Bear Flat
Encyclopedia
Bear Flat is an area of Bath, England
, to the south of central Bath, below and to the west of Beechen Cliff. The Wellsway, now the A367 road to Shepton Mallet
, runs through Bear Flat. Originally this was the main pilgrimage route from Bath, with its abbey
, and Wells
with its cathedral
.
'Flat' may be derived from the flatness of the land - most of Bath is very hilly. 'Bear' has nothing to do with the animal but is believed to be a corruption of the Anglo-Saxon
name 'Berwick' - 'Ber' meaning Barley and 'Wick' being a settlement - a settlement near a barley field. This was later incorporated into a farm which in the 19th century was called 'Barrack' farm, then demolished to make way for housing.
- the A367. Pedestrians and cyclists can follow across the river to the South of Bath city centre and then can follow Holloway up the hill.
At the top of the hill to the east of Bear Flat is Alexandra Park which affords stunning views over the city and Beechen Cliff School
. To the south is the deep wooded valley of Lyncombe Vale, formerly the route of the Bath branch of the Somerset and Dorset Railway
and Combe Down Tunnel
which was the longest unventilated rail tunnel in Britain. The tunnel together with the shorter Devonshire Tunnel are to be reopened as part of the Two Tunnels Greenway
forming part of the Sustrans
National Cycle Network
. To the east runs the Widcombe valley with Georgian buildings
. Central Bath is to the north.
built at either end of Bear Flat at Devonshire Buildings to the south, which comprises some later post war development in a mews style and Beechen Cliff, which includes some mid Victorian building to the north. The main estate of Poets Corner is a late Victorian
and Edwardian district of large terraced houses and forms a part of the wider City of Bath conservation area
. Poets Corner comprises four avenues (Shakespeare, Milton, Kipling and Longfellow), which all lead directly perpendicular from the Wellsway) with Chaucer Road running through the estate parallel to Wellsway. Other 'Poet' locations include Bruton Avenue, Byron Road, Shelley Road. Other streets include Devonshire Place, Attewell Place and Greenway Court.
Bear Flat has range of shops, including a Co-operative Food
, another local convenience store which includes a sub post office, Andrews and Mark Naylor estate agents, Rolfeys Antique Shop, The Carphone Warehouse
, Majestic Wine
, Da Vinci's delicatessen
, the Real Meat Company butcher's shop, a chemist, a florist and a charity shop. For people who wish to eat in Bear Flat there is a Pizza take-away, a Bangladeshi restaurant and a bistro wine bar that used to be another deli and two pubs, the Bear (now a gastro-pub) and the Devonshire Arms which also serves food. The Bear pub was formerly a brewery and public house but was severely damaged by a bomb in the Second World War
and subsequently demolished - the current pub is a post-war building. The Beechen Cliff Methodist Church is located at the bottom of Shakespeare Avenue with Bruton Community Hall and the Bear Flat Pre-school located to the rear in Bruton Avenue. There a number of Bed and Breakfast businesses benefitting from the close proximity to the city centre along the main road, together with a double glazing showroom and building company located on the east side of the Wellsway.
who moved up to Bear Flat from their original home in the centre of Bath.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, to the south of central Bath, below and to the west of Beechen Cliff. The Wellsway, now the A367 road to Shepton Mallet
Shepton Mallet
Shepton Mallet is a small rural town and civil parish in the Mendip district of Somerset in South West England. Situated approximately south of Bristol and east of Wells, the town is estimated to have a population of 9,700. It contains the administrative headquarters of Mendip District Council...
, runs through Bear Flat. Originally this was the main pilgrimage route from Bath, with its abbey
Bath Abbey
The Abbey Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, Bath, commonly known as Bath Abbey, is an Anglican parish church and a former Benedictine monastery in Bath, Somerset, England...
, and Wells
Wells
Wells is a cathedral city and civil parish in the Mendip district of Somerset, England, on the southern edge of the Mendip Hills. Although the population recorded in the 2001 census is 10,406, it has had city status since 1205...
with its cathedral
Wells Cathedral
Wells Cathedral is a Church of England cathedral in Wells, Somerset, England. It is the seat of the Bishop of Bath and Wells, who lives at the adjacent Bishop's Palace....
.
'Flat' may be derived from the flatness of the land - most of Bath is very hilly. 'Bear' has nothing to do with the animal but is believed to be a corruption of the Anglo-Saxon
Old English language
Old English or Anglo-Saxon is an early form of the English language that was spoken and written by the Anglo-Saxons and their descendants in parts of what are now England and southeastern Scotland between at least the mid-5th century and the mid-12th century...
name 'Berwick' - 'Ber' meaning Barley and 'Wick' being a settlement - a settlement near a barley field. This was later incorporated into a farm which in the 19th century was called 'Barrack' farm, then demolished to make way for housing.
Location
To reach Bear Flat from the centre of Bath, the original route was up Holloway (Either the 'Holy way' or a way hollowed out as it climbs around the shoulder of Beechen Cliff). This follows the mediaeval pilgrimage route and has a pilgrims church with 'Holy' well (recently restored but without water) opposite. Because of the steepness of Holloway a later road was built which climbs more gently. This is now called Wells Road but is named on some Georgian maps as the Wells-Exeter Road. Holloway is no longer open to traffic at the bottom but vehicles now take the Wells Road road out of Bath towards RadstockRadstock
Radstock is a town in Somerset, England, south west of Bath, and north west of Frome. It is within the unitary authority of Bath and North East Somerset and had a population of 5,275 according to the 2001 Census...
- the A367. Pedestrians and cyclists can follow across the river to the South of Bath city centre and then can follow Holloway up the hill.
At the top of the hill to the east of Bear Flat is Alexandra Park which affords stunning views over the city and Beechen Cliff School
Beechen Cliff School
Beechen Cliff School is a boys' secondary school in Bath, Somerset, England. Founded in 1896, it has 1,145 students aged 11 to 18.There are around 830 boys in years 7 to 11 and a co-educational sixth form of over 200 students...
. To the south is the deep wooded valley of Lyncombe Vale, formerly the route of the Bath branch of the Somerset and Dorset Railway
Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway
The Somerset & Dorset Joint Railway – almost always referred to as "the S&D" – was an English railway line connecting Bath in north east Somerset and Bournemouth now in south east Dorset but then in Hampshire...
and Combe Down Tunnel
Combe Down Tunnel
Combe Down Tunnel is on the now-closed Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway main line, between Midford and Bath Queen Square, below high ground and the southern suburbs of Bath, England, emerging below the southern slopes of Combe Down village....
which was the longest unventilated rail tunnel in Britain. The tunnel together with the shorter Devonshire Tunnel are to be reopened as part of the Two Tunnels Greenway
Two Tunnels Greenway
The Two Tunnels Greenway is a shared use path for walking and cycling under construction in Bath, Somerset, England.-Route:The route will follow the disused railway trackbed of the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway from East Twerton through the Bath suburb of Oldfield Park to the Devonshire Tunnel...
forming part of the Sustrans
Sustrans
Sustrans is a British charity to promote sustainable transport. The charity is currently working on a number of practical projects to encourage people to walk, cycle and use public transport, to give people the choice of "travelling in ways that benefit their health and the environment"...
National Cycle Network
National Cycle Network
The National Cycle Network is a network of cycle routes in the United Kingdom.The National Cycle Network was created by the charity Sustrans , and aided by a £42.5 million National Lottery grant. In 2005 it was used for over 230 million trips.Many routes hope to minimise contact with motor...
. To the east runs the Widcombe valley with Georgian buildings
Georgian architecture
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United...
. Central Bath is to the north.
Buildings and Services
The GeorgiansGeorgian era
The Georgian era is a period of British history which takes its name from, and is normally defined as spanning the reigns of, the first four Hanoverian kings of Great Britain : George I, George II, George III and George IV...
built at either end of Bear Flat at Devonshire Buildings to the south, which comprises some later post war development in a mews style and Beechen Cliff, which includes some mid Victorian building to the north. The main estate of Poets Corner is a late Victorian
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
and Edwardian district of large terraced houses and forms a part of the wider City of Bath conservation area
Conservation area
A conservation areas is a tract of land that has been awarded protected status in order to ensure that natural features, cultural heritage or biota are safeguarded...
. Poets Corner comprises four avenues (Shakespeare, Milton, Kipling and Longfellow), which all lead directly perpendicular from the Wellsway) with Chaucer Road running through the estate parallel to Wellsway. Other 'Poet' locations include Bruton Avenue, Byron Road, Shelley Road. Other streets include Devonshire Place, Attewell Place and Greenway Court.
Bear Flat has range of shops, including a Co-operative Food
The Co-operative Group
The Co-operative Group Ltd. is a United Kingdom consumer cooperative with a diverse range of business interests. It is co-operatively run and owned by its members. It is the largest organisation of this type in the world, with over 5.5 million members, who all have a say in how the business is...
, another local convenience store which includes a sub post office, Andrews and Mark Naylor estate agents, Rolfeys Antique Shop, The Carphone Warehouse
The Carphone Warehouse
Carphone Warehouse Group PLC , known as The Carphone Warehouse, is Europe's largest independent mobile phone retailer, with over 1,700 stores across Europe. It is based in the United Kingdom and is a 50% subsidiary of Best Buy...
, Majestic Wine
Majestic Wine
Majestic Wine plc is the United Kingdom's largest retailer of wine by the mixed case. -History:Majestic Vintners was founded by Sheldon Graner in 1980...
, Da Vinci's delicatessen
Delicatessen
Delicatessen is a term meaning "delicacies" or "fine foods". The word entered English via German,with the old German spelling , plural of Delikatesse "delicacy", ultimately from Latin delicatus....
, the Real Meat Company butcher's shop, a chemist, a florist and a charity shop. For people who wish to eat in Bear Flat there is a Pizza take-away, a Bangladeshi restaurant and a bistro wine bar that used to be another deli and two pubs, the Bear (now a gastro-pub) and the Devonshire Arms which also serves food. The Bear pub was formerly a brewery and public house but was severely damaged by a bomb in the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and subsequently demolished - the current pub is a post-war building. The Beechen Cliff Methodist Church is located at the bottom of Shakespeare Avenue with Bruton Community Hall and the Bear Flat Pre-school located to the rear in Bruton Avenue. There a number of Bed and Breakfast businesses benefitting from the close proximity to the city centre along the main road, together with a double glazing showroom and building company located on the east side of the Wellsway.
Artists Living in Bear Flat
A number of artists live in the area, ranging from painters to potters, sculptors, jewellers, photographers, etc. Every year they organise the Bear Flat Open Studios over the Spring Bank Holiday weekend, numerous homes are opened and work displayed, much of this work is also for sale - see Bear Flat Artists It has also become home to the Royal Photographic SocietyRoyal Photographic Society
The Royal Photographic Society is the world's oldest national photographic society. It was founded in London, United Kingdom in 1853 as The Photographic Society of London with the objective of promoting the Art and Science of Photography...
who moved up to Bear Flat from their original home in the centre of Bath.