Old Ironstone Works, Mells
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| Old Ironstone Works, Mells | |
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| Area of Search | Somerset |
| Grid Reference | ST738488 |
| Interest | Biological |
| Area | 0.25 hectare |
| Notification | 1987 |
| Location Map | English Nature |
Old Ironstone Works, Mells (grid reference ST738488) is a 0.25 hectare biological Site of Special Scientific Interest, south of the village of Mells in Somerset, notified in 1987. The site is a ruined ironstone works, and is now used as a breeding site by horseshoe bats.
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[edit] Biological Interest
The site is used by both Greater and Lesser Horseshoe Bats. The roofspace of the former works building is used as a breeding roost in summer by large numbers of Greater Horseshoes, and smaller numbers of Lesser Horseshoes. Disused flues, and tunnels in a low cliff are used for hibernation.[1]
[edit] History
The land on which the iron works was built, was leased by John Horner (of Little Jack Horner fame) to James Fussell of Stoke Lane, dated 25 December 1744, to "erect a mill or mills for grinding edge tools and forging iron plates". The family continued the business on this site and others locally for many years,[2] although it is likely that there was some form of foundary on or near the site since about 1500 when Mells seems to have been known as Iron Burgh.[3]
[edit] References
- ^ English Nature citation sheet (2006). Retrieved on July 25, 2006.
- ^ Atthill, Robin (1964). Old Mendip. Newton Abbott: David and Charles. ISBN 0715351710.
- ^ Toulson, Shirley (1984). The Mendip Hills: A Threatened Landscape. London: Victor Gollancz. ISBN 057503453X.
[edit] External links
Summarised data for all sites (biological and geological)
SSSIs: Aller and Beer Woods | Aller Hill | Asham Wood | Axbridge Hill and Fry's Hill | Babcary Meadows | Barle Valley | Barrington Hill Meadows | Berrow Dunes | Black Down and Sampford Commons | Brean Down | Bridgwater Bay | Briggins Moor | Catcott, Edington and Chilton Moors | Chancellor's Farm | Cheddar Complex | Cheddar Reservoir | Cheddar Wood | Cleeve Hill | Cogley Wood | Crook Peak to Shute Shelve Hill | Curry and Hay Moors | Deadman | Draycott Sleights | Dunster Park and Heathlands | East Polden Grasslands | Ebbor Gorge | Edford Woods and Meadows | Exmoor Coastal Heaths | Fivehead Woods and Meadow | Freshmoor | Friar's Oven | Ge-mare Farm Fields | Great Breach and Copley Woods | Grove Farm | Hardington Moor | Hestercombe House | Holme Moor & Clean Moor | King's Sedgemoor | Kingdown and Middledown | Kingweston Meadows | Lang's Farm | Langford Heathfield | Langmead and Weston Level | Long Lye | Long Lye Meadow | Longleat Woods | Millwater | Moorlinch | Nettlecombe Park | North Brewham Meadows | North Curry Meadow | North Exmoor | North Moor | Old Ironstone Works, Mells | Perch | Porlock Ridge and Saltmarsh | Postlebury Wood | Priddy Pools | Prior's Park & Adcombe Wood | Quantocks | Quants | Ringdown | River Barle | Rodney Stoke | Roebuck Meadows | Ruttersleigh | Severn Estuary | Shapwick Heath | Sharpham Moor Plot | South Exmoor | Southey and Gotleigh Moors | Southlake Moor | Sparkford Wood | St. Dunstan's Well Catchment | Stowell Meadow | Street Heath | Tealham and Tadham Moors | Thurlbear Wood and Quarrylands | Twinhills Woods and Meadows | Vallis Vale | Walton and Ivythorn Hills | West Moor | West Sedgemoor | Westhay Heath | Westhay Moor | Wet Moor | Whitevine Meadows | Windsor Hill Marsh | Wookey Hole | Woolhayes Farm
