122-428: The Cheddar Valley line was a railway line in Somerset, England, running between Yatton and Witham . It was opened in parts: the first section connecting Shepton Mallet to Witham, later extended to Wells , was built by the East Somerset Railway from 1858. Later the Bristol and Exeter Railway built their branch line from Yatton to Wells, but the two lines were prevented for a time from joining up. Eventually
244-418: A railway providing good access to Weston-super-Mare , Bristol and London , and similarly good access by road, the village saw large amounts of new housing development. Today the number of pre-war buildings is much smaller than the number of more recent residential and commercial constructions. According to the 2001 census, Yatton's population was 9,176. Today Yatton is a large village. Page's Court —
366-447: A "collecting" siding that traps vehicles in the goods sidings of Wells S&D Yard, protecting the through running line, and there was a signal box immediately overlooking the yard, later designated Wells "A" Box. The Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway (S&DJR) was already standard gauge by this time, and the other two railways had moved from broad gauge to standard gauge in 1875 (see below). The Bristol and Exeter had amalgamated with
488-668: A Roman road were excavated in the early 20th century on the flood-plain of the river Brue between Glastonbury and Street. The parish churchyard is on the first flood-free ground near the river Brue and was probably the first land to be inhabited. The form of the large churchyard suggests a lan , a sacred area of a kind that was built in the first half of the 6th century. Llan or Lan is a common place name element in Brythonic languages such as Welsh , Cornish , Breton , Cumbric , and possibly Pictish . The original meaning of llan in Welsh
610-491: A block telegraph system, upgraded to train staff and ticket by 1886 and to electric train staff in 1895. The electric train staff system was installed on 11 May 1896, and certain stations that were not crossing places—Congresbury, Winscombe, Draycott, Dulcote Siding and Doulting Siding—were downgraded, and the points there worked by Annett's key attached to the train staff. The short sections at Wells (East Somerset to Wells S&D, and Wells S&D to Tucker Street) were worked on
732-539: A charter from 1330 formerly in the British Museum . The word is the Old English straet meaning 'Roman road'. The centre of Street is where Lower Leigh hamlet was, and the road called Middle Leigh and the community called Overleigh are to the south of the village. In the 12th century, a causeway from Glastonbury was built to transport stone from what is now Street for rebuilding Glastonbury Abbey after
854-606: A deviation to avoid his residence was planned; this was authorised by another Act of 14 June 1860. It appears that a connection with the Somerset Central Railway at Wells had been included in the original Act, but that this was dropped from the 1860 Act. Work on the line started in December, the main contractor being D Baldwin, and the line was ready for Board of Trade inspection in February 1862. The inspector
976-738: A display of Street fossils in the Natural History Museum in London. The churchyard of the Parish Church has yielded one Iron Age coin, however the origin and significance is unclear, although the Dobunni were known to have produced coins in the area. A number of Roman pottery fragments, now in the Museum of Somerset . Remains of Roman villas exist on the south edge of Street near Marshalls Elm and Ivythorn. Buried remains of
1098-409: A farming hamlet. The origins of the village and its name are unclear; however, there is evidence of Iron Age hill fort and a Roman villa in the area. The arrival of the railway in the 19th century and more recent road building have led to expansion of the village with Yatton now acting as a home to many commuters, while also supporting manufacturing industry and commerce. The village is located on
1220-497: A frontage that includes the clock tower and water tower, but shoes are no longer manufactured there. Instead, in 1993, redundant factory buildings were converted to form Clarks Village , the first purpose-built factory outlet in the United Kingdom. Despite strong concerns being voiced by local retailers at the time, the retail outlets have not led to a demise of the existing shops. The Shoe Museum provides information about
1342-432: A general north-west to south-east direction. The "down" direction of trains was from Yatton to Wells Tucker Street, and from Witham to Wells Tucker Street. Great Western Railway, originally Bristol and Exeter Railway Cheddar Valley and Yatton Branch Somerset Central Railway, later Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway East Somerset Railway Great Western Railway, Wilts, Somerset and Weymouth section From Yatton
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#17327656074151464-520: A large proportion of the annual precipitation falls from showers and thunderstorms at this time of year. Average rainfall is around 800–900 mm (31–35 in). About 8–15 days of snowfall is typical. November to March have the highest mean wind speeds, with June to August having the lightest; the prevailing wind direction is from the south-west. After the Second World War the size and population of Yatton expanded dramatically. With
1586-557: A major fire in 1184. The causeway is about 100 yards (90 m) north of a Roman road running north from Ilchester . It will be seen that the name of the village predates the building of the causeway by more than four hundred years, and so the village is named after the Roman road and not the causeway. The parish of Street was part of the Whitley Hundred . Quarries of the local blue lias stone were worked from as early as
1708-616: A new channel was constructed westwards into Meare Pool north of Meare , and further westwards to Mark Moor . The Brue Valley Living Landscape is a conservation project based on the Somerset Levels and Moors and managed by the Somerset Wildlife Trust . The Walton and Ivythorn Hills biological Site of Special Scientific Interest south of the village lies at the end of the Polden Hills . This site
1830-491: A new off-road link. This passes large orchards before rejoining the track bed for a short stretch to the A368. After crossing the road the site of Sandford and Banwell railway station is visible. The site has been developed as "Sandford Station Retirement Village" a sheltered housing complex. There is a view of the station, goods shed and platform including a short section of track, with period carriage and open wagons. The station
1952-473: A no-staff system using GWR instruments. GWR signals were installed as part of the work. The electric key token system was installed from 1948 to 1954. Much of the disused line between Yatton and Cheddar today forms The Strawberry Line , a railway walk and part of the National Cycle Network route 26. The trail starts at Yatton railway station and is in good condition most of the way to
2074-584: A number of farms and the Bridge Inn hotel. The parish council , which has 18 members, has responsibility for local issues, including setting an annual precept (local rate) to cover the council's operating costs and producing annual accounts for public scrutiny. The parish council evaluates local planning applications and works with the local police, district council officers, and neighbourhood watch groups on matters of crime, security and traffic. The parish council's role also includes initiating projects for
2196-566: A physical connection with the B&;E lines, so that, by arrangement, vehicles could then pass from one of our stations to the other. Proceeding to the Great Western station ... the first thing which attracted my attention was a new first class coach, sent from Swindon ... [it was] destined to relieve a B&E coach, and it had been sent to the wrong station at Wells, and to reach the right one, it had to do so via Bristol. It appears that from
2318-507: A railway connection was important for them. The Wilts, Somerset and Weymouth Railway (WS&WR) obtained its authorising Act of Parliament on 30 June 1845, to build from the GWR main line near Chippenham , to Salisbury and to Weymouth , the latter part running through Frome , Witham and Castle Cary towards Yeovil . The WS&WR was soon taken over by the GWR; construction enabled the line as far as Frome to be opened on 7 October 1850, but
2440-537: A venue for films, exhibitions and live performances. The Anglican Parish Church of The Holy Trinity dates from the 14th century and has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade I listed building . The settlement's earliest known name is Lantokay, meaning the sacred enclosure of Kea , a Celtic saint . The place-name 'Street' is first attested in Anglo-Saxon charters from 725 and 971, where it appears as Stret . It appears as Strete juxta Glastone in
2562-530: Is "an enclosed piece of land", but it later evolved to mean the parish surrounding a church. One biography of St Gildas has the saint spending some time in Glastonbury Abbey, and moving to a site by the river, where he built a chapel to the Holy Trinity and there died. The Parish Church, now Holy Trinity, has at times been known as St Gildas' church. Glastonbury Abbey controlled Street until
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#17327656074152684-610: Is a grade II listed building . Along with churches in Kenn , Cleeve and Kingston Seymour the churches are managed as part of the Yatton Moor Team Ministry. There are active cricket, football and rugby clubs, two parks (Hangstones and Rock Road), a number of public houses , and many other leisure and sporting activities, including the Cleeve Claverham and Yatton Scout Group. Yatton Rugby Club
2806-523: Is a large village and civil parish in Somerset , England, with a population of 12,709 in 2021. On a dry spot in the Somerset Levels , at the end of the Polden Hills , it is two miles (three kilometres) southwest of Glastonbury . There is evidence of Roman occupation. Much of the history of the village is dominated by Glastonbury Abbey , and a 12th-century causeway from Glastonbury built to transport local Blue Lias stone to it. The Society of Friends
2928-557: Is a south-east hexagonal stair turret rising above the parapet with panelled sides to the top, and an open cusped parapet. There are stained glass windows with the coats of arms of local lords of the manor. It has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade I listed building . The Old Rectory was a Prebendary house, built in the 15th century and has been designated as a Grade I listed building . As well as St Mary's ( Church of England ), Yatton has Methodist , Catholic and independent places of worship. Yatton Methodist Church
3050-507: Is a specialist Arts College , and includes a sixth form and takes pupils from the age of 11 (Year 7) to the age of 18 (Year 13). In November 2008, Backwell School was rated as outstanding by Ofsted . St Mary's Church , in central Yatton, built around 1400, is often called the "Cathedral of the Moors" since it is so large compared to the village. The tower has three stages with diagonal weathered buttresses with crocketed pinnacles . There
3172-420: Is about 10 °C (50 °F) with seasonal and diurnal variations, but the modifying effect of the sea restricts the range to less than that in most other parts of the United Kingdom. January is the coldest month with mean minimum temperatures between 1 °C (34 °F) and 2 °C (36 °F). July and August are the warmest, with mean daily maxima around 21 °C (70 °F). In general, December
3294-529: Is also of interest. It is adjacent to the East Polden Grasslands which has typical examples of species-rich, unimproved, calcareous grassland with scrub and amongst the many plant species found in this habitat is the early gentian ( Gentianella anglica ), which is endemic to Britain. Its other main interest lies in its suitability as a habitat for the large blue butterfly ( Phengaris arion ), which has been successfully reintroduced onto
3416-552: Is also responsible for education , social services , libraries , main roads, public transport , trading standards , waste disposal and strategic planning, although fire, police and ambulance services are provided jointly with other authorities through the Avon Fire and Rescue Service , Avon and Somerset Constabulary and the South Western Ambulance Service . North Somerset's area covers part of
3538-662: Is from the south-west. The Society of Friends established itself here in the mid-17th century, and among the close-knit group of Quaker families were the Clarks: Cyrus Clark started a business in sheepskin rugs, later joined by his brother James, who introduced the production of woollen slippers and then boots and shoes. Under James's son, William, the business flourished, and most of the profits were ploughed back into employee welfare, housing and education. C&J Clark still has its headquarters in Street, behind
3660-591: Is in the Glastonbury and Somerton parliamentary constituency, which elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system. The current MP is Sarah Dyke , elected in 2024, of the Liberal Democrats. Street is twinned with Isny im Allgäu , a town in south-eastern Baden-Württemberg , (Germany), and Notre Dame de Gravenchon in Normandy, France. Both twinnings are announced on
3782-617: Is located at Top Scaur, at the Congresbury end of the High Street, and is inscribed with the names of Yatton villagers who died in the First and Second World Wars . Each year on Remembrance Sunday a march is held from St Mary's Church to the memorial, where wreaths are laid by villagers and local organisations. The village has continued to increase in size with several new developments planned or currently being constructed north of
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3904-529: Is now restored and open to the public on summer weekends with access from the trail. The scenery through to Winscombe changes from open moorland to railway cuttings, with the path in condition to match the previous sections. The former station platform is preserved, with a time line of local and world events along its length. The small red bricked façade of the demolished station building has been laid flat into its former foundation. Seats and lighting have been provided and there are public toilets. After Winscombe
4026-620: Is owned and managed by the National Trust . Walton and Ivythorn Hills support a complex mosaic of semi-natural habitats which includes unimproved calcareous grassland, dense and scattered scrub and broadleaved woodland. Structural diversity within the habitats, together with the extensive areas of sheltered wood-edge and scrub-edge margins provide ideal conditions for many species of invertebrate . Butterflies , leafhoppers , spiders and soldier flies are particularly well represented. The great green bush cricket ( Tettigonia viridissima )
4148-613: Is part of The University of Plymouth Colleges network . At the edge of village is Millfield School , an independent co-educational boarding school which currently caters for 1,260 pupils, of which 910 are boarders. It was founded in 1935 by Boss Meyer , in the house and grounds originally owned by the Clark family, who owned and ran the major shoe manufacturer Clarks . Street has a Non-League football club Street F.C. who play at The Tannery. Street has two public swimming pools, one indoor and one outdoor. The indoor pool forms part of
4270-664: Is situated on the High Street, opposite the main shopping precinct. Horsecastle Chapel , an independent evangelical church, is on Horsecastle Farm Road. River of Life Church, (was YCF) affiliated to the Assemblies of God, meets in Yatton Infant School. St Dunstan's, a Roman Catholic chapel of ease to the parish in Clevedon , is on Claverham Road. The church of St. Barnabas in Claverham, dates from 1879 and
4392-532: Is still in use. From 2001 to 2006 the station was operated by Wessex Trains when, in an echo of 1876, it was again absorbed into the new Greater Western Trains Co. It is now possible to walk or cycle along the former route of the Strawberry Line (so called because of the trade in Cheddar's strawberries ) from Yatton to Cheddar. A local group successfully raised funding to establish a community cafe in
4514-622: Is the dullest month and June the sunniest. The south-west of England enjoys a favoured location, particularly in summer, when the Azores High extends its influence north-eastwards towards the UK. Cloud often forms inland, especially near hills, and reduces exposure to sunshine. The average annual sunshine is about 1,600 hours. Rainfall tends to be associated with Atlantic depressions or with convection. In summer, convection caused by solar surface heating sometimes forms shower clouds and
4636-471: The Biddle Street Site of Special Scientific Interest . Yatton Yatton is a village and civil parish within the unitary authority of North Somerset , which falls within the ceremonial county of Somerset , England. It is located 11 miles (18 km) south-west of Bristol . Its population in 2011 was 7,552. The parish includes Claverham , a small village which was originally
4758-733: The Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra . In 1999 the theatre was expanded with a new foyer, bar and box office along with improved rehearsal space and stage access, at a cost of £750,000 by the Steel, Coleman Davis partnership who received an award for the design. The expansion was funded by the Arts Council England . The village is on the route of the Samaritans Way South West . The Anglican Parish Church of The Holy Trinity dates from
4880-679: The Bristol Channel and therefore includes Kingston Seymour in addition to Yatton . The total ward population taken from the 2011 census was 9,273. The parish is represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom as part of the Wells and Mendip Hills constituency. It elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election. The area around Yatton and Claverham, which falls within
5002-582: The Dissolution . Sharpham Park is a 300-acre (120 ha) historic park, approximately two miles (three kilometres) west of Street, which dates back to the Bronze Age . The first known reference is a grant by King Edwy to the then Aethelwold in 957. In 1191 Sharpham Park was conferred by the soon-to-be King John to the Abbots of Glastonbury, who remained in possession of the park and house until
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5124-627: The Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1539. From 1539 to 1707 the park was owned by the Duke of Somerset , Sir Edward Seymour , brother of Queen Jane ; the Thynne family of Longleat , and the family of Sir Henry Gould . Sir Edward Dyer the Elizabethan poet and courtier (died 1607) was born here in 1543. The house is now a private residence and Grade II* listed building . Sharpham was also
5246-545: The Dorset Central Railway , together forming the Somerset and Dorset Railway (S&DR). The Somerset Central had intended making a branch from Wells to Yatton, joining the B&ER main line there, and including the formation of the direct connection to the East Somerset line at Wells, and a spur there to enable direct running from Glastonbury to Bristol. The Somerset & Dorset Railway took over
5368-513: The Fire Services Act 1947 , when fire service responsibility transferred from national government to local authority control after World War II . The current station was built in 1973. Today, Yatton fire station, which is part of Avon Fire and Rescue Service , runs with two appliances, a water tender ladder and a specialist hose-laying vehicle. The Yatton firefighters work on a retained duty system, which means that they do not work at
5490-521: The Hettangian stage. It is the lowest of the three divisions of the Lower Jurassic period and, as such, is also given the name Lower Lias . It consists of thin blue argillaceous, or clay-like, limestone. The Blue Lias contains many fossils , especially ammonites . Fossils discovered in the lias include many ichthyosaurs , one of which has been adopted as the badge of Street. There is
5612-602: The North Somerset Levels , is a mixture of peat, estuarine alluvium and low hills of sand and gravel with, to the south the limestone ridge of Cadbury Hill, which rises to 250 feet (76 m). On its summit stands an Iron Age hill fort known, in archaeological circles, as Cadbury-Congresbury in order to differentiate it from the Cadbury hillfort in South Cadbury . It appears to have been constructed in
5734-424: The North Somerset Levels , where the low-lying land, a mixture of peat, estuarine alluvium and low hills of sand and gravel, is crossed by a myriad of watercourses, providing a habitat for several scarce species. St Mary's Church dates from the 14th century and there are a range of other places of worship. In addition to religious groups, Yatton has several sporting clubs and other community groups. The origin of
5856-638: The Somerset Levels . The vegetation consists of wet and dry heath, species-rich bog and carr woodland, with transitions between all these habitats. Rare ferns present include marsh fern ( Thelypteris palustris ) and royal fern ( Osmunda regalis ). Old peat workings and rhynes have a wetland community which includes bulrush ( Typha latifolia ), yellow flag iris ( pseudacorus ), cyperus-like sedge ( Carex pseudocyperus ) and lesser bur-reed ( Sparganium natans ). Insects recorded include 33 species of butterflies , 200 moths and 12 grasshoppers and crickets , with several notable rarities. Birds breeding in
5978-632: The ceremonial county of Somerset but it is administered independently of the non-metropolitan county . Its administrative headquarters is in the town hall in Weston-super-Mare . Between 1 April 1974 and 1 April 1996, it was the Woodspring district of the county of Avon . Before 1974 that the parish was part of the Long Ashton Rural District . An electoral ward exists with the same name. The ward stretches to
6100-483: The non-metropolitan district of Mendip , which was formed on 1 April 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972 , and is responsible for local planning and building control , local roads, council housing , environmental health , markets and fairs, refuse collection and recycling , cemeteries and crematoria , leisure services, parks, and tourism. There are currently three electoral wards of
6222-526: The 12th century to the end of the 19th century. It is a geological formation in southern England, part of the Lias Group . The Blue Lias consists of a sequence of limestone and shale layers, laid down in latest Triassic and early Jurassic times, between 195 and 200 million years ago. Its age corresponds to the Rhaetian to lower Sinemurian stages of the geologic timescale , thus fully including
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#17327656074156344-578: The 14th century but underwent extensive restoration in the 19th century. It has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade I listed building . The chancel pre dates the rest of the building, having been built about 1270. The first recorded Rector was John de Hancle in 1304. The parish is linked with Street Mission Church in Vestry Road and the church in Walton . There is also a Baptist church on Glaston Road. The Quaker Friends Meeting House
6466-476: The Atlantic depressions, which is when they are most active. In summer, a large proportion of the rainfall is caused by sun heating the ground leading to convection and to showers and thunderstorms. Average rainfall is around 700 mm (28 in). About 8–15 days of snowfall is typical. November to March have the highest mean wind speeds, and June to August have the lightest winds. The predominant wind direction
6588-751: The B&ER had to construct a separate station at Wells on Tucker Street, short of the S&;DR. There would now be three stations in Wells. The B&ER line was opened to Cheddar on 3 August 1869: the lavish passenger station was not ready, and for a period the goods shed was used for passenger purposes. The passenger station was open on 9 or 10 May 1870. The line was opened to the Tucker Street station at Wells on 5 April 1870. From that date Wells had three stations, none of them connected, yet all aligned with through running in mind: from north-west to south-east,
6710-583: The B&ER station at Tucker Street; the Somerset and Dorset station aligned as a through station, but with its line from Glastonbury approaching from the south-west; and the GWR (former ESR) station. All were called "Wells" at this stage. This situation persisted for several years; in 1876 the Deputy Chairman of the GWR visited, and reported Proceeding through the Somerset & Dorset station I had pointed out to me what had already been done to form
6832-535: The Bristol & Exeter Railway (Additional Powers) Act on 19 June 1865. The Bristol and Exeter Railway proceeded with the construction of the project it had acquired; their Chief Engineer, Francis Fox, was resident engineer for the work. The authorised scheme was to run to the East Somerset Railway station at Wells, running through and calling at the Somerset & Dorset station there, and the track
6954-562: The East Somerset Railway followed the Wilts, Somerset and Weymouth Railway practice of using a double-needle electric telegraph; the signals at each station were disc and crossbar home signals; starting was authorised by hand signal. The GWR replaced the double-needle telegraph by a single-needle variety. The Bristol and Exeter line (north-west of Wells) used a staff-and-ticket system, but the Somerset Central line, worked by them, used
7076-472: The Elizabethan era. Situated on an area of slightly higher, drained ground surrounded by moorland (locally called a 'batch'), Yatton was a well-established village by Norman times . The remains of an Iron Age hill fort at Cadbury Hill have been discovered, as well as a Roman villa , temple and hoard of coins. Older Christian burial grounds have also been discovered on Cadbury Hill. The parish
7198-493: The GWR in 1876, and the integrated service ran from Yatton through to Witham, which became the standard service for this line from 1878. GWR trains ran through the Priory Road S&;DJR station without stopping. As it was the terminus of that railway's branch from Glastonbury and Street , so that terminating trains blocked the through line during their own station duties there. By the 1870s it began to be obvious that
7320-617: The GWR was unwilling to pay that price for an unsuccessful railway. The GWR was planning to convert the gauge of the former Wilts, Somerset and Weymouth line to standard gauge, and gave notice to the East Somerset in January 1874 that it would do so in May. The ESR directors could hardly have been surprised at this development, but it meant that they too would have to convert the gauge of their line. The cost of that would be £7,390, money that they did not have. The ESR now had no alternative to selling to
7442-421: The GWR, which they did for GWR preference stock valued at £67,442. The sale took effect on 2 December 1874. As described above, the Somerset Central Railway (SCR) had opened its branch line from Glastonbury to Wells on 15 March 1859; the Somerset Central was a broad gauge line at this time, worked by the Bristol and Exeter Railway (B&ER), with which it joined at Highbridge. It was originally contemplated that
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#17327656074157564-614: The Iron Age when one or more ramparts, with walls and ditches, were built on the steep slopes of the hill to defend an area covering some 8.5 acres (34,000 m ). Biddle Street has been designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest where management practices and the variation in the soils has resulted in the watercourses supporting a wide range of aquatic plant communities. Where open water occurs plants such as common water-starwort (Callitriche stagnalis) , European frogbit (Hydrocharis morsusranae) , fan-leaved water-crowfoot (Ranunculus circinatus) . The calcareous influence of
7686-665: The Mendip Council in Street which elect councillors every four years. As of 2010 the two councillors for Street North are both Liberal Democrats , Street West has one Liberal Democrat councillor and Street South is represented by two councillors one of which is a Liberal Democrat and the other is independent of any political party. Somerset County Council is responsible for the largest and most expensive local services such as education , social services , libraries , main roads, public transport, policing and fire services , trading standards , waste disposal and strategic planning. The total population equates to that shown above. Street
7808-439: The Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway. Blagdon and Farrington Gurney had long wanted a railway connection, but local interests could not raise the necessary funds. The Light Railways Act, 1896 enabled the construction and operation of railways with lower standards and therefore more cheaply. This coupled with the interest of the Bristol Waterworks Company in building a large reservoir which became known as Blagdon Lake , enabled
7930-410: The Strode complex. The outdoor pool, Greenbank, is open daily from early May until mid September each year. The only single use cinema in Street was closed down and converted into a nightclub in the 1990s. Strode Theatre , linked to the Crispin School and Strode College complex, is now the only place to see films, exhibitions and live performances. It opened on 5 October 1963 with a performance by
8052-576: The ages of 11 and 16 years enrolled. In 1997 it became the first Beacon School in Somerset. It is a Technology College and has a second specialism as a Language College . The school shares its campus with Strode College , a tertiary institution and further education college which provides education for 16+ students after they leave secondary school, these courses are usually A-levels or Business and Technology Education Councils (BTECs). The college also provides education for older/mature students, and provides some university level courses. The college
8174-417: The beginning the desired track had been laid; when Board of Trade sanction to open it was refused, the Somerset and Dorset company nonetheless charged the B&ER for the agreed rental charge. Later the ESR approached the GWR asking them to agree to work goods movements over the line, as the Board of Trade refusal only applied to passenger trains; the GWR replied that it would "hesitate to use the junction [i.e.
8296-416: The birthplace of the novelist and dramatist Henry Fielding (1707–54), and the cleric William Gould . Ivythorn Manor on Pages Hill was a medieval monastic house. It was rebuilt in 1488 for Abbot John Selwood of Glastonbury Abbey. After the Dissolution of the Monasteries it became a manor house owned by the Marshall and Sydenham families. Sir John Sydenham added a wing 1578 which was later demolished. By 1834
8418-432: The carr woodland include the local willow tit Merriman Park is named after Nathaniel James Merriman (1809-1882). He was Curate then Vicar of Street, until he emigrated to South Africa. He rose to become Archdeacon of Grahamstown then Dean of Cape Town before being elevated the Episcopate . Along with the rest of South West England , Street has a temperate climate which is generally wetter and milder than
8540-535: The connecting line] without the authority of the Board of Trade." In fact in 1874 when the B&ER Yatton line was still broad but the GWR former ESR line was narrow, an exchange platform was built by the B&ER at the East Somerset station, but sanction to run passenger trains through was again refused by Colonel Yolland; this was partly due to anticipated blockage of the turnpike road (Priory Road) by ESR engines running round their trains. Yolland reported that Great pains [had] been taken to make such arrangements of
8662-477: The construction of the Wrington Vale Light Railway , from Congresbury on the Cheddar Valley line to Blagdon. The GWR provided the money and a Light Railway Order was obtained. The line was 6 miles 41 chains (10.5 km) long and the station at Congresbury was substantially altered to accommodate the junction. The line opened on 4 December 1901, with stations at Wrington, Langford, Burrington and Blagdon . There were four passenger trains daily of which one
8784-654: The construction of the Shepton Mallet section early in 1857 and in October 1858 Captain Yolland of the Board of Trade visited the line for the formal inspection prior to opening for passengers. There were a number of detail issues: a turntable was provided at Shepton Mallet but not at Witham; and the signalling arrangements at Witham were questionable. The Company undertook that only tank engines would be used, rendering
8906-518: The council. The parish falls within the unitary authority of North Somerset which was created in 1996, as established by the Local Government Act 1992 . It provides a single tier of local government with responsibility for almost all local government functions within its area including local planning and building control , local roads, council housing , environmental health , markets and fairs, refuse collection , recycling , cemeteries , crematoria , leisure services, parks and tourism . It
9028-443: The fire station, but are called to the station when a fire breaks out. They respond to emergencies in a 62 square miles (161 km ) area covering Yatton, Cleeve, Kingston Seymour , Congresbury , Wrington and Blagdon , with an average of 130–150 callouts per year. Calls vary from small grass fires to full major alerts and road traffic accidents on the busy A370 main road. The Avon Fire and Rescue Service named Yatton Fire Station
9150-560: The gap was closed, and the line became a simple through line, operated by the Great Western Railway. The line became known as The Strawberry Line because of the volume of locally-grown strawberries that it carried. It closed in 1963. Sections of the former trackbed have been opened as the Strawberry Line Trail , which runs from Yatton to Cheddar . The southern section operates as a heritage railway using
9272-472: The history of Clarks and footwear manufacture in general, and a selection of shop display showcards from the 1930s, the 1950s and the 1960s, and television advertisements. The Clark family mansion and its estate at the edge of the village are now owned by Millfield School . The company, through the Society of Friends, also had its own small sanatorium and convalescent home on Ivythorn Hill overlooking
9394-642: The history of Clarks and footwear manufacture in general. The Clark family's former mansion and its estate at the edge of the village are now owned by Millfield School , an independent co-educational boarding school. Street is also home to Crispin School and Strode College . To the north of Street is the River Brue , which marks the boundary with Glastonbury. South of Street are the Walton and Ivythorn Hills and East Polden Grasslands biological Sites of Special Scientific Interest . Strode Theatre provides
9516-518: The house was largely ruined until its restoration around 1904, and a west wing was added in 1938. It is a Grade II* listed building . The parish council is responsible for some local issues, and sets an annual precept (local rate) to cover its council's operating costs. The parish council evaluates local planning applications and works with the local police, district council officers, and neighbourhood watch groups on matters of crime, security, and traffic. The parish council also initiates projects for
9638-468: The indefinite continuation of the broad gauge was impossible, and plans were formulated to convert the broad gauge lines to standard gauge (often referred to as narrow gauge for contrast). In 1874 131 miles (211 km) of the former Wilts, Somerset and Weymouth group of lines were converted; this included the former East Somerset line. In a huge operation, the last broad gauge trains ran on the line on 18 June, and on Sunday 21 June narrow gauge rolling stock
9760-418: The line continues south to Shute Shelve Tunnel, which cuts underneath Shute Shelve Hill . Within the tunnel the central surface has been paved with tarmac but it is unlit except for a central guide line of small guide lamps. The north half of the tunnel is brick lined, but about midway it reverts to unlined rock for the southern half, marking a change in the underlying geology from sandstone to limestone. After
9882-501: The line ran more or less level at first, then climbing to Shute Shelve Tunnel at 1 in 90, falling on the other side at 1 in 75. Gentle undulations followed to a summit between Lodge Hill and Wookey, climbing at 1 in 96. A slight fall followed to Wells. Leaving Wells the line climbed for over 6 miles to Dulcote at 1 in 46½ for much of the distance. The falling gradient the other side had a ruling gradient of 1 in 47, although with some short sections of gentler climb. The original signalling on
10004-500: The line took place on 28 February 1862, and the public opening was next day, 1 March 1862. The electric telegraph was hastily installed in pursuance of an undertaking given to the Board of Trade, and was ready on 1 May 1862. The East Somerset Railway was not a success in financial terms, and after a few years the possibility of a sale to the wealthy Great Western Railway was being considered. The East Somerset valued its line at £87,138, but
10126-459: The line towards Weymouth had a low priority, and the section between Frome and Yeovil did not open until 1 September 1856. Inhabitants of Shepton Mallet saw that a branch line to the WS&;WR (now GWR) line was feasible, and a provisional East Somerset Railway Company was formed at a meeting on 29 September 1855. The line was to join the GWR at Frome. The GWR was supportive, but made it clear that
10248-460: The line would make a direct connection with the East Somerset line, but this did not take place. The SCR station was aligned towards the ESR station, but they stopped on opposite sides of Priory Road without connecting to one another. The Somerset Central was taking steps to become independent of the B&ER, mixing the gauge of its track and acquiring its own rolling stock. In August 1862 it merged with
10370-408: The maintenance and repair of parish facilities, and consults with the district council on the maintenance, repair, and improvement of highways, drainage, footpaths, public transport, and street cleaning. Conservation (including trees and listed buildings) and environmental issues are also the responsibility of the council. Having previously been part of Street Urban District, the village now falls within
10492-406: The maintenance and repair of parish facilities, such as the village hall or community centre , playing fields and playgrounds , as well as consulting with the district council on the maintenance, repair and improvement of highways, drainage, footpaths, public transport and street cleaning. Conservation matters (including trees and listed buildings) and environmental issues are also of interest to
10614-475: The name East Somerset Railway . Important inland market towns suddenly found themselves at a huge disadvantage when trunk railways connected competing communities, giving them cheap and fast transport of the necessities of life, and of their products. When the Great Western Railway (GWR) opened throughout between London and Bristol in 1841, the inhabitants of Wells and Shepton Mallet saw that
10736-546: The name Yatton is uncertain. It may come from the Anglo-Saxon 'gatton' meaning 'village on the track'; the track in question is a path of limestone leading from Cadbury Hill . The village has at one time or another been called Jatune, Eaton (from ea [river] and tun i.e. the settlement on the River Yeo and Yatton Blewitt), and is recorded as Lature in the Domesday Book . West Yatton was also known as Yatton-Kaynes in
10858-491: The old station entrance. A number of bus services serve Street including route 376 to Bristol via Wells which is operated by First West of England and runs every hour. It is also served by Berrys Coaches daily 'Superfast' service to and from London. Primary infant/junior schools include Avalon, Brookside, Hindhayes, and Elmhurst. Crispin School is a secondary school teaching 11- to 16-year-old students from Street and many local villages. It has 1084 students between
10980-499: The old waiting room building at the station, and the cafe opened for business in December 2010. Prior to local authority cutbacks, Bakers Dolphin maintained a replacement bus connection (route 66) between Yatton and Clevedon . There is currently no public transport connection to Clevedon. In 1922 the site formerly known as 'The Pound' was purchased and the Yatton Parish War Memorial was erected. The memorial
11102-558: The original Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway main line from Highbridge to Evercreech Junction until closed in 1966 under the Beeching axe . Opened in 1854 as Glastonbury, and renamed in 1886, it had three platforms, two for Evercreech to Highbridge services and one for the branch service to Wells. The station had a large goods yard controlled from a signal box . The nearest stations are now around 9 miles away, at Castle Cary and Bridgwater. Replica level crossing gates have been placed at
11224-477: The project, obtaining the necessary Act of Parliament on 14 July 1864 for the Cheddar Valley and Yatton Railway . The B&ER had promoted a competing line, but a settlement was reached in which the B&ER and the S&DR agreed to abandon schemes encroaching on each other's area of influence, and the Cheddar Valley and Yatton scheme was transferred to the B&ER; the transfer of powers was ratified by
11346-414: The projected ESR extension there would abstract business from them, they proposed to the ESR that the two lines should link at Street , combine and arrange for the whole combined line to be worked by the GWR. The ESR did not favour this arrangement, and decided to proceed with its own extension. However the implacable opposition of a landowner made adherence to the route originally designed impracticable, and
11468-503: The promoters would not receive financial help from them. Isambard Kingdom Brunel was retained as the little company's engineer, and after a survey he recommended that Witham would be a preferable point of junction, reducing construction costs. A contractor, Rowland Brotherhood of Chippenham, agreed to subscribe £25,000 to the company's share issue if it could raise £30,000. On 5 June 1856 the East Somerset Railway Act
11590-408: The provisional directors of the East Somerset line; if Wells subscribed £12,500, would the ESR connect to their city? They would, and nearly all of the promised subscription was quickly forthcoming; the ESR obtained an Act on 25 July 1857 extending their powers to reach Wells, and authorising an additional £40,000 capital. The connection to Wells opened in 1862. Contract had been let to Brotherhood for
11712-571: The railway station near North End Road and Arnold's Way. Development to the south and east of the village has made the villages of Yatton, Claverham and Cleeve almost continuous as far as the A370 . Cadbury House Country Club is being developed to become a 60-room hotel and leisure centre. The hamlet of North End lies to the north of the North End roundabout, just before the junction for Kingston Seymour , and contains around 30 properties, including
11834-440: The rest of the country. The annual mean temperature is approximately 10 °C (50 °F). Seasonal temperature variation is less extreme than most of the United Kingdom because of the adjacent sea temperatures. The summer months of July and August are the warmest with mean daily maxima of approximately 21 °C (70 °F). In winter mean minimum temperatures of 1 °C (34 °F) or 2 °C (36 °F) are common. In
11956-510: The sanction of the signalman on duty. Gauge conversion on the B&ER line in November 1875 and operation of through trains of course reduced the blockage of the road by engines of terminating trains running round; the remaining sidings that did not have trap points must have been fitted, for the Board of Trade objection to through running was eventually resolved, and the intended connection was opened on 1 January 1878. Track layout diagrams show
12078-629: The sidings points and their connections with the signals by interlocking as to provide against the danger inherent on crossing so many goods lines on the level, but ... these arrangements are not suitable for working the passenger trains through Wells, as a through station ... [nor do I] assent to the present construction of this station so far as it renders it necessary to shunt engines across the turnpike road. ... [and] there are still sidings lying south of [the Somerset and Dorset] passenger lines which are not provided with blind sidings or throw-off points to prevent vehicles from being brought out of them without
12200-574: The signs that welcome visitors to Street. The River Brue marks the boundary with Glastonbury, to the north of Street. At the time of King Arthur , the Brue formed a lake just south of the hilly ground on which Glastonbury stands. This lake is one of the locations suggested by Arthurian legend as the home of the Lady of the Lake . Pomparles Bridge stood at the western end of this lake, guarding Glastonbury from
12322-509: The site of Congresbury railway station . A new section of path along the top of the Congresbury Yeo river bank avoids the busy A370 road running alongside. At Congresbury the platforms of the former station remain, as do houses built for railway workers. The route on to Sandford is surfaced. Upon reaching the rail bridge on the outskirts of Sandford the trail joins Nye Road for about half a mile (800 m), before turning right into
12444-400: The site. There are two nationally scarce grasshopper species present; rufous grasshopper ( Gomphocerippus rufus ) and woodland grasshopper ( Omocestus rufipes ). Several nationally scarce species of moth , beetle , bee and ant also occur. Street Heath is a nature reserve , managed by Somerset Wildlife Trust , and has outstanding examples of communities which were once common on
12566-473: The south, and it was here that Sir Bedivere is thought to have thrown the sword Excalibur into the waters after King Arthur fell at the Battle of Camlann . The old bridge was replaced by a reinforced concrete arch bridge in 1911. Before the 13th century, the direct route to the sea at Highbridge was blocked by gravel banks and peat near Westhay. The course of the river partially encircled Glastonbury from
12688-668: The south, around the western side (through Beckery ), and then north through the Panborough - Bleadney gap in the Wedmore - Wookey Hills, to join the River Axe just north of Bleadney. This route made it difficult for the officials of Glastonbury Abbey to transport produce from their outlying estates to the Abbey, and when the valley of the river Axe was in flood it backed up to flood Glastonbury itself. Sometime between 1230 and 1250,
12810-455: The summer the Azores high pressure affects the south-west of England, however convective cloud sometimes forms inland, reducing the number of hours of sunshine. Annual sunshine rates are slightly less than the regional average of 1,600 hours. Most of the rainfall in the south-west is caused by Atlantic depressions or by convection . Most of the rainfall in autumn and winter is caused by
12932-418: The town itself missing out the station site higher on the hillside behind the church. The railway track is regained opposite St Michael's Cheshire Home and there is a picnic spot overlooking the reservoir. The route comes to an end at the side of the former station which is now in use as a stonemason's surrounded by a small industrial estate, a mile (1.6 km) from Cheddar Gorge . It also includes parts of
13054-691: The tunnel the line continues due south through a deep cutting and onto an embankment as the land falls away until meeting the A38 which a bridge once crossed. From this point the line turns eastwards and follows the southern edge of the Mendip Hills crossing the Cheddar Yeo . The track bed around Axbridge has now been made into the A371 road , but the station building, goods shed and station master's house are all in use. The Strawberry Line Trail goes through
13176-434: The turntable unnecessary, and Brunel personally managed to persuade the Board of Trade that opening was permissible: they agreed, and the opening took place on 9 November 1858. The line was single, and on the broad gauge with longitudinal sleepers and bridge rails. The GWR would work the line including maintaining the permanent way. The Somerset Central Railway opened its line as far as Wells on 15 March 1859, and seeing that
13298-423: The underlying Compton soils also encourages whorled water-milfoil (Myriophyllum verticillatum) and stonewort (Chara sp) . Also present are the nationally scarce rootless duckweed (Wolffia arrhiza) and hairlike pondweed (Potamogeton trichoides) . Along with the rest of South West England , Yatton has a temperate climate generally wetter and milder than the rest of England. The annual mean temperature
13420-531: The village's shopping precinct — includes a supermarket and several local shops and takeaways. There are a number of thriving local businesses, including Pullin's Bakers, Costain Technology Solutions (formerly Simulation Systems Ltd ), Stowell Concrete, Smart Systems, Oxford Instruments, and Bob Martin Petcare . Farming remains an important activity in the area. Fairey Hydraulics
13542-600: The village. In 1931, the chalet-style building was leased to the Youth Hostel Association and became the first youth hostel in Somerset. It is still used for this purpose. In Roman times Street was close to the route of the Fosse Way and is now on the route of the modern A39 road which runs from Bath to Cornwall , and the A361 . Glastonbury and Street railway station was the biggest station on
13664-406: Was again Yolland, now apparently a Lieutenant-Colonel. He observed that there was now a turntable at Shepton Mallet, in the middle of the line, but none at either terminus, and the signalling system was inadequate: he declined to pass the line as ready. The Board of Trade seems to have overruled him on receiving undertakings that one engine at a time would be in use on the line. A ceremonial opening of
13786-471: Was established there by the mid-17th century. One Quaker family, the Clarks, started a business in sheepskin rugs, woollen slippers and, later, boots and shoes. This became C&J Clark which still has its headquarters in Street. In 1993, redundant factory buildings were converted to form Clarks Village , the first purpose-built factory outlet in the United Kingdom. The Shoe Museum provides information about
13908-675: Was founded in 1968 and as of the end of the 2015/16 season, were promoted to the Western Counties North division, having won the Tribute Somerset Premier League for 2015/16. They run three senior sides and have an extensive junior set-up. Claverham (Yatton) Cricket Club was formed in 1905 and provides cricket to all playing levels and ages. The senior teams play in the ECB West of England Premier League . Yatton fire station opened in 1947, after
14030-454: Was in place ready to operate a normal service. The Bristol and Exeter Railway converted its branch line from Yatton to Wells from 15 to 18 November 1875. The Bristol and Exeter Railway amalgamated with the Great Western Railway on 1 January 1876; the amalgamated company retained the title the Great Western Railway . The entire route from Yatton to Witham was now under single ownership, although it relied on running over 9 chains (180 m) of
14152-681: Was mixed; they ran to and from Yatton. Following World War II , road usage increased considerably and rail usage declined, particularly on rural branch lines. The line was being considered for closure when the British Railways Board published the report in 1963, The Reshaping of British Railways often referred to as the Beeching cuts . Accordingly the Cheddar Valley line is listed in the appendix of that report. The line between Yatton and Witham closed to passengers on 9 September 1963 and to goods in 1964. The line ran in
14274-582: Was named "highest performing retained duty station" for 2010. George Lukins , also known as the Yatton daemoniac, was an individual famous for his alleged demonic possession and the subsequent exorcism that occurred in 1788. Ken Day was born in Yatton in 1919 and played first-class cricket for Somerset County Cricket Club in seven matches between 1950 and 1956. Major Richard Foord , Liberal Democrat MP for Tiverton and Honiton , lived in Yatton for nineteen years. Street, Somerset Street
14396-525: Was originally called Clevedon Road and renamed Yatton Junction when the Clevedon branch was built in 1847. Other branches followed, to Cheddar / Wells (1869) and the Wrington Vale Light Railway (1901) to Blagdon from Congresbury . Although the branch line to Blagdon was closed to passengers in 1932, and the Clevedon and Cheddar / Wells lines were closed during the 1960s, the classically Victorian station designed by Brunel
14518-603: Was part of the Winterstoke Hundred . In the 1840s, the Bristol & Exeter Railway , with Isambard Kingdom Brunel as consulting engineer, was opened. It was initially leased to the Great Western Railway (GWR) but taken back into full ownership in 1849 and gained its own individuality which lasted until 1876 when all the broad gauge companies in the West Country merged into an enlarged GWR. The station
14640-534: Was passed, authorising share capital of £75,000. The City of Wells had anticipated a rail connection from the Somerset Central Railway , which had opened from Glastonbury to Highbridge in 1854; the Somerset Central main line was to have passed through the City, but the railway's priorities had changed and even a branch connection was much delayed. Accordingly, interested parties in Wells approached
14762-416: Was sited in Claverham, becoming Claverham Ltd in 1998. The site closed in 2017, and is today a housing estate. The local education authority is North Somerset Council. Yatton has a pre-school, infant and junior schools. Secondary education is not available in the village, and so many of Yatton's children commute daily to the nearby village of Backwell in order to attend Backwell School . The school
14884-416: Was to be on the broad gauge. There was to be a 180-yard (165-metre) tunnel at Shute Shelve. A difficulty with the route emerged at Wells: the tracks at the approach to the Somerset Central Railway (now S&DR) station had been laid out in a way that cut across the proposed Cheddar Valley line to the East Somerset station. The Board of Trade made it clear that the proposed through line was not acceptable, and
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