Ancient Somerset Levels

Glastonbury Canal in Shapwick Heath National Nature Reserve
© Copyright Edwin Graham and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

West Sedgemoor RSPB Reserve - Located near Langport
Birds seen at this reserve include curlew, nightingale, little egret, hobby, quail, skylark, green woodpecker, great spotted woodpecker, buzzard, redwing, lapwing, nuthatch and peregrine. In part of this reserve called Swell Wood, there is a heronry which is the largest in this part of the country. Visitors can watch the herons from a public hide.

Shapwick Heath National Nature Reserve - Located west of Glastonbury
This is the site of the Sweet Track (see above) and it is an important wetland habitat, once an area of peat digging. When it was given to English Nature, water levels were controlled to give a good range of habitats. There is open water, reed beds, swamps and hay meadows. This is a good place to see starlings, particularly large flocks weaving their fascinating patterns in the air. Rare breeds of cattle and sheep are kept in the hay meadows to stop them being overrun by scrub so making them home for rare species of flowers and plants including the southern marsh orchid.

Westhay Moor National Nature Reserve - Located north west of Glastonbury
Part of this reserve was also an area of peat digging, some of it dug right down to the clay. These areas tend to be open water and predominately reeds and catstail. On English Nature's notification of an SSSI, it says, "Westhay Moor forms part of the nationally important grazing marsh and ditch systems of the Somerset Levels and Moors...Over much of the moor, the water table is high throughout the year with extensive winter flooding occurring regularly. Water tables in the peat excavations are artificially lowered during active working, but excavations often fill with water for much of the year." This reserve contains many rare plant species and invertebrates. Thirteen species that appear on the endangered list in the Red Book are found here including lesser silver diving beetle and the rare marsh fly.

The Sweet Track, Somerset Levels, a Neolithic Trackway.
© Copyright Sheila Russell and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

Around 10,000 years ago, the whole area was once covered by sea. The sea retreated around 3500 years later and the peat and clay was laid down on top of the old seabed. Man has had the greatest impact on the landscape of the Levels. Neolithic man built wooden trackways to travel between the 'islands' interspersing the moors and Levels. The best known of these is the Sweet Track (see picture above), built about 6000 years ago. These 'islands' are hills and tors ranging from just 30 or 40 feet above the surrounding land to several hundred feet and were the places that people built their villages, safe from the regular flooding of the land. The best known of these is probably Glastonbury Tor.

Iron Age villages have been excavated near Meare and Glastonbury. The villages at Mere date from Neolithic time, apparently contemporaneous with the trackways, through the Bronze Age and into the Iron Age. The latter was built on higher ground than the earlier settlements. Finds include pottery and combs.

Replica Roundhouse at Peat Moors Centre
© Copyright Martin Bodman and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

Glastonbury Lake Village was occupied for hundreds of years and its remains have been well preserved in the peat. There have been a wide range of finds including bronze and glass, enamelling, pottery, dugout canoes and wicker hurdles.

You can learn more about prehistoric man at the Peat Moors Centre to the west of Glastonbury. Here you can see reconstructed roundhouses, modeled on those at the Lake Village, and there is living history to illustrate how these people lived.

The Romans farmed in the Axe Valley but it was the monasteries that had the greatest impact. The islands (hills and tors) were chosen as sites for Saxon abbeys and monasteries attracted by the fertile land and rich grazing. This continued during the Middle Ages with abbeys like Glastonbury flourishing as they improved drainage on their lands and harnessed the power of rivers to drive mill wheels.

Rhyne on the Somerset Levels
© Copyright Liz Martin - Creative Commons Licence.

As in the New Forest, local people had Common rights on the moors and Levels. After the Dissolution of the Monasteries, these were threatened which, of course, met considerable opposition.

Historically, the water was managed using small fields and ditches called rhines or rhynes (pronounced reens). A balance was needed between ditches and fields; too many ditches and valuable agricultural land was wasted while big fields would take too long for floodwater to drain away. Now the rivers run in embankments and water is pumped into them to drain floods away more quickly.

Today water management and flood control is managed by a partnership between the government's Environmental Agency, who own the pumps, and local landowners and tenant farmers sitting on Internal Drainage Boards, who monitor and manage water levels.

Farmers are now paid to carry out a system of sustainable farming to reduce the shrinkage of peat by having too much water removed, particularly relevant where crops are grown. There are also grants for those who plant cider apple orchards, grow willows and other landscape enhancing schemes aimed at preserving the Levels and moors as a wildlife habitat.

This is of supreme importance. It is one of the few areas in England where otters live. It is rich in fish, insects like dragonflies, butterflies, water beetles, amongst others, and of international importance for migrating birds. Here, birdwatchers may see the sedge warbler, whimbrel, black-tailed godwit, lapwing and curlew. They can also see birds like widgeon, teal, thrushes, merlin and peregrine falcons that overwinter here. The Levels and moors are important for their flora and fauna and include many that are rare or endangered elsewhere.

A View Across the Levels
© Copyright Tim - Creative Commons Licence.

Muchelney Abbey
© Copyright Val Ghose and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

Muchelney Abbey, Langport
This is a ruined abbey that suffered under Henry VIII's Dissolution of the Monasteries Act. Now visitors can see the foundations and of the great Benedictine Abbey. Even more interesting, the Abbot's Lodgings built shortly before the abbey was dissolved. It's a good example of a early Tudor house. Visitors can also see the only thatched two-storey monk's lavatory in the country.

Langport and River Parrett Visitor Centre, Westover, Langport
Hire a bike and take the River Parrett cycle trail.

Westonzoyland Pumping Station, Hoopers Lane, Westonzoyland, Nr Bridgwater
Built in 1830, this is Somerset's earliest steam-powered pumping station and now contains a small museum displaying stationary steam engines and historical land drainage items. The main exhibit is the station's pumping engine, the Easton and Amos. Still standing in the main engine house and built in 1861 where it stood when it was working. Other exhibits include a Wills engine, Lancashire boiler, the original forge and a Lister diesel generating plant. There are occasions when this engine and some others can be seen working - check the website under Events.

Willow and Wetland Centre, Stoke St Gregory, Nr Taunton
This centre is run by P H Coate & Son, a long-established company making willow products to their own designs. The Visitor Centre has a museum showing a wide range of products made from willow, there is a Levels and Moors Exhibition and Environmental Interpretation explaining the importance of water in the area.

The West Front of Wells Cathedral

The beautiful cathedral city of Wells is set at the foot of the Mendip Hills. There were holy wells here in Saxon times and a monastery was founded in the 8th century. Near the site of the present cathedral there was probably a small Saxon church. A larger Norman one, consecrated in 1148, replaced it. Within about 40 years, however, the bishop, Reginald de Bohun, started the present cathedral. The building was continued by Bishop Jocelyn through most of the first half of the 13th century.

Inverted Arch in Wells Cathedral

During this time there was a political struggle over which town should be the seat of the diocese of Bath and Wells. The monks in Bath Abbey were campaigning to have the bishopric there. However, when Bath made a final attempt in the mid 13th century, the bishop of Wells was able to inform the Pope that a worthy cathedral already existed in Wells.

There are many beautiful features; amongst the most notable is the 24 hour dial clock from 1390 where the earth is shown as the centre of the universe and the sun is the hour hand. Every quarter hour knights on horseback rotate. Perhaps the greatest work is the West Front, designed as a sculpture gallery and housing 293 medieval statues, two-thirds of which are life-size. This is, without doubt, a magnificent medieval cathedral.

Dial of Clock in Wells Cathedral
Copyright Cormullion - Creative Commons Licence.

The Bishop's Palace is also quite splendid and set within a moat on which the swans ring a bell for food. The original holy well of St Andrew stands within the bishop's garden. The city has a number of other places of interest including both the Archdeacon's house, Deanery, cathedral school and organist's house. There is a fine medieval tithe barn and William Penn once preached from an upper window of the Crown Hotel.

Wells is also the ideal place from which to make a detour to visit Wookey Hole, about one mile west of the town off the A371. Wookey Hole is a great cavern with a number of chambers carved by water in the carboniferous limestone. Through it runs part of the River Axe and there is evidence that this series of caves was inhabited between 250BC and 450BC. On the site is a museum, a papermill with an exhibition about handmade paper and another of fairground figures.

Vicar's Close, Wells, Somerset, England, United Kingdom Photographic Print
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Cheddar Gorge, Somerset, England Photographic Print
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The road from Wells, when nearing the Gorge, changes from a gradual descent to a breathtaking plunge down to the valley floor and the cliffs rise to a height of 450 feet in places.

The village of Cheddar is now very commercialised with cafes, gift shops, etc but nothing can spoil the beauty and wonder of the caves. Inhabited by Paleolithic man, 10,000 years ago, the rock formations and the effects caused by minerals colouring the rocks are quite dramatic as are the numerous stalagmites and stalagtites (tites come down, mites grow up).

While here, visit Axbridge, just a mile further west along the A371. This charming little town is quite unspoilt. Its High Street still follows the crooked medieval line and is flanked by many buildings from the same period including the timber framed King John's Hunting Lodge. This three storied building is misnamed as it dates from around 1500 and was the home of a prosperous wool merchant. It now contains a small museum.

Cox's Cave, Cheddar, Somerset, England, Photographic Print
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Shepton Mallet Market Cross
Copyright Nigel Freeman - Creative Commons Licence.

Perhaps this town is most famous for the Bath and West Showground situated about 3 miles south of the town and the venue for the annual agricultural show of the same name.

Shepton Mallet has a long history, though, with archaeological finds going back to the Bronze Age. Its prosperity came from sheep and wool manufacturing and its 15th century market cross, the Shambles and church were built from the proceeds. The town's economy began to to decline in the early 19th century although other industries like brewing and Clarks Shoes moved into the town. Unfortunately, many of these have closed in recent years.

This is another Somerset town where the Duke of Monmouth stayed overnight on his way to the Battle of Sedgemoor (see below). After the battle, supporters of the ill fated Duke were harried and hunted down and anybody even suspected of being involved in the Monmouth Rebellion was brought before the notorious Judge Jeffreys at his 'Bloody Assizes'. Twelve men from Shepton Mallet were put on trial, executed and their bodies 'quartered' (cut into quarters) and the pieces put on posts around the town.

While here, take a ride on the East Somerset Railway to the east of the town at the village of Cranmore on the A361. This ex-Great Western Line was bought by the artist David Shepherd and some of his friends and was opened to the public in 1973. Here you can ride on trains pulled by steam engines, learn to drive an engine, solve a murder mystery and see Thomas the Tank Engine.

The Battle of Sedgemoor Giclee Print
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The Duke of Monmouth

On the death of Charles II, the Roman Catholic James II became king. The Duke of Monmouth and his supporters felt this was their chance to seize the throne. Monmouth had been in Holland but he sailed for England landing in Lyme Regis. There he found he had much popular support. Two of Monmouth's supporters had also landed in Scotland to rally the people there but had been caught and executed. From then on Monmouth had no chance of success. Meanwhile, royal troops under the command of John Churchill, later first Duke of Marlborough, were marching to the West Country to put down the rebellion.

On 5th July 1685 battle was joined. The Duke of Monmouth had planned a surprise attack on the army camped on Sedgemoor but, unfortunately, the rebels were seen before they could engage the enemy. They lost around 1300 men and another 500 were captured and taken to the nearby village of Westzoyland. They were taken into the church and 22 of them were hanged immediately.

Survivors from the rebel army were ruthlessly hunted down and the Lord Chief Justice, the notorious Judge Jeffreys, was sent to the West Country to deal with them. In the Great Hall of Taunton Castle in September 1685 he held his 'Bloody Assizes' in which he sentenced between 150 and 300 people to death by hanging and numerous others, possibly up to 800, to transportation and slavery in the West Indies. Reputedly, the ghost of Judge Jeffreys walks the castle on September nights.