Buckland Down

Downs, Moorland in Somerset Mendip

England

Buckland Down

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

Buckland Down, located in Somerset, England, is an expansive area of downs and moorland that covers a significant portion of the landscape. Stretching across approximately 5,000 acres, this natural wonder offers visitors a scenic and diverse environment to explore.

The downs of Buckland Down are characterized by their gently rolling hills and wide open spaces. Covered in lush grasses and scattered with wildflowers, these downs provide a picturesque backdrop for outdoor activities such as hiking, picnicking, and birdwatching. The panoramic views from the higher points of the downs are particularly breathtaking, offering glimpses of the surrounding countryside and even the Bristol Channel on clear days.

In addition to the downs, Buckland Down is also home to sprawling moorland areas. Moorlands are characterized by their damp, peaty soils and heather-dominated vegetation. This unique habitat supports a variety of wildlife, including several species of birds such as curlews and lapwings. Visitors can witness the moorland's stunning purple hues when the heather is in full bloom during late summer.

Buckland Down is a haven for nature enthusiasts, as it boasts a rich biodiversity. Rare plant species can be found scattered throughout the downs and moorland, adding to the area's ecological importance. The diverse landscapes of Buckland Down also provide habitats for various animals, including rabbits, foxes, and deer.

Overall, Buckland Down offers a tranquil escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in the beauty of nature. Its downs and moorland provide a harmonious blend of scenic vistas, wildlife, and unique flora, making it a must-visit destination for anyone seeking a peaceful countryside experience.

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Buckland Down Images

Images are sourced within 2km of 51.264838/-2.3987819 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

Direction Sign â Signpost on the B3139 in Kilmersdon parish

Located on the west side of the junction of the B3139 and Knobsbury Hill in Kilmersdon parish. 4 arms and pyramid finial. Milestone Society National ID: SO_ST7052B

J Dowding

Direction Sign â Signpost on the B3139, Frome Road, A366 and A362 crossroads in Hemington parish

Located on the west side of the crossroads of the B3139, Frome Road, A366 and A362 in Hemington parish. 6 arms and lost finial. Milestone Society National ID: SO_ST7153

J Dowding

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

Track, Napp Wood

The woodland, part of the Ammerdown Estate is open for the public.

Maigheach-gheal

St Margaret's parish church and Babington House

St Margaret's Church was constructed in c1750 by an unknown architect (possibly to the design of John Strahan or William Halfpenny). The adjacent Babington House was built c1705 for Henry Mompesson and underwent updating later in the mid-C18, and again more radically in 1790 when the house and its park was in the hands of the Knatchbull family. Successive members of this family remained in possession until 1952 when the house and immediate grounds were sold. The house was bought in 1998 and converted into a hotel, private members club, and wedding venue. Many celebrity weddings have taken place here, with the redundant St Margaret's Church being brought into use (but not exclusively) for their wedding services. As well as serving Babington House, the church still hosts the occasional baptism and funeral service, as well as burials in existing graves within the cemetery.

Mike Searle

St Margaret's parish church, Babington

St Margaret's Church was built in c1750 by Mrs Elizabeth Long when she inherited Babington House on the death of her uncle Henry Mompesson. At the same time the remains of the old declining medieval village of Babington was cleared away in order to create a park. Baroque in style, the church's design is similar to that of Redland Chapel, Bristol, perhaps indicating Mrs Long's family connections with that city. The church stands adjacent to Babington House but separate from it within its own churchyard and cemetery, with the grounds of the house bordering it on three sides. It is owned and operated by the St. Margaret's, Babington, Charitable Trust and has been since 1993, following its legal redundancy by the Church of England. Members of the Trust include representatives of the Knatchbull and Jennings families who previously owned Babington House. The church is used mainly for weddings, and Wedding Blessings for clients of Babington House, although it is by no means for their exclusive use. The Church is also used for numerous other religious purposes, including baptisms and funerals, and although the churchyard is legally a Closed Churchyard, burials still take place in existing graves in the attached cemetery.

Mike Searle

St Margaret's church, Babington - the nave

The furnishings are all original, box pews, altar rails, and pulpit.

Mike Searle

St Margaret's church, Babington - the chancel

The chancel is contained within a domed shallow apse containing a stuccoed 'rays of glory' cartouche in place of a reredos.

Mike Searle

St Margaret's church, Babington - Pacey-Mompesson monument

The memorial commemorates members of the Pacey and Mompesson families who were related by marriage. Thomas Pacey (†1687) was the C17 owner of the manor of Babington, and was married to wife Mary. The estate eventually passed to Elizabeth, the wife of Henry Mompesson of Corston, Wiltshire, Sheriff of Somerset in 1698, who built Babington House in c1705. Both are also commemorated; Henry died in 1715, his wife Elizabeth in 1726.

Mike Searle

St Margaret's church, Babington - Royal Arms

The Royal Arms of George II is plastered in relief at the west end.

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

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Buckland Down is located at Grid Ref: ST7251 (Lat: 51.264838, Lng: -2.3987819)

Administrative County: Somerset

District: Mendip

Police Authority: Avon and Somerset