Beech Grove

Wood, Forest in Somerset Mendip

England

Beech Grove

Stone Stile on Park Hill near Mells A stone stile beside the road on Park Hill near Mells.
The stile leads onto a public footpath that goes down to Mells.
Photograph taken at the bend in the road where Park Hill becomes Conduit Hill. — Stone Stile on Park Hill near Mells Credit: Kevin Pearson

Beech Grove is a small woodland area located in Somerset, England. Nestled amidst the picturesque countryside, this beech forest spans approximately 20 acres and is a cherished natural gem in the region. The grove is known for its dense canopy of towering beech trees that provide shade and shelter to an array of flora and fauna.

The woodland is a haven for nature enthusiasts, offering a tranquil escape from the hustle and bustle of daily life. As visitors wander through Beech Grove, they are greeted by a symphony of birdsong and the gentle rustling of leaves underfoot. The forest floor is carpeted with vibrant wildflowers, adding splashes of color to the verdant surroundings.

Beech Grove also boasts a diverse ecosystem, hosting a variety of wildlife. Squirrels dart through the branches, while rabbits and deer cautiously graze in the undergrowth. The forest is also home to numerous bird species, including woodpeckers, owls, and songbirds, making it a popular spot for birdwatchers.

In addition to its natural beauty, Beech Grove offers recreational opportunities for visitors. The well-maintained walking trails wind through the forest, allowing hikers and nature lovers to explore the area at their own pace. Picnic areas are scattered throughout the grove, providing a peaceful setting for a leisurely lunch amidst nature.

Beech Grove holds a special place in the hearts of locals and visitors alike, as it serves as a sanctuary of tranquility and natural beauty. Whether one seeks solace in the peaceful surroundings or wishes to immerse themselves in the rich biodiversity, Beech Grove is a haven that captivates all who venture into its leafy embrace.

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Beech Grove Images

Images are sourced within 2km of 51.259065/-2.3907784 or Grid Reference ST7251. Thanks to Geograph Open Source API. All images are credited.

Stone Stile on Park Hill near Mells

A stone stile beside the road on Park Hill near Mells. The stile leads onto a public footpath that goes down to Mells. Photograph taken at the bend in the road where Park Hill becomes Conduit Hill.

Kevin Pearson

Cottages in Selwood Street

Vieve Forward

Old Milestone by A362, Buckland Down, North of Lodge to Ammerdown Park

The Milestone is located on grass verge on the West of the road. Parish of Hemington (Mendip District). Metal plate attached to stone post, Radstock iron plate design, erected by the Radstock turnpike trust in the 18th century. Re-erected after being uprooted in 2001; repainted by a member of the public. An earlier photograph can be found here: Link Inscription reads:- FROME / 5 / RADSTOCK / 3 Grade II listed. List Entry Number: 1175774 Link

Milestone Society National ID: SO_FRRS05

Janet Dowding

Course of the Dorset and Somerset Canal

Looking west along the bed of the abandoned Dorset and Somerset Canal, constructed in about 1798, but never completed or opened. This section of the canal was intended to form part of a branch extending to Nettlebridge for the purpose of transporting coal from the Somerset coal field.

David Tyers

Remains of a balance lock on the Dorset and Somerset Canal

In 1798 the Somerset ironmaster James Fussell patented a "Balance Lock for Raising or Lowering Boats, &c.". A canal lift to his design was built and demonstrated at this site in 1800, when it successfully raised boats by about 20 feet up to the summit level of the Nettlebridge branch of the Dorset and Somerset Canal. Following the trial, construction of several more balance locks was begun at nearby Barrow Hill, but work on the canal was abandoned when funds ran out, and the locks were never completed. This balance lock was the subject of an archaeological excavation in about 2005, but nature is now taking over the site again.

David Tyers

Brick Kiln Farm Bridge

Bridge carrying Wanwards Lane across the Frome to Radstock railway (closed to passenger traffic in 1959, and to goods in 1968). It now crosses The Colliers Way (part of National Cycle Network Route 24), though the overgrown railway tracks are still in place.

David Tyers

St Mary's church, Hardington Bampfylde (interior)

Belying the building's Norman origins is an interior that looks distinctly Georgian. The pulpit and altar rails are of the late C18, whilst the box pews are early C19; it followed much rebuilding in the early C17. The Royal Arms of Charles I above the chancel arch was repainted in 1817. The 'wonky' chancel arch itself is possibly Norman, whilst the nave is late C14. This little church sits amongst modern farm buildings and is now cared for by the Churches Conservation Trust.

Mike Searle

St Mary's church, Hardington Bampfylde - Bampfylde monument

This fine wall monument to Colonel Warwick Bampfylde (†1694) in the chancel stands 12 feet tall. As well as the Colonel, the memorial inscription also commemorates three further generations of the Bampfylde family.

Mike Searle

Blessed Virgin Mary, Hemington

Dave Kelly

Cornish's Grave Projecting Bracket

An old style of survey marker in the structure of a railway bridge near Kilmersdon. These were fairly short-lived, being used from the Second Geodetic Levelling from 1912 but replaced by Flush Brackets. Most surviving examples are often found along railway lines, like this one. See ST7151 : Cornish's Grave bridge for a wider view and Link

for the listing in the Benchmark Database and nearby ones too.

Neil Owen

Cornish's Grave bridge

Once the old colliers' line saw trains running along the tracks but today is now National Cycle Network Route 24. A projecting bracket can be found low down on the corner of the wall to the left of shot - see ST7151 : Cornish's Grave Projecting Bracket.

Neil Owen

Benchmark on Conduit Bridge

An old cutmark, as listed in the Benchmark Database: Link

, on the east wall of the old railway bridge. See ST7350 : A choice of routes for a wider view and ST7350 : Lost! for where an old projecting bracket used to be below.

Neil Owen

A choice of routes

The small road bridge over the old railway not leads down to the cycle path. A benchmark can be found on the eastern wall of the bridge - see ST7350 : Benchmark on Conduit Bridge - but a projecting bracket in the structure of the bridge itself has not enjoyed a similar fate. See ST7350 : Lost!.

Neil Owen

Lost!

This scar in the stonework of the railway bridge appears to be the remains of an old projecting bracket. It has clearly been removed, by fair means or foul! This part of the old Colliers' Way railway has become a popular cycle path and has a number of these types dotted along it - see Link

for the listing in the Benchmark Database and ST7350 : Conduit Bridge for a wider view of the bridge.

Neil Owen

Conduit Bridge

The Colliers Way - Route 24 of Sustrans National Cycle Network - is part of the route that links Midsomer Norton to Frome. Originally it was the Somersetshire Coal Canal before the railway took over, but today is a popular and peaceful cyclepath. A benchmark used to be in the stonework of the left abutment but has been lost now - see ST7350 : Lost!. Also see Link

for the local information.

Neil Owen

Flowers Farm Bridge

Another small pedestrian bridge over the old railway bridge. Today it's Route 24 on the National Cycle Network, but it was originally a GWR branch line from Radstock to Frome, built in 1854 to Brunel's Broad Gauge initially, and carried coal from the local mines. A year later it began carrying passengers too. But as the viability declined passengers were stopped in 1958; freight soldiered on until the line closed completely in 1988. It made a natural cyclepath which has a tarmac surface only recently completed, but the old rails remain for much of its length. An old fashioned benchmark still exists at the foot of the arch - see ST7450 : Projecting Bracket at Barrow Hill.

Neil Owen

Projecting Bracket at Barrow Hill

The old Radstock-Frome railway line was opened in the mid-1850s, but this Ordnance Survey benchmark was installed in the early part of the 1900s. It is fairly common on the railways of the area but the type itself was replaced by the Flush Bracket shortly after the start of the Second Geodetic Levelling. Indeed, it appears to be a collector's item as the Conduit Bridge item (some 1.5Km to the west) has been removed. See ST7450 : Flowers Farm Bridge a wider location view, ST7350 : Lost! for the missing mark and Link

for the entry in the Benchmark Database.

Neil Owen

Is it me?

Along the old coal railway line from Radstock to Frome are a number of bridges. Having been closed to traffic in 1988, the line was converted into National Cycle Network Route 24 and artists Elizabeth Turrell and Imi Murf have placed artworks into the high arches in order to recount the days of steam. These enamel fingers are arranged differently at each bridge. See ST7151 : Cornish's Grave bridge for a view of the bridge and ST7549 : A curious mixture for another example further down the line.

Neil Owen

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Beech Grove is located at Grid Ref: ST7251 (Lat: 51.259065, Lng: -2.3907784)

Administrative County: Somerset

District: Mendip

Police Authority: Avon and Somerset