Who owns Mendip hills?
Mendip Hills AONB Partnership
Mendip Hills | |
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Area | 200 km2 (77 sq mi) |
Established | 1972 |
Governing body | Mendip Hills AONB Partnership |
Website | www.mendiphillsaonb.org.uk |
Why is it called the Mendips?
Etymology. The name Mendips is probably derived from the mediaeval term “Myne-deepes”. An alternative explanation is that the name is cognate with Mened (Welsh mynydd), a Brythonic term for upland moorland. The suffix may be a contraction of the Anglo-Saxon hop meaning a valley.
What county are the Mendip hills in?
Somerset
Mendip Hills, range of hills in the geographic county of Somerset, England, extending 23 miles (37 km) northwest from the Frome valley. The Eastern Mendip is comparatively low, but the Western Mendip forms a plateau 6 miles wide and more than 800 feet (244 metres) high.
What is Somerset famous for?
Somerset is renowned for its cheddar cheese and cider. A wealth of apple orchards once made Somerset the cider capital of the UK, whilst the Cheddar Gorge caves are still used to mature cheese today.
How were the Mendip hills formed?
The Mendip Hills are the most southerly Carboniferous Limestone upland in Britain. Carboniferous Limestones were laid down during the early Carboniferous period, about 320–350 million years ago.
Is Mendip a county?
Mendip is a local government district of Somerset in England….Mendip District.
Mendip | |
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Ceremonial county | Somerset |
Admin HQ | Shepton Mallet |
Created | 1 April 1974 |
Government |
Is Mendip a town?
Mendip is a rural district situated in the north of the county of Somerset, covering an area of 738 square kilometres and containing five principal towns: Frome, Glastonbury, Shepton Mallet, Street and Wells (which is actually a city; the smallest in England).
Why does Bristol have so many hills?
Geography. Bristol lies within a limestone area running from the Mendip Hills in the south to the Cotswolds in the northeast. The rivers Avon and Frome cut through the limestone to the underlying clay, creating Bristol’s characteristically hilly landscape.
What is the capital city of Somerset?
Taunton
Somerset is a county in South West England. The main town of Somerset was Somerton, but it is now Taunton.
How big is the Mendip area?
285.5 mi²
Mendip District/Area
Which area is Mendip?
Where are the Mendip Hills in the UK?
The Mendip Hills are located in Somerset, in the south west area of England. The hills overlook the stunning Somerset Levels to the south, and Chew Valley to the north; they run east to west between Weston-super-Mare and Frome.
When did people start mining in the Mendip Hills?
There is evidence of mining in the Mendips dating back to the late Bronze Age, which increased after the Roman invasion, particularly for lead and silver around Charterhouse.
Why are the Mendip Hills important for caving?
Large areas of limestone on the Mendips have been worn away by water, making the hills a national centre for caving. Some of the caves have been known about since the establishment of the Mendip lead mining industry in Roman times. However, many have been discovered or explored only in the 20th century.
What kind of limestone is in the Mendip Hills?
North and east of the Mendips the Carboniferous Limestone layers are found in the subsurface and are exposed in Avon Gorge, and are overlain by younger strata in Dundry Hill and the Cotswolds, where oolitic limestone of Jurassic age is found at the surface.