Holcombe Wood

Wood, Forest in Somerset Mendip

England

Holcombe Wood

Direction Sign â Signpost at Church Farm, Stratton on the Fosse parish Located at Church Farm on the northwest side of the junction of Church Lane, Stratton Road and Watery Lane in Stratton on the Fosse parish. 4 arms and pyramid finial.

Milestone Society National ID: SO_ST6650 — Direction Sign â Signpost at Church Farm, Stratton on the Fosse parish Credit: J Dowding

Holcombe Wood is a picturesque woodland located in Somerset, England. Covering an area of approximately 100 acres, it is known for its stunning natural beauty and diverse wildlife. The wood is situated within the Mendip Hills, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, which adds to its charm and appeal.

The wood is predominantly made up of broadleaf trees, including oak, beech, and ash, which create a dense canopy overhead, providing a cool and shaded environment for visitors. The forest floor is covered with a carpet of wildflowers and ferns, adding to the enchanting atmosphere of the woodland.

Holcombe Wood offers a variety of walking trails, which cater to different levels of fitness and interests. These trails wind through the wood, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in the peaceful surroundings and discover the hidden gems of nature along the way. There are also designated picnic areas, where visitors can relax and enjoy the tranquility of the wood while having a meal or snack.

The wood is home to a wide range of wildlife, including deer, badgers, foxes, and various bird species. Birdwatchers will find great delight in observing the different species that inhabit the wood, such as woodpeckers, owls, and songbirds.

Overall, Holcombe Wood is a haven for nature lovers, offering a serene and idyllic setting to escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Whether it's a leisurely stroll, a picnic with family and friends, or a birdwatching expedition, this woodland provides a truly enchanting experience for all who visit.

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Holcombe Wood Images

Images are sourced within 2km of 51.25464/-2.478179 or Grid Reference ST6650. Thanks to Geograph Open Source API. All images are credited.

Direction Sign â Signpost at Church Farm, Stratton on the Fosse parish

Located at Church Farm on the northwest side of the junction of Church Lane, Stratton Road and Watery Lane in Stratton on the Fosse parish. 4 arms and pyramid finial. Milestone Society National ID: SO_ST6650

J Dowding

Downside Abbey

Despite appearances, most of this abbey was built in the 20th century (see ST6550 : Downside Abbey for full description). The remaining Benedictine monks who have been at Downside since 1814 plan to leave in March 2022.

Vieve Forward

Wells Road at Fry's Well

This row of terraced stone cottages is on the north side of the Wells Road, the B3139, on the eastern side of Chilcompton village.

Nigel Mykura

Field of Stubble near White Post

The white post used to stand at a junction on the nearby fosse Way. There is now a pub called the White Post. One or two bales of straw had not been collected from the field.

Nigel Mykura

The White Post Inn

The White Post Inn is on the A37 Fosse Way. This is the rear of the pub viewed from the B3139 , the minor road to Kilmersdon viewed across a field of standing wheat.

Nigel Mykura

The Old Redhouse Farm Industrial Estate

This is a small rural industrial estate that has a variety of small businesses including ones dedicated to stone memorials, kick boxing classes, care providers, roofing requirements, timber preservation and car repairs.

Nigel Mykura

Turning for Chilcompton from the A367

Sarah Charlesworth

The church of St Andrew, Holcombe

Peter Wood

The church of St Vigor at Stratton-on-the-Fosse

One of only two churches named after St Vigor.

Peter Wood

Ordnance Survey Cut Mark

This mark can be found on the wall of St Andrew's Church. For more detail see : Link

Peter Wood

Croft House and the B3356

Croft House stands behind the trees on the left. Taken between heavy showers on a Saturday lunchtime.

HelenK

Keeping pupils and the public apart

These gates close off the grounds of Downside School. Two notices tell the public that this is private property with no right of way; a third tells pupils that they are not to go (in the other direction) past this point.

HelenK

South porch of Old St Andrew's Church, Holcombe

The late Lella Raymond, in her 1996 guide written for the Churches Conservation Trust, tells us that "the south porch holds fascinating evidence of antiquity. The cut stone is Doulting limestone, used for Bath, Glastonbury and Wells. The gable incorporates a Norman arch, with zigzag around it and short rolls inserted at intervals in the hollow beneath the hood. Above the arch, in place of the keystone, is a 16th-century carved angel with wings outstretched and arms folded. The chevron at the apex of the gable could have been carved from the tympanum ... The walls of the porch are blind, with plain stone benches each side, one inscribed D C 1743. The inner doorway was continuous quarter-round moulding round a four-centred arch. The door itself is a fine medieval example."

Tiger

Old St Andrew's Church, Holcombe

In parkland a mile north of the village, the old church ceased to be used for regular worship when the new church in the village centre ST6749 : Holcombe St Andrew was opened in 1884. It is now vested in the Churches Conservation Trust. The 14th-century west tower shows the emerging Perpendicular style and is unbuttressed. To its west can be seen one of an avenue of Lawson cypresses.

Tiger

Downside Abbey

The Basilica of St Gregory the Great is the largest neo-Gothic church, not a cathedral, in England and home to the senior community of English Benedictines. The brothers came to Downside from Douai in northern France in 1814, as refugees from the Napoleonic regime, but most of what we see today was built in the 20th century. The cluster of eastern chapels and the transept were constructed between 1882 and 1890, the architects being Archibald Dunn and Edward Hansom. The quire was designed by Thomas Garner and completed in 1905; the tower beyond, placed over the south transept rather than the central crossing, was completed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott in 1938. At 166 feet it is the tallest tower in Somerset after Wells Cathedral at 182 ft (Bath Abbey's tower is 162 ft). The great church is 74 feet high (Bath 75 ft, Exeter Cathedral 69 ft, Wells 73 ft) and 328 feet long at present (Bristol Cathedral 338 ft), but Scott's nave still awaits its final two western bays.

Tiger

Humped zebra

Not a cross of some African animals but a speed-reducing measure along Anchor Road in Highbury.

Neil Owen

Up to Mendip Vale

Take the footpath up the hill to the modern housing of Highbury. Along the way is a rougher patch of brambles. Further down the hill is an old shaft, part of the coal mining history that used to dominate the village's industry.

Neil Owen