Mendip | |
---|---|
Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
Constituent country | England |
Region | South West England |
Ceremonial county | Somerset |
Admin HQ | Shepton Mallet |
|
|
Government | |
• Type | Non-metropolitan district |
• Leader | Ros Wyke [1] |
• Council | Liberal Democrats |
Area | |
• Total | 285.50 sq mi (739.44 km2) |
Population (2022) [2] | |
• Total | 116,285 |
• Density | 410/sq mi (160/km2) |
Time zone | UTC0 (GMT) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+1 (BST) |
Post Code | |
Area code | 01749 |
Mendip was a local government district of Somerset in England. The district covered a largely rural area of 285 square miles (738 km2) [3] with a population of approximately 112,500, [3] ranging from the Wiltshire border in the east to part of the Somerset Levels in the west. The district took its name from the Mendip Hills. The administrative centre of the district was Shepton Mallet but the largest town was Frome.
The district was formed on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972 by a merger of the municipal boroughs of Glastonbury and Wells, along with Frome, Shepton Mallet, and Street urban districts, and Frome Rural District, Shepton Mallet Rural District, Wells Rural District, part of Axbridge Rural District and part of Clutton Rural District.
On 1 April 2023, the district was abolished and became part of Somerset Council, a unitary authority. [4]
Several explanations for the name Mendip have been suggested. Its earliest known form is Mendepe in 1185. One suggestion is that it is derived from the medieval term Myne-deepes. [5] [6] However, A D Mills derives its meaning from Celtic monith, meaning mountain or hill, with an uncertain second element, perhaps Old English yppe in the sense of upland, or plateau. [7]
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. Possible further meanings have been identified. The first is 'the stone pit' from the Celtic meyn and dyppa in reference to the collapsed cave systems of Cheddar. The second is 'Mighty and Awesome' from the Old English moen and deop. [8]
Until 2023, Mendip district fell under the jurisdiction of Mendip District Council. At the 2019 local elections, no party gained overall control.
Party | Seats | Net Gain/Loss |
---|---|---|
Liberal Democrat | 22 | +11 |
Conservative | 10 | -22 |
Green | 10 | +7 |
Independent | 5 | +4 |
As of March 2022, the council had 23 Liberal Democrats, 12 Conservatives, 10 Greens, and 2 Independents. [9]
On 1 April 2023, the council was abolished and replaced by Somerset Council, a unitary authority for the area previously served by Somerset County Council. [4] Elections for the new council took place in May 2022, and it ran alongside Mendip and the other councils until their abolition in April 2023. [10]
The five main settlements of the former Mendip council were Frome, Glastonbury, Shepton Mallet, Street and Wells. Frome, Glastonbury and Shepton Mallet were the only towns in the district, with Wells having city status and Street maintaining its status as a village despite a population in excess of 11,000. [11]
Other villages and hamlets included:
Pilton is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated on the A361 road in the Mendip district, 3 miles (5 km) south-west of Shepton Mallet and 6 miles (10 km) east of Glastonbury. The village has a population of 998. The parish includes the hamlets of West Compton, East Compton, Westholme, Beardly Batch and Cannards Grave.
Batcombe is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated in the steep valley of the River Alham 5 miles (8 km) south-east of Shepton Mallet and 26 miles (42 km) south of Bristol. The parish has a population of 439. Batcombe village is at the heart of the parish, which also includes the hamlets of Westcombe, Spargrove and Eastcombe.
Binegar is a small village and civil parish in Somerset, England. It is located on the A37, 4 miles (6.4 km) east of Wells, between Shepton Mallet and Chilcompton. Its population in 2011 was 313. Binegar and Gurney Slade on the opposite side of the A37 are effectively a single village and share a sign on the main road. In Gurney Slade, the quarry and houses on the north side of Tape Lane are in Binegar parish whilst the south side is in Ashwick parish. In Binegar, some houses on the south side of Station Road are in Ashwick parish and some on the north side of the village are in Emborough parish.
Ashwick is a village in Somerset, England, about three miles north of Shepton Mallet and seven miles east from Wells. It has also been a civil parish since 1826. The parish had a population of 1,352 according to the 2011 census, and apart from Ashwick village also includes Gurney Slade and Oakhill.
Witham Friary is a small English village and civil parish located between the towns of Frome and Bruton in the county of Somerset. It is in the Cranborne Chase and West Wiltshire Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the ancient Forest of Selwood.
Stratton-on-the-Fosse is a village and civil parish located on the edge of the Mendip Hills, 2 miles (3 km) south-west of Westfield, 6 miles (10 km) north-east of Shepton Mallet, and 9 miles (14 km) from Frome, in Somerset, England. It has a population of 1,108, and has a rural agricultural landscape, although it was part of the once-thriving Somerset coalfield. Within the boundaries of the parish are the hamlets of Benter and Nettlebridge.
Cranmore is a village and civil parish east of Shepton Mallet, in Somerset, England. The parish includes the hamlets of Waterlip, East Cranmore and Dean. In 2011 the parish had a population of 667.
Doulting is a village and civil parish 1.5 miles (2 km) east of Shepton Mallet, on the A361, in the Mendip district of Somerset, England.
Downhead is a village and civil parish just south of Leigh-on-Mendip and 5 miles (8 km) north east of Shepton Mallet, in the Mendip district of Somerset, England. The parish includes the hamlet of Tadhill.
East Pennard is a village and civil parish 4 miles (6.4 km) north west of Castle Cary, and 5 miles (8.0 km) south of Shepton Mallet, in the Mendip district of Somerset, England. It has a population of 348. The parish includes the hamlets of Stone, Parbrook and Huxham.
Lamyatt is a village and civil parish in the Mendip district of Somerset, England. It lies 5 miles (8 km) south east of Shepton Mallet, 2 miles (3 km) north east of Castle Cary, and 3 miles (5 km) south of Evercreech. The parish has a population of 183.
Lydford-on-Fosse is a village and civil parish in the Mendip district of Somerset, England. The parish includes the village of West Lydford and hamlet of East Lydford.
North Wootton is a village and civil parish, on the River Redlake, 2.5 miles (4.0 km) south east of Wells, and 3.5 miles (5.6 km) south west of Shepton Mallet in the Mendip district of Somerset, England.
Pylle is a village and civil parish 4 miles (6.4 km) south west of Shepton Mallet, and 7 miles (11.3 km) from Wells, in the Mendip district of Somerset, England. It has a population of 160. The parish includes the hamlet of Street on the Fosse.
Stoke St Michael is a village and civil parish on the Mendip Hills 4 miles (6.4 km) north east of Shepton Mallet, and 8 miles (12.9 km) west of Frome, in the Mendip district of Somerset, England.
West Bradley is a village and civil parish 4 miles south-east of Glastonbury in Somerset, England. The parish includes the hamlets of Hornblotton and Lottisham.
West Pennard is a village and civil parish east of Glastonbury, situated at the foot of Pennard Hill, in Somerset, England. The parish includes the hamlets of Coxbridge and Woodlands.
Shepton Mallet was a rural district in Somerset, England, from 1894 to 1974.
Leigh-on-Mendip or Leigh upon Mendip is a small village on the Mendip Hills in Somerset, England. It lies roughly equidistant from Frome, Radstock and Shepton Mallet at about 5 miles (8 km) from each town.
Media related to Mendip District at Wikimedia Commons