Burrington Combe
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| Burrington Combe | |
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| Area of Search | Avon |
| Grid Reference | ST478583 |
| Interest | Biological and Geological |
| Area | 139.1 hectares |
| Notification | 1952 |
| Location Map | English Nature |
Burrington Combe (grid reference ST478583) is a carboniferous limestone gorge near the village of Burrington, on the north side of the Mendip Hills, in North Somerset, England.
Augustus Montague Toplady was inspired to write the hymn Rock of Ages while sheltering under a rock in the combe during a thunderstorm in the late 18th century.
Contents |
[edit] Caves
"Combe" or "coombe" is a word of Celtic origin found in several forms on all of the British Isles, denoting a steep-sided valley or hollow. The combe contains the entrances to many of the caves of the Mendip Hills, including Aveline's Hole, Sidcot Swallet and Goatchurch Cavern.
[edit] Archaeology
Archaeological discoveries of early cemeteries demonstrate human occupation of the combe and its caves from the Bronze Age with some evidence of occupation during the Upper Palaeolithic period.[1]
[edit] Special Scientific Interest
In recognition of its biological and geological interest, an area of 139.1 hectares within and around the combe was notified as a Site of Special Scientific Interest in 1952.
[edit] References
- ^ Mendip Hills An Archaeological Survey of the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Somerset County Council Archaeological Projects. Retrieved on October 28, 2006.
Settlements: Ashwick | Axbridge | Banwell | Bishop Sutton | Blagdon | Bleadon | Burrington | Charterhouse | Cheddar | Chewton Mendip | Compton Bishop | Compton Martin | Cross | Draycott | East Harptree | Easton | Hinton Blewitt | Hutton | Leigh-on-Mendip | Litton | Oakhill | Priddy | Rodney Stoke | Rowberrow | Sandford | Shepton Mallet | Shipham | Ubley | Webbington | Wells | West Harptree | Westbury-sub-Mendip | Winscombe | Wookey Hole
Rivers and lakes: Blagdon Lake | Cheddar Reservoir | Chew Valley Lake | River Chew | River Yeo | Litton Reservoirs
Caves and gorges: Aveline's Hole | Axbridge Ochre Mine | Banwell Caves | Banwell Ochre Caves | Burrington Combe | Cheddar Gorge and Caves | Compton Martin Ochre Mine | Cox's cave | Eastwater Cavern | Ebbor Gorge | Fairy Cave Quarry | GB Cave | Goatchurch Cavern | Gough's Cave | Hunter`s Hole | Lamb Leer | Longwood Swallet | Manor Farm Swallet | Priddy Caves | Shatter Cave | Sidcot Swallet | St Cuthberts Swallet | St. Dunstan's Well Catchment | Stoke Lane Slocker | Swildon's Hole | Thrupe Lane Swallet | Tyning`s Barrow Swallet | Upper Flood Swallet | Wigmore Swallet | Wookey Hole Caves
Quarries: Barnclose Quarry | Batts Combe quarry | Callow Rock quarry | Cloford Quarry | Colemans quarry | Cook's Wood Quarry | Draycott Quarry | Dulcote quarry | Emborough Quarries | Fairy Cave Quarry | Gurney Slade quarry | Halecombe | Hobbs Quarry | Holwell Quarries | Moon's Hill Quarry | Shipham Quarry | Torr Works | Viaduct Quarry | Westbury Quarry | Whatley quarry | Windsor Hill Quarry |
SSSIs: Asham Wood | Axbridge Hill and Fry's Hill | Banwell Caves | Banwell Ochre Caves | Barns Batch Spinney | Blagdon Lake | Bleadon Hill | Brimble Pit and Cross Swallet Basins | Burledge Hill | Burrington Combe | Chancellor's Farm | Cheddar Complex | Cheddar Reservoir | Cheddar Wood | Chew Valley Lake | Cloford Quarry | Compton Martin Ochre Mine | Cook's Wood Quarry | Crook Peak to Shute Shelve Hill | Dolebury Warren | Draycott Sleights | Ebbor Gorge | Emborough Quarries | Harptree Combe | Hobbs Quarry | Holwell Quarries | Kingdown and Middledown | Lamb Leer | Priddy Caves | Priddy Pools | Perch | Rodney Stoke | St. Dunstan's Well Catchment | Sandpit Hole and Bishop's Lot | Shiplate Slait | Viaduct Quarry | Windsor Hill Quarry | Wurt Pit and Devil's Punchbowl
Councils: Bath and North East Somerset | Mendip | North Somerset | Sedgemoor
Surrounding areas: Chew Valley | Somerset Levels | North Somerset Levels
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