on screen in the long-running Thomas Stewart "Tom" Baker (born 20 January 1934 is an English Actor. In the 1980s and 1990s, English novelist Ruth Elwin Harris wrote her Quantock Quartet, a set of novels centred on four sisters growing up around the Quantock Hills during the early 20th century. The novels were later reprinted by Candlewick Press. Candlewick Press, established in 1991 and located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is the American division of the English publisher Walker The Quantocks were also the setting for the final episode of the third series (2006) of Peep Show. --> Peep Show is a BAFTA

Places of interest

In the small village of Aley is Quantock Lodge, a green-grey 19th-century mansion built from cockercombe tuff. Aley is a village in Somerset, England. It is in the parish of Over Stowey. Quantock Lodge is a green-grey nineteenth-century mansion built by Henry Clutton from Cockercombe tuff and is located near the hamlet of Aley, near the It was the family home of Henry Labouchere, 1st Baron Taunton, until the 1960s when it was converted into a school. Henry Labouchere (pronounced ˌlæbuˈʃɛɚ ( August 15, 1798 &ndash July 13, 1869) was a prominent British Whig and In 2000, it became a centre for recreation and banqueting and summer camps for youths.

Broomfield is home to Fyne Court. Broomfield is a village and Civil parish in the Sedgemoor district of Somerset, England, situated about five miles north of Taunton Fyne Court is a National Trust -owned Nature reserve and Visitor centre in Broomfield, Bridgwater, Somerset, England Originally the pleasure grounds of pioneer 19th-century electrician, Andrew Crosse, it is now a National Trust-owned nature reserve and visitor centre. Andrew Crosse ( June 17 1784 - July 6, 1855) was a British amateur scientist who was born and died at Fyne Court, Broomfield The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organization in England, Wales nature reserve ( natural reserve, nature preserve, natural preserve) is a Protected area of importance for Wildlife, flora A visitor center, centre (see Spelling differences) or visitor information centre may be A visitor center at a specific attraction The Quantock Hills AONB and the Somerset Wildlife Trust have their headquarters at Fyne Court. Somerset Wildlife Trust is a wildlife trust covering the county of Somerset, England.

Kingston St Mary's church

The Church of St Mary in Kingston St Mary dates from the 13th century, but the tower is from the early 16th century and was re-roofed in 1952, with further restoration from 1976 to 1978. Kingston St Mary is a village and Parish in Somerset, England, situated four Miles north of Taunton in the Taunton Deane Kingston St Mary is a village and Parish in Somerset, England, situated four Miles north of Taunton in the Taunton Deane It is a three-stage crenellated tower, with crocketed pinnacles, bracketed pinnacles set at angles, decorative pierced merlons, and set-back buttresses crowned with pinnacles. Crenellation (or crenelation, also known as castellation) is the name for the distinctive pattern that frames the tops of the walls of many medieval Castles A merlon, in Architecture, forms the solid part of an embattled Parapet, sometimes pierced by Embrasures The word comes from the A buttress is an architectural structure built against (a counterfort) or projecting from a Wall which serves to support or reinforce the wall ^[37] The decorative "hunky-punks" are perched high on the corners. These may be so named because the carvings are hunkering (squatting) and are "punch" (short and thick). They serve no function, unlike gargoyles that carry off water. In Architecture, a gargoyle is a carved stone Grotesque with a spout designed to convey water from a roof and away from the side of a building ^[38] The churchyard includes tombs of the Warre family who owned nearby Hestercombe House,^[4] a historic country house in Cheddon Fitzpaine visited by about 70,000 people per year. Hestercombe House ( is an historic Country house in Cheddon Fitzpaine in the Quantocks, near Taunton in Somerset, England The English country house is generally accepted as a large House or Mansion, once in the ownership of an individual who also usually owned another Great Cheddon Fitzpaine is a village and Parish in Somerset, England, situated two Miles north of Taunton in the Taunton Deane The site includes a 0. 2-acre (810 m²) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest notified in 2000. A Site of Special Scientific Interest or SSSI is a Conservation designation denoting a Protected area in the United Kingdom. A Site of Special Scientific Interest or SSSI is a Conservation designation denoting a Protected area in the United Kingdom. The site is used for roosting by Lesser Horseshoe Bats,^[39] and has been designated as a Special Area of Conservation (SAC). Birds ( class Aves) are bipedal endothermic ( Warm-blooded) Vertebrate animals that lay eggs. The Lesser Horseshoe Bat ( Rhinolophus hipposideros) is a type of European Bat related to but smaller than its cousin the Greater Horseshoe Bat A Special Area of Conservation (SAC is defined in the European Commission Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC also known as the Directive on the Conservation of Natural Habitats ^[40] The house was used as the headquarters of the British 8th Corps^[41] during the Second World War, and has been owned by Somerset County Council since 1951. The British VIII Corps was an army Corps formation that existed during World War I and World War II. 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 Somerset ( or) is a county in south west England The County town is Taunton, which is in the south of the county It is used as an administrative centre and a base for the Somerset Fire and Rescue Service. Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service is the statutory fire and rescue service or FRS, covering the counties of Devon and Somerset; it

The Norman Church of St Giles in Thurloxton dates from the 14th century but is predominantly from the 15th century with 19th-century restoration, including the addition of the north aisle in 1868. For other buildings in Normandy see Architecture of Normandy. Thurloxton is a village 5 miles north east of Taunton, and 5 south west of Bridgwater on the south eastern slopes of the Quantocks in the Sedgemoor It has been designated by English Heritage as a grade II* listed building. English Heritage is a Non-departmental public body of the United Kingdom government ( Department for Culture Media and Sport) with a broad remit of A listed building in the United Kingdom is a building or other structure officially designated as being of special architectural historical or cultural significance ^[42] From October 1763 to January 1764 the vicar was the diarist James Woodforde. James Woodforde (1740-1803 was an English Clergyman, best known as the author of The Diary of a Country Parson. ^[4]

Bishops Lydeard station. Bishops Lydeard is a village and Parish in Somerset, UK, situated on the A358 road and West Somerset Railway north west of Taunton The locomotive is Great Western 2-8-0T tank no. 5224.

The West Somerset Railway (WSR) is a heritage railway that runs along the edge of the Quantock Hills between Bishops Lydeard and Watchet. The West Somerset Railway (WSR is a Heritage railway that runs along the edge of the Quantock Hills in Somerset, England, between Bishops A heritage railway ( United Kingdom) preserved railway ( United Kingdom) or tourist railroad ( United States and Canada) is a Bishops Lydeard is a village and Parish in Somerset, UK, situated on the A358 road and West Somerset Railway north west of Taunton Watchet is a Harbour Town and Civil parish in the English county of Somerset, with an approximate The line then turns inland to Washford, and returns to the coast for the run to Minehead. Minehead is a coastal Town and Civil parish in the west of the the English county of Somerset. At 23 miles (37 km), it is the longest privately owned passenger rail line in the UK. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located ^[43][44]

Halsway Manor in Halsway, is now used as England's National Centre for Traditional Music, Dance and Song. Halsway Manor is a manor house in Halsway, Somerset, now used as England's National Centre for Traditional Music Dance and Song Halsway is a village in the Parish of Crowcombe under the Quantock Hills in Somerset, England, south east of Watchet, and from It is the only residential folk centre in the UK. The Folk Music of England has a long history. History Little survives of the early music of England by which is meant the music that was used by the people before The eastern end of the building dates from the 15th century and the western end was a 19th century addition. ^[45] The manor, which is mentioned in the Domesday Book, was at one time used by Cardinal Beaufort as a hunting lodge and thereafter as a family home until the mid-1960s^[46] when it became the folk music centre. The Domesday Book (ˈduːmzdeɪ bʊk also known as Domesday, or Book of Winchester) was the record of the great survey Henry Beaufort (c 1375 &ndash 11 April 1447) was a medieval English clergyman and Bishop of Winchester, an anomaly in being It has been designated by English Heritage as a grade II* listed building. ^[47]

Halswell House in Goathurst has Tudor origins but was purchased by the Tynte family and rebuilt in 1689. Halswell House is a country house in Goathurst, Somerset, England. Goathurst is a small village and Civil parish in the English county of Somerset, around 3 miles from the town of Bridgwater. ^[4] The surrounding park and 17 acre (7 ha) pleasure garden was developed between 1745 and 1785. The grounds contain many fish ponds, cascades, bridges and fanciful buildings,^[48] including the Temple of Harmony, which stands in Mill Wood^[49] and has now been fully restored. The Temple of Harmony is an 18th-century Folly in the grounds of Halswell House, Goathurst, Somerset, England.

See also

• Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty in England
• List of Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Somerset

References

External links

• Quantock Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty official website
• The Colridge Way on the Quantock Hills
• King's Church Quantocks