Midsomer Norton
Encyclopedia
Midsomer Norton is a town near the Mendip Hills
in Somerset
, England, 10 miles (16.1 km) south-west of Bath, 10 miles (16.1 km) north-east of Wells
, 10 miles (16.1 km) north-west of Frome
, and 16 miles (25.7 km) south-east of Bristol
. It has a population of 10,458. Along with Radstock
and Westfield
it used to be part of the conurbation and large civil parish of Norton Radstock
, but is now a town council in its own right. It is also part of the unitary authority
of Bath and North East Somerset
.
Midsomer Norton is characterised by the River Somer
which runs the length of the town centre. It has a long history which can be seen through a number of early churches which remain, but really started to grow and become a transport hub with the development of the Somerset coalfield
. For many years the coalmines provided employment for local men until they ceased operations in the 1960s, around the same time that the town's two railway stations also closed. Afterwards, good employment opportunities still remained for the town with elements of the print industry, and although some of these plants have also now begun to close, overall employment levels in the area remain very high.
Midsomer Norton provides shopping and service industries for the surrounding areas and supports several music venues and bands. The town has four primary schools and two large secondary schools. Midsomer Norton is home to a leisure centre, several sports clubs and provides youth opportunities such as Scouts and Guides. It has been the birth place or home to several notable people.
John Wesley
wrote of the appalling local road conditions which ensured it was reachable "only in midsummer." As Simon Winchester notes in his book The Map that Changed the World "...the roads on this part of Somerset were atrocious, thick with mud and as rough as the surface of the moon".
In some church records the town is referred to as 'Norton Canonicorum' as an alternative to Midsomer Norton, and this may be because of the local Priory's link to Merton Priory
in London
until the dissolution of the monasteries
in 1546.
The parish was part of the hundred of Chewton
.
Following the Norman Conquest William the Conquerer gave large parts of north Somerset, including the manor or Norton to Geoffrey de Montbray
, bishop of Coutances, and Norton was held under him by Ulveva. From about 1150 until 1300 the manor was held by Alured de Lincoln. From 1387 the manor was held by the family of Thomas West, 1st Baron West
and his descendants.
The Duchy of Cornwall
owned most of the mineral rights around Midsomer Norton and various small pits opened around 1750 to exploit these. Coal mining in the Somerset coalfield
gave the town and area its impetus as an industrial centre.
Around 1866 a obelisk monument with two marble plaques, was built at the site of St Chad's well, by mother of Frederick Stukeley Savage for the benefit of the poor. The obelisk was in the grounds of Norton House, however the house has since been demolished.
, which elects a Member of Parliament
to the House of Commons
of the Parliament of the United Kingdom
. It is also part of the South West England constituency
of the European Parliament
.
The Palladian
council offices were built in the mid to late 18th century. The Town Hall was built in an Italianate style in 1860 by Thomas Harris Smith.
south of Hallatrow consists of Supra-Pennant Measures which includes the upper coal measures and outcrops of sandstone. The relics of the industrial past are very evident within the area, including the distinct conical shape of the Old Mills batch overlooking the town.
Midsomer Norton lies on the River Somer
which rises to the west of Chilcompton
and on the Wellow Brook
which rises near the village of Ston Easton
. The town therefore occupies two valleys of the Mendip Hills
and these merge west of Radstock. The combined river then flows east reaching the River Avon near Midford
, thence to Bath and through Bristol
into the Bristol Channel
at Avonmouth
.
On the southern fringes of the town is the 2 hectares (4.9 acre) Silver Street Local Nature Reserve
. It contains a broad-leaf woodland around several ponds and a grassland field. The woodland is leased to the Somerset and Dorset Heritage Railway Trust by Bath and North East Somerset Council and the meadow in the stewardship of Somervale School.
Along with the rest of South West England
, the Midsomer Norton has a temperate climate
generally wetter and milder than the rest of England. The annual mean temperature 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 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 cloud
s and 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.
To prevent future deluges, a major flood alleviation tunnel — completed in 1977 - was constructed beneath the high street to remove excess water when the town centre was threatened with flooding. The infrastructure comprises a sluice gate situated at the top of the high street near Somervale School
through which the water is carried under the town via a pre-cast concrete culvert several metres in diameter to an outlet further downstream at Rackvernal. Since it began operation, no flooding has occurred to the high street and an Environment Agency
report confirms that the relief scheme remains in good condition and continues to serve to its 100 year standard.
Despite the success of the scheme, some outlying areas of the town are now rated at increased risk of flooding from Wellow Brook due to climate change and the increased provision of housing in the vicinity. In 2008 a new monitoring station was installed at nearby Welton through which data on water pressure and flood levels can be collected via metal tubes placed in the river linked to a telemetry box. This facility is now providing the Environment Agency with extremely useful information for use in future assessments of flood risk.
. The coming of the railways, particularly the Bath extension of the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway
(S&D) in 1874, transformed the conveyance of coal out of the area.
The last pit in the town, at Norton Hill, closed in 1966. Despite modernisation in the early 1960s, this final pit lapsed into unprofitability due to local geological difficulties and manpower shortages.
Midsomer Norton traditionally hosted other industries and became a major manufacturing centre for printing and packaging. Some 2,000 people (27% of total employment) work in this industry locally. Following the decline of mining, these companies expanded on local trading estates and in Welton. The sites of the disused collieries in the area have subsequently been developed for light industry.
In recent years some of the larger firms have disappeared or relocated, with poor transport links being cited as a handicap. A large packaging company, Alcan Mardon closed in 2006, although the social club remains. Another extremely important plant, Polestar Purnell
, based in nearby Paulton
also closed the same year with the loss of 400 jobs. In August 2011, the town's largest remaining employer, Welton, Bibby & Baron, the largest producer of recyclable paper bags in Europe, announced the closure of its site in Welton, which it occupied for 150 years. The company, known locally as ‘Welton Bag’ plans to move to larger premises at Westbury in Wiltshire, but promises to transfer all 400 jobs to the new site.
The business parks remain busy however, and the town and environs has its share of national trading companies including supermarkets and retail outlets. The town's High Street has free parking. Many inhabitants commute to Bath and Bristol for employment and shopping.
Dial-a-Ride services for the elderly and handicapped are well used, along with the local Community minibus set up by the local Rotary Club in 1967 under Midsomer Norton & Radstock Community Service Vehicle Trust. This vehicle is for use primarily by organisations in the area serving the disabled and infirm.
on the S&D but this closed in 1966, and by a second station on the Bristol and North Somerset Railway
at Welton in the valley. The railways were separate, the S&D being administered by the Midland Railway
and the London and South Western Railway
companies (later the London Midland and Scottish Railway and the Southern Railway
) and the North Somerset being run by and then owned by the Great Western Railway
. The stations were both called "Midsomer Norton and Welton" (the B&NSR station was originally called just "Welton"); under British Railways, the S&D station was renamed as Midsomer Norton South after a short period as Midsomer Norton Upper; and is currently being restored with occasional open weekends with engines in steam. The Somerset & Dorset Railway Heritage Trust one day hopes to operate steam trains for a mile up to Chilcompton Tunnel but there remains much to do before this can happen.
, lyrics by Michael Flanders
, music by Donald Swann
:-
Children's author Roald Dahl
, prior to his writing fame, used to sell kerosene in Midsomer Norton and the surrounding area in the 1930s. He described the experience vividly in his autobiographical work Boy: Tales of Childhood (published 1984):
The Waugh family connection with Midsomer Norton began when Dr Alexander Waugh, father of Arthur Waugh
and grandfather of Evelyn Waugh
and Alec Waugh
moved to Island House, which had been built in the early 18th century, in The Island in the centre of the town in 1865. The family later moved to a house in Silver Street. As a boy, Evelyn Waugh
spent his summer holidays in Midsomer Norton with his maiden aunts. He later described his visits there: "I suppose that in fact I never spent longer than two months there in any year, but the place captivated my imagination as my true home never did".
The Palladium cinema was opened as the Empire in 1913 in a building which had previously been a brewery. It closed in 1993 and attempts have been made to turn it into a club and shops.
Midsomer Norton hosts the only unofficial carnival on the West Country Carnival
circuit, usually on the second Thursday in November. At one time, floats travelled through the main High Street but road improvements put paid to the larger vehicles. Nowadays, the procession is held on the main Fosseway through Westfield
.
The local University of the Third Age
was founded in the 1990s. Regular Speaker Meetings are held in the Somer Centre. There are a number of interest groups who also arrange outings to shows and the occasional continental holiday.
The town's free newspaper is the Midsomer Norton, Radstock & District Journal
. The other local weekly paper is the Somerset Guardian
, which is part of the Daily Mail and General Trust
. The monthly magazine, the Mendip Times
, also includes local features.
Somer Valley FM
(97.5FM and online) is the Community Radio for the district.
There is also a community website where residents can discuss local issues called Midsomer Norton People.
, The Heys, Left Side Brain, The Big and Patchway Theft, The Volt and Cole Ford at The Wunderbar's first Love Music Hate Racism
benefit gig.
Regular concerts and events are held in the town and local leisure centres. Choir concerts (male voices in particular) command a local following and the Lions club
is a promoter of such attractions usually held in the Methodist or Parish churches.
There are a number of thriving local brass band
s. In 2006 Midsomer Norton hosted the European Open Marching and Show Band Championship which saw many bands from all over Europe visit the town.
, the original writer of Midsomer Murders
, borrowed part of the name of the town when he adapted Caroline Graham’s
Chief Inspector Barnaby series for Television in 1997. Although the series itself is primarily filmed in picturesque villages in Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, Horowitz chose the name after looking at a map of Somerset, believing that it sounded quintessentially English
Although no filming has ever taken place in Midsomer Norton or the surrounding parishes, some names of other nearby locations have been used by the producers in creating their fictional county of Midsomer, including Midsomer Wellow (Wellow
), Midsomer Magna (Chew Magna
), Midsomer Morton and the main settlement of Causton (Corston
).
Despite some occasional confusion, there is no other link between Midsomer Norton and the TV series.
, which is a 15th century tithe barn
converted by the famous architect Sir Giles Gilbert Scott
. It is a grade II* listed building. The local Catholic community are served by Benedictine
monks from nearby Downside Abbey
, coming under the Diocese of Clifton.
The Anglican Church of St John the Baptist
has a tower dating from the 15th century, although the upper stages are from the 17th century, but the rest was rebuilt in Gothic style by John Pinch the younger
in 1830-1831 and was extended in the 20th century with new chancel and lady chapel. It is a grade II* listed building. The churchyard includes a memorial to the 12 miners killed in 1839 when their rope was severed. St. John's is part of the Diocese of Bath and Wells
. The Patronage vests in Christ Church, Oxford
.
The Methodist Church in the town's High Street celebrated its 150th Anniversary in 2009. In 1746, John Wesley
's travelling preachers, based in Bristol were invited in the mid 1700s to support the local society, the man himself first coming in 1767. By the middle of the 1800s, the congregation had outgrown the original chapel erected in 1775 in Rackvernal Road (now demolished). In the 1990s, the present church building and adjoining hall were totally refurbished and linked, the facilities being well used by the local community. Local Methodists are part of the Bristol District of the Methodist Church and in the North East Somerset & Bath Circuit.
The Baptist
Church have their building in Welton but hold their Sunday morning service at Somervale School now in order to accommodate their growing congregation.
The Salvation Army
meet in their citadel at Stones Cross. There is a successful Scout
group, the 1st Midsomer Norton Scout Group based at Radstock Road, providing scouting to around 140 boys and girls per week, and a similarly popular Guide
group a short distance away at Rock Hall.
' postal address, is actually part of the neighbouring Somerset County Council
's education service.
There are two local secondary schools. Norton Hill School
has approximately 1400 students from the age of 11 to 18. In 1999 it became a Technology College
and in 2007 changed specialism to become a Maths and Computing College. In 2006 Norton Hill was also awarded a second specialism as a Language College
. The school was described by Ofsted
in 2007 as outstanding in every respect. The school has received both the Sportsmark
Award by Sport England and Artsmark
Silver Award. Somervale School
which has foundation status
, is a specialist Arts College
. In 2008, the school was the first in Bath and North East Somerset
to win the Eco-Schools
Silver Award. The number of pupils on the school roll has fallen to 603. This fall prompted the school to propose a federation with nearby Norton Hill School in March 2009. This is now in place with Peter Beaven as the overall head teacher of both schools within the federation.
In October 2010 the federation was confirmed as an academy.
The town is served by a further education college, Norton Radstock College
, in neighbouring Westfield
. It serves 1000 full-time students and 5,000 part-time students. The College has steadily expanded since it opened in the 1940s to serve the Somerset coalfield
s. As a Community College, it has expanded its range of vocational programmes, and has become an established part of the community. The college works with local employers to provide training programmes that meet the needs of both employers and employees. This ranges from short skills workshops, through to NVQs, BTEC
, Higher National Diploma
s and apprenticeships.
In 2010, additional leisure facilities were constructed including a skate board park.
There are several football clubs including Welton Rovers F.C.
who play in the Western Football League
, Welton Arsenal, and Norton Hill Rangers.
Midsomer Norton has its own Cricket
club, as do Midsomer Norton Methodists, and a Rugby union
team.
In 2002 the World Professional Billiards
Championship was held at the Centurion Hotel, part of L&F Jones, Midsomer Norton.
Mendip Hills
The Mendip Hills is a range of limestone hills to the south of Bristol and Bath in Somerset, England. Running east to west between Weston-super-Mare and Frome, the hills overlook the Somerset Levels to the south and the Avon Valley to the north...
in Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, England, 10 miles (16.1 km) south-west of Bath, 10 miles (16.1 km) north-east of 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...
, 10 miles (16.1 km) north-west of Frome
Frome
Frome is a town and civil parish in northeast Somerset, England. Located at the eastern end of the Mendip Hills, the town is built on uneven high ground, and centres around the River Frome. The town is approximately south of Bath, east of the county town, Taunton and west of London. In the 2001...
, and 16 miles (25.7 km) south-east of Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
. It has a population of 10,458. Along with Radstock
Radstock
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...
and Westfield
Westfield, Somerset
Westfield is a settlement lying on the Fosse Way between Radstock and Midsomer Norton in Somerset, England. In 2011 it was raised to the status of a civil parish....
it used to be part of the conurbation and large civil parish of Norton Radstock
Norton Radstock
Norton Radstock used to be a small conurbation and large civil parish in Bath and North East Somerset, England, south west of Bath, and the same distance north west of Frome. It had a population of 21,325 according to the 2001 census. The term Norton Radstock is not recognised by local residents,...
, but is now a town council in its own right. It is also part of the unitary authority
Unitary authority
A unitary authority is a type of local authority that has a single tier and is responsible for all local government functions within its area or performs additional functions which elsewhere in the relevant country are usually performed by national government or a higher level of sub-national...
of Bath and North East Somerset
Bath and North East Somerset
Bath and North East Somerset is a unitary authority that was created on 1 April 1996 following the abolition of the County of Avon. It is part of the Ceremonial county of Somerset...
.
Midsomer Norton is characterised by the River Somer
River Somer
The River Somer is a small river in Somerset, England.It rises at Chilcompton and flows to Midsomer Norton where it joins the Wellow Brook, which flows through Wellow and joins the Cam Brook at Midford to form Midford Brook before joining the River Avon close to the Dundas Aqueduct and the remains...
which runs the length of the town centre. It has a long history which can be seen through a number of early churches which remain, but really started to grow and become a transport hub with the development of the Somerset coalfield
Somerset coalfield
The Somerset Coalfield included pits in the North Somerset, England, area where coal was mined from the 15th century until 1973.It is part of a wider coalfield which covered northern Somerset and southern Gloucestershire. It stretched from Cromhall in the north to the Mendip Hills in the south, and...
. For many years the coalmines provided employment for local men until they ceased operations in the 1960s, around the same time that the town's two railway stations also closed. Afterwards, good employment opportunities still remained for the town with elements of the print industry, and although some of these plants have also now begun to close, overall employment levels in the area remain very high.
Midsomer Norton provides shopping and service industries for the surrounding areas and supports several music venues and bands. The town has four primary schools and two large secondary schools. Midsomer Norton is home to a leisure centre, several sports clubs and provides youth opportunities such as Scouts and Guides. It has been the birth place or home to several notable people.
History
"Norton" means 'north enclosure' from the Old English, while the use of its forename to distinguish it from other 'Nortons' is of late origin and not mentioned until 1334. Sources point to the town being situated midway between two branches of the Somer river; the Somer itself and Wellow Brook, which joins the Somer a short distance to the east near Radstock.John Wesley
John Wesley
John Wesley was a Church of England cleric and Christian theologian. Wesley is largely credited, along with his brother Charles Wesley, as founding the Methodist movement which began when he took to open-air preaching in a similar manner to George Whitefield...
wrote of the appalling local road conditions which ensured it was reachable "only in midsummer." As Simon Winchester notes in his book The Map that Changed the World "...the roads on this part of Somerset were atrocious, thick with mud and as rough as the surface of the moon".
In some church records the town is referred to as 'Norton Canonicorum' as an alternative to Midsomer Norton, and this may be because of the local Priory's link to Merton Priory
Merton Priory
Merton Priory was founded in 1114 by Gilbert Norman, Sheriff of Surrey under Henry I. It was located in Merton, Surrey, England at the point where the Roman Stane Street crossed the River Wandle....
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
until the dissolution of the monasteries
Dissolution of the Monasteries
The Dissolution of the Monasteries, sometimes referred to as the Suppression of the Monasteries, was the set of administrative and legal processes between 1536 and 1541 by which Henry VIII disbanded monasteries, priories, convents and friaries in England, Wales and Ireland; appropriated their...
in 1546.
The parish was part of the hundred of Chewton
Chewton (hundred)
The Hundred of Chewton is one of the 40 historical Hundreds in the ceremonial county of Somerset, England, dating from before the Norman conquest during the Anglo-Saxon era although exact dates are unknown. Each hundred had a 'fyrd', which acted as the local defence force and a court which was...
.
Following the Norman Conquest William the Conquerer gave large parts of north Somerset, including the manor or Norton to Geoffrey de Montbray
Geoffrey de Montbray
Geoffrey de Montbray , bishop of Coutances , a right-hand man of William the Conqueror, was a type of the great feudal prelate, warrior and administrator at need....
, bishop of Coutances, and Norton was held under him by Ulveva. From about 1150 until 1300 the manor was held by Alured de Lincoln. From 1387 the manor was held by the family of Thomas West, 1st Baron West
Thomas West, 1st Baron West
Thomas West, 1st Baron West was the only son of Sir Thomas West, of de Hampton Cantilupe , and Alice FitzHerbert the sister and heiress of Sir Edmund FitzHerbert. His father had fought in the Battle of Crécy and the subsequent siege of Calais under the command of Richard FitzAlan, 10th Earl of...
and his descendants.
The Duchy of Cornwall
Duchy of Cornwall
The Duchy of Cornwall is one of two royal duchies in England, the other being the Duchy of Lancaster. The eldest son of the reigning British monarch inherits the duchy and title of Duke of Cornwall at the time of his birth, or of his parent's succession to the throne. If the monarch has no son, the...
owned most of the mineral rights around Midsomer Norton and various small pits opened around 1750 to exploit these. Coal mining in the Somerset coalfield
Somerset coalfield
The Somerset Coalfield included pits in the North Somerset, England, area where coal was mined from the 15th century until 1973.It is part of a wider coalfield which covered northern Somerset and southern Gloucestershire. It stretched from Cromhall in the north to the Mendip Hills in the south, and...
gave the town and area its impetus as an industrial centre.
Governance
Midsomer Norton has its own Town Council with an elected Mayor. It is part of the North East Somerset constituencyNorth East Somerset (UK Parliament constituency)
North East Somerset is a county constituency created by the Boundary Commission for England as the successor seat to the Wansdyke Parliamentary Seat. It came into being at the 2010 general election.- Boundaries :...
, which elects a Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
to the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
of the Parliament of the United Kingdom
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
. It is also part of the South West England constituency
South West England (European Parliament constituency)
South West England is a constituency of the European Parliament. For 2009 it elects 6 MEPs using the d'Hondt method of party-list proportional representation, reduced from 7 in 2004.-Boundaries:...
of the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
.
The Palladian
Palladian architecture
Palladian architecture is a European style of architecture derived from the designs of the Venetian architect Andrea Palladio . The term "Palladian" normally refers to buildings in a style inspired by Palladio's own work; that which is recognised as Palladian architecture today is an evolution of...
council offices were built in the mid to late 18th century. The Town Hall was built in an Italianate style in 1860 by Thomas Harris Smith.
Geography
The main geological feature in this area of the Mendip HillsMendip Hills
The Mendip Hills is a range of limestone hills to the south of Bristol and Bath in Somerset, England. Running east to west between Weston-super-Mare and Frome, the hills overlook the Somerset Levels to the south and the Avon Valley to the north...
south of Hallatrow consists of Supra-Pennant Measures which includes the upper coal measures and outcrops of sandstone. The relics of the industrial past are very evident within the area, including the distinct conical shape of the Old Mills batch overlooking the town.
Midsomer Norton lies on the River Somer
River Somer
The River Somer is a small river in Somerset, England.It rises at Chilcompton and flows to Midsomer Norton where it joins the Wellow Brook, which flows through Wellow and joins the Cam Brook at Midford to form Midford Brook before joining the River Avon close to the Dundas Aqueduct and the remains...
which rises to the west of Chilcompton
Chilcompton
Chilcompton is a civil parish and village in Somerset, England, situated in the Mendip Hills two miles south of Midsomer Norton and 2.5 miles south-west of Westfield, close to the A37 .-History:...
and on the Wellow Brook
Wellow Brook, Somerset
The Wellow brook is a small river in Somerset, England.It rises near Ston Easton Park in the village of Ston Easton and flows east to Midsomer Norton. West of Radstock, it is joined by the River Somer and a tributary from Kilmersdon to the south...
which rises near the village of Ston Easton
Ston Easton
Ston Easton is a linear village and civil parish in the English county of Somerset. It is southwest of Bath and north of Shepton Mallet. It forms part of the Mendip district and lies along the A37 road south of the cities of Bristol and Bath and to the west of the town of Midsomer Norton...
. The town therefore occupies two valleys of the Mendip Hills
Mendip Hills
The Mendip Hills is a range of limestone hills to the south of Bristol and Bath in Somerset, England. Running east to west between Weston-super-Mare and Frome, the hills overlook the Somerset Levels to the south and the Avon Valley to the north...
and these merge west of Radstock. The combined river then flows east reaching the River Avon near Midford
Midford
Midford is a village approximately miles south south east of Bath, Somerset, England within the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty...
, thence to Bath and through Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
into the Bristol Channel
Bristol Channel
The Bristol Channel is a major inlet in the island of Great Britain, separating South Wales from Devon and Somerset in South West England. It extends from the lower estuary of the River Severn to the North Atlantic Ocean...
at Avonmouth
Avonmouth
Avonmouth is a port and suburb of Bristol, England, located on the Severn Estuary, at the mouth of the River Avon.The council ward of Avonmouth also includes Shirehampton and the western end of Lawrence Weston.- Geography :...
.
On the southern fringes of the town is the 2 hectares (4.9 acre) Silver Street Local Nature Reserve
Local Nature Reserve
Local nature reserve or LNR is a designation for nature reserves in the United Kingdom. The designation has its origin in the recommendations of the Wild Life Conservation Special Committee which established the framework for nature conservation in the United Kingdom and suggested a national suite...
. It contains a broad-leaf woodland around several ponds and a grassland field. The woodland is leased to the Somerset and Dorset Heritage Railway Trust by Bath and North East Somerset Council and the meadow in the stewardship of Somervale School.
Along with the rest of South West England
Climate of south-west England
The climate of south-west England is classed as oceanic according to the Köppen climate classification. The oceanic climate is typified by cool winters with warmer summers and precipitation all year round, with more experienced in winter. Annual rainfall is about and up to on higher ground...
, the Midsomer Norton has a temperate climate
Temperate
In geography, temperate or tepid latitudes of the globe lie between the tropics and the polar circles. The changes in these regions between summer and winter are generally relatively moderate, rather than extreme hot or cold...
generally wetter and milder than the rest of England. The annual mean temperature is about 10 °C (50 °F) with seasonal and diurnal
Diurnal motion
Diurnal motion is an astronomical term referring to the apparent daily motion of stars around the Earth, or more precisely around the two celestial poles. It is caused by the Earth's rotation on its axis, so every star apparently moves on a circle, that is called the diurnal circle. The time for...
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 is the dullest month and June the sunniest. The south-west of England enjoys a favoured location, particularly in summer, when the Azores High
Azores High
The Azores High is a large subtropical semi-permanent centre of high atmospheric pressure found near the Azores in the Atlantic Ocean, at the Horse latitudes...
extends its influence north-eastwards towards the UK.
Cloud
Cumulus cloud
Cumulus clouds are a type of cloud with noticeable vertical development and clearly defined edges. Cumulus means "heap" or "pile" in Latin. They are often described as "puffy" or "cotton-like" in appearance. Cumulus clouds may appear alone, in lines, or in clusters...
often forms inland, especially near hills, and reduces exposure to sunshine. The average annual sunshine is about 1,600 hours. Rainfall
Precipitation (meteorology)
In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation (also known as one of the classes of hydrometeors, which are atmospheric water phenomena is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls under gravity. The main forms of precipitation...
tends to be associated with Atlantic depressions
Low pressure area
A low-pressure area, or "low", is a region where the atmospheric pressure at sea level is below that of surrounding locations. Low-pressure systems form under areas of wind divergence which occur in upper levels of the troposphere. The formation process of a low-pressure area is known as...
or with convection. In summer, convection caused by solar surface heating sometimes forms shower cloud
Cloud
A cloud is a visible mass of liquid droplets or frozen crystals made of water and/or various chemicals suspended in the atmosphere above the surface of a planetary body. They are also known as aerosols. Clouds in Earth's atmosphere are studied in the cloud physics branch of meteorology...
s and 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
Wind
Wind is the flow of gases on a large scale. On Earth, wind consists of the bulk movement of air. In outer space, solar wind is the movement of gases or charged particles from the sun through space, while planetary wind is the outgassing of light chemical elements from a planet's atmosphere into space...
speeds, with June to August having the lightest; the prevailing wind direction is from the south-west.
Midsomer Norton flood alleviation scheme
For many years, the centre of Midsomer Norton was prone to flooding. Sometimes several times a year, the Somer rose up during prolonged rainfall and flooded shops, particularly where the high street is at its lowest point in the middle between Martin’s newsagent and the former Palladium cinema.To prevent future deluges, a major flood alleviation tunnel — completed in 1977 - was constructed beneath the high street to remove excess water when the town centre was threatened with flooding. The infrastructure comprises a sluice gate situated at the top of the high street near Somervale School
Somervale School
Somervale School is situated in Midsomer Norton in Bath and North East Somerset in South West England. The school, which has academy status, is a specialist Arts College. It is one of two schools in the area, providing secondary education to local children and some pupils who live outside the...
through which the water is carried under the town via a pre-cast concrete culvert several metres in diameter to an outlet further downstream at Rackvernal. Since it began operation, no flooding has occurred to the high street and an Environment Agency
Environment Agency
The Environment Agency is a British non-departmental public body of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and an Assembly Government Sponsored Body of the Welsh Assembly Government that serves England and Wales.-Purpose:...
report confirms that the relief scheme remains in good condition and continues to serve to its 100 year standard.
Despite the success of the scheme, some outlying areas of the town are now rated at increased risk of flooding from Wellow Brook due to climate change and the increased provision of housing in the vicinity. In 2008 a new monitoring station was installed at nearby Welton through which data on water pressure and flood levels can be collected via metal tubes placed in the river linked to a telemetry box. This facility is now providing the Environment Agency with extremely useful information for use in future assessments of flood risk.
Industry and commerce
For hundreds of years mining was an important industry for the area, and there were a number of mines in Midsomer Norton. e.g. Old Mills, Norton Hill, and Welton. However the seams were thin and with the hilly nature around, not easily worked. Generations of miners who worked in the difficult conditions of the local collieries are remembered at the Radstock MuseumRadstock Museum
Radstock museum in Radstock, Somerset has a range of exhibits which offer an insight into North Somerset life since the nineteenth century.The museum was originally opened in 1989 in barns in Haydon, and moved to its current site in the restored and converted Victorian Market Hall, a grade II...
. The coming of the railways, particularly the Bath extension of the Somerset and Dorset Joint 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...
(S&D) in 1874, transformed the conveyance of coal out of the area.
The last pit in the town, at Norton Hill, closed in 1966. Despite modernisation in the early 1960s, this final pit lapsed into unprofitability due to local geological difficulties and manpower shortages.
Midsomer Norton traditionally hosted other industries and became a major manufacturing centre for printing and packaging. Some 2,000 people (27% of total employment) work in this industry locally. Following the decline of mining, these companies expanded on local trading estates and in Welton. The sites of the disused collieries in the area have subsequently been developed for light industry.
In recent years some of the larger firms have disappeared or relocated, with poor transport links being cited as a handicap. A large packaging company, Alcan Mardon closed in 2006, although the social club remains. Another extremely important plant, Polestar Purnell
Purnell and Sons
Purnell and Sons was a small family printer based in Somerset which merged with other printers to become a large national publisher.- History :...
, based in nearby Paulton
Paulton
Paulton is a large village and civil parish, with a population of 4,896, located to the north of the Mendip Hills, in the unitary authority of Bath and North East Somerset , England....
also closed the same year with the loss of 400 jobs. In August 2011, the town's largest remaining employer, Welton, Bibby & Baron, the largest producer of recyclable paper bags in Europe, announced the closure of its site in Welton, which it occupied for 150 years. The company, known locally as ‘Welton Bag’ plans to move to larger premises at Westbury in Wiltshire, but promises to transfer all 400 jobs to the new site.
The business parks remain busy however, and the town and environs has its share of national trading companies including supermarkets and retail outlets. The town's High Street has free parking. Many inhabitants commute to Bath and Bristol for employment and shopping.
Dial-a-Ride services for the elderly and handicapped are well used, along with the local Community minibus set up by the local Rotary Club in 1967 under Midsomer Norton & Radstock Community Service Vehicle Trust. This vehicle is for use primarily by organisations in the area serving the disabled and infirm.
The railways
The town was previously served by a stationMidsomer Norton railway station
Midsomer Norton railway station was a station on the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway between and Shepton Mallet. It served the town of Midsomer Norton. The station was immortalised in 1964 in the song "Slow Train" by Flanders and Swann...
on the S&D but this closed in 1966, and by a second station on the Bristol and North Somerset Railway
Bristol and North Somerset Railway
The Bristol and North Somerset Railway was a railway line in the West of England that connected Bristol with towns in the Somerset coalfield. The line ran almost due south from Bristol and was 16 miles long.-The main railway:...
at Welton in the valley. The railways were separate, the S&D being administered by the Midland Railway
Midland Railway
The Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844 to 1922, when it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway....
and the London and South Western Railway
London and South Western Railway
The London and South Western Railway was a railway company in England from 1838 to 1922. Its network extended from London to Plymouth via Salisbury and Exeter, with branches to Ilfracombe and Padstow and via Southampton to Bournemouth and Weymouth. It also had many routes connecting towns in...
companies (later the London Midland and Scottish Railway and the Southern Railway
Southern Railway (Great Britain)
The Southern Railway was a British railway company established in the 1923 Grouping. It linked London with the Channel ports, South West England, South coast resorts and Kent...
) and the North Somerset being run by and then owned by the Great Western Railway
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
. The stations were both called "Midsomer Norton and Welton" (the B&NSR station was originally called just "Welton"); under British Railways, the S&D station was renamed as Midsomer Norton South after a short period as Midsomer Norton Upper; and is currently being restored with occasional open weekends with engines in steam. The Somerset & Dorset Railway Heritage Trust one day hopes to operate steam trains for a mile up to Chilcompton Tunnel but there remains much to do before this can happen.
Culture
Midsomer Norton's railway station has been memorialised, along with many other stations, in a famous song associated with railway closures, Slow TrainSlow Train
"Slow Train" is a song by the British duo Flanders and Swann, written in 1963.It laments the loss of British stations and railway lines in that era, due to the Beeching cuts, and also the passing of a way of life, with the advent of motorways etc....
, lyrics by Michael Flanders
Michael Flanders
Michael Henry Flanders OBE, was an English actor, broadcaster, and writer and performer of comic songs. He is best known to the general public for his partnership with Donald Swann performing as the duo Flanders and Swann....
, music by Donald Swann
Donald Swann
Donald Ibrahím Swann was a British composer, musician and entertainer. He is best known to the general public for his partnership of writing and performing comic songs with Michael Flanders .-Life:...
:-
Children's author Roald Dahl
Roald Dahl
Roald Dahl was a British novelist, short story writer, fighter pilot and screenwriter.Born in Wales to Norwegian parents, he served in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War, in which he became a flying ace and intelligence agent, rising to the rank of Wing Commander...
, prior to his writing fame, used to sell kerosene in Midsomer Norton and the surrounding area in the 1930s. He described the experience vividly in his autobiographical work Boy: Tales of Childhood (published 1984):
The Waugh family connection with Midsomer Norton began when Dr Alexander Waugh, father of Arthur Waugh
Arthur Waugh
Arthur Waugh was an English author, literary critic, and publisher. He was the father of the writers Alec and Evelyn Waugh.-His life:...
and grandfather of Evelyn Waugh
Evelyn Waugh
Arthur Evelyn St. John Waugh , known as Evelyn Waugh, was an English writer of novels, travel books and biographies. He was also a prolific journalist and reviewer...
and Alec Waugh
Alec Waugh
Alexander Raban Waugh , was a British novelist, the elder brother of the better-known Evelyn Waugh and son of Arthur Waugh, author, literary critic, and publisher...
moved to Island House, which had been built in the early 18th century, in The Island in the centre of the town in 1865. The family later moved to a house in Silver Street. As a boy, Evelyn Waugh
Evelyn Waugh
Arthur Evelyn St. John Waugh , known as Evelyn Waugh, was an English writer of novels, travel books and biographies. He was also a prolific journalist and reviewer...
spent his summer holidays in Midsomer Norton with his maiden aunts. He later described his visits there: "I suppose that in fact I never spent longer than two months there in any year, but the place captivated my imagination as my true home never did".
The Palladium cinema was opened as the Empire in 1913 in a building which had previously been a brewery. It closed in 1993 and attempts have been made to turn it into a club and shops.
Midsomer Norton hosts the only unofficial carnival on the West Country Carnival
West Country Carnival
The West Country Carnival is an annual celebration featuring a parade of illuminated floats , in the English West Country. The celebration dates back to the Gunpowder Plot of 1605. The purpose is to raise money for local charities....
circuit, usually on the second Thursday in November. At one time, floats travelled through the main High Street but road improvements put paid to the larger vehicles. Nowadays, the procession is held on the main Fosseway through Westfield
Westfield, Somerset
Westfield is a settlement lying on the Fosse Way between Radstock and Midsomer Norton in Somerset, England. In 2011 it was raised to the status of a civil parish....
.
The local University of the Third Age
University of the Third Age
The University of the Third Age is an international organisation whose aims are the education and stimulation of retired members of the community - those in the third 'age' of life. It is commonly referred to as U3A.- France :...
was founded in the 1990s. Regular Speaker Meetings are held in the Somer Centre. There are a number of interest groups who also arrange outings to shows and the occasional continental holiday.
The town's free newspaper is the Midsomer Norton, Radstock & District Journal
Midsomer Norton, Radstock & District Journal
The Midsomer Norton, Radstock and District Journal is a free weekly newspaper circulated in the towns of Midsomer Norton, Radstock, Westfield, and surrounding villages in Somerset.-Ownership:...
. The other local weekly paper is the Somerset Guardian
Somerset Guardian Standard
The Somerset Guardian and Standard are two weekly local newspapers, published in Somerset, England.The Somerset Standard & Guardian Series consists of the Frome & Somerset Standard, the Somerset Guardian and since July 2004 the Warminster & Westbury Standard....
, which is part of the Daily Mail and General Trust
Daily Mail and General Trust
Daily Mail and General Trust plc is a British media conglomerate, one of the largest in Europe. In the UK, it has interests in national and regional newspapers, television and radio. The company has extensive activities based outside the UK, through Northcliffe Media, DMG Radio Australia, DMG World...
. The monthly magazine, the Mendip Times
Mendip Times
The Mendip Times is a monthly magazine, distributed free of charge in the Mendip Hills and surrounding areas of Somerset, England.It was launched in 2006 and has three employees, who also produce Mendip TV....
, also includes local features.
Somer Valley FM
Somer Valley FM
Somer Valley FM is a local community radio that serves Midsomer Norton, Radstock and surrounding areas. The station is based in the grounds of Somervale School, though it serves the full community population in excess of 21,000, not just the school...
(97.5FM and online) is the Community Radio for the district.
There is also a community website where residents can discuss local issues called Midsomer Norton People.
Music scene
Midsomer Norton's main live music venue is The Wunderbar. It is a small bar located in the cellar of an estate agency on the High Street, which has been open since October 1994 and hosts regular concerts by local bands and regional touring acts as well as 'open mic' events. It plays host to is own internet radio station that specialises in playing local underground rock and punk music. Some of the memorable performances of recent years have been by Grizwald and the Bo Ties, Blueneck, Thirteen SensesThirteen Senses
Thirteen Senses are a post-britpop band from Penzance, Cornwall. The group released the album The Invitation on 27 September 2004, along with several singles: "Thru the Glass", "Do No Wrong", "Into the Fire" and "The Salt Wound Routine", of which the first three have reached the UK Top 40...
, The Heys, Left Side Brain, The Big and Patchway Theft, The Volt and Cole Ford at The Wunderbar's first Love Music Hate Racism
Love Music Hate Racism
Love Music Hate Racism is a music-oriented campaign based in Britain by the Anti-Nazi League and Unite Against Fascism. The campaign involves concerts aimed at spreading an anti-racist message...
benefit gig.
Regular concerts and events are held in the town and local leisure centres. Choir concerts (male voices in particular) command a local following and the Lions club
Lions Clubs International
Lions Clubs International is a secular service organization with over 44,500 clubs and more than 1,368,683 members in 191 countries around the world founded by Melvin Jones Headquartered in Oak Brook, Illinois, United States, the organization aims to meet the needs of communities on a local and...
is a promoter of such attractions usually held in the Methodist or Parish churches.
There are a number of thriving local brass band
Brass band
A brass band is a musical ensemble generally consisting entirely of brass instruments, most often with a percussion section. Ensembles that include brass and woodwind instruments can in certain traditions also be termed brass bands , but are usually more correctly termed military bands, concert...
s. In 2006 Midsomer Norton hosted the European Open Marching and Show Band Championship which saw many bands from all over Europe visit the town.
Midsomer Murders
Anthony HorowitzAnthony Horowitz
Anthony Craig Horowitz is an English novelist and screenwriter. He has written many children's novels, including The Power of Five, Alex Rider and The Diamond Brothers series and has written over fifty books. He has also written extensively for television, adapting many of Agatha Christie's...
, the original writer of Midsomer Murders
Midsomer Murders
Midsomer Murders is a British television detective drama that has aired on ITV since 1997. The show is based on the books by Caroline Graham, as originally adapted by Anthony Horowitz. The lead character is DCI Tom Barnaby who works for Causton CID. When Nettles left the show in 2011 he was...
, borrowed part of the name of the town when he adapted Caroline Graham’s
Caroline Graham
Caroline Graham is an English playwright, screenwriter and novelist.Graham was born in Nuneaton, studied with the Open University, and received a degree in writing for the theatre from the University of Birmingham. Her first published book was Fire Dance, a romance novel...
Chief Inspector Barnaby series for Television in 1997. Although the series itself is primarily filmed in picturesque villages in Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, Horowitz chose the name after looking at a map of Somerset, believing that it sounded quintessentially English
Although no filming has ever taken place in Midsomer Norton or the surrounding parishes, some names of other nearby locations have been used by the producers in creating their fictional county of Midsomer, including Midsomer Wellow (Wellow
Wellow, Somerset
Wellow is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, about south of Bath. The parish, which includes the hamlet of Twinhoe has a population of 511...
), Midsomer Magna (Chew Magna
Chew Magna
Chew Magna is a village and civil parish within the Chew Valley in the Unitary Authority of Bath and North East Somerset, in the Ceremonial county of Somerset, England. The parish has a population of 1,161.To the south of the village is Chew Valley Lake...
), Midsomer Morton and the main settlement of Causton (Corston
Corston, Somerset
Corston is a small village and civil parish close to the River Avon and the A4 road in the Bath and North East Somerset unitary authority, Somerset, England...
).
Despite some occasional confusion, there is no other link between Midsomer Norton and the TV series.
Religious sites and communities
The old Priory, which is now a hotel and restaurant, dates from the early to mid 17th century. Another old building is the Catholic Church of the Holy GhostChurch of the Holy Ghost, Midsomer Norton
The Church of the Holy Ghost, Midsomer Norton, Somerset, England is a Roman Catholic parish church housed in a converted tithe barn. It is served by monks of the Order of St. Benedict from Downside Abbey and is a Grade II* listed building....
, which is a 15th century tithe barn
Tithe barn
A tithe barn was a type of barn used in much of northern Europe in the Middle Ages for storing the tithes - a tenth of the farm's produce which had to be given to the church....
converted by the famous architect Sir Giles Gilbert Scott
Giles Gilbert Scott
Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, OM, FRIBA was an English architect known for his work on such buildings as Liverpool Cathedral and Battersea Power Station and designing the iconic red telephone box....
. It is a grade II* listed building. The local Catholic community are served by Benedictine
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
monks from nearby Downside Abbey
Downside Abbey
The Basilica of St Gregory the Great at Downside, commonly known as Downside Abbey, is a Roman Catholic Benedictine monastery and the Senior House of the English Benedictine Congregation. One of its main apostolates is a school for children aged nine to eighteen...
, coming under the Diocese of Clifton.
The Anglican Church of St John the Baptist
Church of St John the Baptist, Midsomer Norton
The Anglican Church of St John the Baptist in Midsomer Norton, Somerset, England is a Grade II* listed building. St. John's is part of the Diocese of Bath and Wells.The exact date of the building of the church is unknown, but was probably around 1150...
has a tower dating from the 15th century, although the upper stages are from the 17th century, but the rest was rebuilt in Gothic style by John Pinch the younger
John Pinch the younger
John Pinch the younger was an architect, working mainly in the city of Bath, England, and surveyor to the Pulteney and Darlington estate...
in 1830-1831 and was extended in the 20th century with new chancel and lady chapel. It is a grade II* listed building. The churchyard includes a memorial to the 12 miners killed in 1839 when their rope was severed. St. John's is part of the Diocese of Bath and Wells
Diocese of Bath and Wells
The Diocese of Bath and Wells is a diocese in the Church of England Province of Canterbury in England.The diocese covers the county of Somerset and a small area of Dorset. The Episcopal seat of the Bishop of Bath and Wells is located in the Cathedral Church of Saint Andrew in the tiny city of...
. The Patronage vests in Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
.
The Methodist Church in the town's High Street celebrated its 150th Anniversary in 2009. In 1746, John Wesley
John Wesley
John Wesley was a Church of England cleric and Christian theologian. Wesley is largely credited, along with his brother Charles Wesley, as founding the Methodist movement which began when he took to open-air preaching in a similar manner to George Whitefield...
's travelling preachers, based in Bristol were invited in the mid 1700s to support the local society, the man himself first coming in 1767. By the middle of the 1800s, the congregation had outgrown the original chapel erected in 1775 in Rackvernal Road (now demolished). In the 1990s, the present church building and adjoining hall were totally refurbished and linked, the facilities being well used by the local community. Local Methodists are part of the Bristol District of the Methodist Church and in the North East Somerset & Bath Circuit.
The Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
Church have their building in Welton but hold their Sunday morning service at Somervale School now in order to accommodate their growing congregation.
The Salvation Army
Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....
meet in their citadel at Stones Cross. There is a successful Scout
Scouting
Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth movement with the stated aim of supporting young people in their physical, mental and spiritual development, that they may play constructive roles in society....
group, the 1st Midsomer Norton Scout Group based at Radstock Road, providing scouting to around 140 boys and girls per week, and a similarly popular Guide
Girl Guides
A Guide, Girl Guide or Girl Scout is a member of a section of some Guiding organisations who is between the ages of 10 and 14. Age limits are different in each organisation. It is the female-centred equivalent of the Scouts. The term Girl Scout is used in the United States and several East Asian...
group a short distance away at Rock Hall.
Education
First schools for children up to 11 include Midsomer Norton Primary, St. John's Church of England, Welton Primary, Longvernal Primary and Westfield Primary. In addition, St Benedicts Catholic Primary School on the edge of Midsomer Norton with a 'Midsomer Norton, 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...
' postal address, is actually part of the neighbouring Somerset County Council
Somerset County Council
Somerset County Council is the county council of Somerset in the South West of England, an elected local government authority responsible for the most significant local government services in most of the county.-Area covered:...
's education service.
There are two local secondary schools. Norton Hill School
Norton Hill School
Norton Hill School is a state school with academy status in Midsomer Norton, Somerset, England. It was formerly the Midsomer Norton Grammar School....
has approximately 1400 students from the age of 11 to 18. In 1999 it became a Technology College
Technology College
Technology College is a term used in the United Kingdom for a secondary specialist school that focuses on design and technology, mathematics and science. These were the first type of specialist schools, beginning in 1994. In 2008 there were 598 Technology Colleges in England, of which 12 also...
and in 2007 changed specialism to become a Maths and Computing College. In 2006 Norton Hill was also awarded a second specialism as a Language College
Language College
Language Colleges were introduced in 1995 as part of the Specialist Schools Programme in the United Kingdom. The system enables secondary schools to specialise in certain fields, in this case, modern foreign languages...
. The school was described by Ofsted
Ofsted
The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills is the non-ministerial government department of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools In England ....
in 2007 as outstanding in every respect. The school has received both the Sportsmark
Sportsmark
Sportsmark is Sport England's accreditation scheme for secondary schools. The scheme recognises a school's out of hours sports provision.Sportsmark awards are given to secondary schools for provision for sport and physical education. They are currently being reviewed along with Activemark awards...
Award by Sport England and Artsmark
Artsmark
Artsmark is a national award scheme managed by Arts Council England. The scheme, that is open to all schools in England, recognises schools with a high level of provision in the arts.There are three levels of award:* Artsmark Gold* Artsmark Silver...
Silver Award. Somervale School
Somervale School
Somervale School is situated in Midsomer Norton in Bath and North East Somerset in South West England. The school, which has academy status, is a specialist Arts College. It is one of two schools in the area, providing secondary education to local children and some pupils who live outside the...
which has foundation status
Foundation school
In England and Wales, a foundation school is a state-funded school in which the governing body has greater freedom in the running of the school than in community schools....
, is a specialist Arts College
Arts College
Arts Colleges were introduced in 1997 as part of the now defunct Specialist Schools Programme in the United Kingdom. The system enabled secondary schools to specialise in certain fields, in this case, the performing, visual and/or media arts...
. In 2008, the school was the first in Bath and North East Somerset
Bath and North East Somerset
Bath and North East Somerset is a unitary authority that was created on 1 April 1996 following the abolition of the County of Avon. It is part of the Ceremonial county of Somerset...
to win the Eco-Schools
Eco-Schools
Eco-Schools is an international program of environmental and sustainable developmental education for schools. Foundation for Environmental Education is the founder of the programme and Eco-Schools is just one out of their five programmes....
Silver Award. The number of pupils on the school roll has fallen to 603. This fall prompted the school to propose a federation with nearby Norton Hill School in March 2009. This is now in place with Peter Beaven as the overall head teacher of both schools within the federation.
In October 2010 the federation was confirmed as an academy.
The town is served by a further education college, Norton Radstock College
Norton Radstock College
Norton Radstock College is a further education college in Westfield, Somerset serving Midsomer Norton, Radstock, Westfield, Keynsham and surrounding districts in Bath, Bristol, Wiltshire and Somerset, England....
, in neighbouring Westfield
Westfield, Somerset
Westfield is a settlement lying on the Fosse Way between Radstock and Midsomer Norton in Somerset, England. In 2011 it was raised to the status of a civil parish....
. It serves 1000 full-time students and 5,000 part-time students. The College has steadily expanded since it opened in the 1940s to serve the Somerset coalfield
Somerset coalfield
The Somerset Coalfield included pits in the North Somerset, England, area where coal was mined from the 15th century until 1973.It is part of a wider coalfield which covered northern Somerset and southern Gloucestershire. It stretched from Cromhall in the north to the Mendip Hills in the south, and...
s. As a Community College, it has expanded its range of vocational programmes, and has become an established part of the community. The college works with local employers to provide training programmes that meet the needs of both employers and employees. This ranges from short skills workshops, through to NVQs, BTEC
Business And Technology Education Council (BTEC)
The Business and Technology Education Council is the British body which awards vocational qualifications. Such qualifications are commonly referred to as "BTECs"....
, Higher National Diploma
Higher National Diploma
A Higher National Diploma is a higher education qualification in the United Kingdom. This qualification can be used to gain entry into universities, and is considered equivalent to the first or second year of a university degree course....
s and apprenticeships.
Sport
South Wansdyke Leisure Centre provides a wide range of activities including swimming. Norton Hill and Somervale School also have sports facilities used by town and local groups.In 2010, additional leisure facilities were constructed including a skate board park.
There are several football clubs including Welton Rovers F.C.
Welton Rovers F.C.
Welton Rovers Football Club is an English non-league football club who play at West Clewes, North Road, Midsomer Norton, Somerset in the Western Football League Division One. The club is affiliated to the Somerset County FA.-Early club history:...
who play in the Western Football League
Western Football League
The Western Football League is a football league in the south west of England, covering Bristol, Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, western Dorset, parts of Gloucestershire and Wiltshire and parts of South Wales...
, Welton Arsenal, and Norton Hill Rangers.
Midsomer Norton has its own Cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
club, as do Midsomer Norton Methodists, and a Rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
team.
In 2002 the World Professional Billiards
Billiards
Cue sports , also known as billiard sports, are a wide variety of games of skill generally played with a cue stick which is used to strike billiard balls, moving them around a cloth-covered billiards table bounded by rubber .Historically, the umbrella term was billiards...
Championship was held at the Centurion Hotel, part of L&F Jones, Midsomer Norton.
Notable people
- Peter AlexanderPeter Alexander (English actor)Peter Alexander is an English actor and director. He is probably best known for playing the character of Phil Pearce in Emmerdale Farm for three years....
(born 1952), actor who appeared in Emmerdale Farm - Thomas William AlliesThomas William AlliesThomas William Allies was an English historical writer specializing in religious subjects. He was one of the Anglican churchmen who joined the Roman Catholic Church in the early period of the Oxford Movement,-Life:...
(1813–1903), historical writer specializing in religious subjects - Ashley BarnesAshley BarnesAshley Luke Barnes is an English footballer who plays for Football League Championship club Brighton & Hove Albion as a striker, having previously played for Paulton Rovers, Plymouth Argyle, Oxford United, Salisbury City, Eastbourne Borough and Torquay United...
(born 1989), footballer - Joan BeauchampJoan BeauchampJoan Beauchamp was a prominent anti-World War I campaigner, suffragette and co-founder of the Communist Party of Great Britain.-Childhood:She was born in 1890 into a farming family in Midsomer Norton in Somerset...
(1890–1964), suffragette and co-founder of the Communist Party of Great Britain - Kay BeauchampKay BeauchampKay Beauchamp was a leading light in the Communist Party of Great Britain in the 1920s. She helped found the Daily Worker and was a local councillor in Finsbury.-Biography:...
(1899–1992), Communist who helped found the Daily Worker - William BeesWilliam BeesWilliam Dolman Bees VC was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces....
(1871–1938), English recipient of the Victoria Cross for services in South Africa - Don CarterDon Carter (footballer)Don Carter was a professional footballer for Bury FC and Blackburn Rovers.-Biography:He was born in Midsomer Norton in Somerset on 11 September 1921. He was an attacking winger who commenced his professional career with Bury FC....
(born 1921), footballer for Bury and Blackburn Rovers - David FisherDavid Fisher (artist)David Fisher is an award-winning English artist and designer based in Midsomer Norton, Somerset. He was a prolific designer and painter of pub signs before securing a unique commission to create vast murals to improve UK service stations. He has won many awards including the Holburne Museum of...
, award-winning artist. - Jody GoodingJody GoodingJody Gooding is a beach volleyball player for England and Great Britain who was the youngest-ever British champion.-Early life:He was born in Gloucester in 1981 and attended school in Tuffley at St Peter's High School, Gloucester and Hartpury College in Gloucestershire.-Career:He won the mens...
(born 1981), professional beach volleyball player, lives in the town. - Frederick GouldFrederick GouldFrederick Gould OBE was an English trade unionist and Labour Party politician who was Member of Parliament for Frome from 1923 to 1924 and from 1929 to 1931. He was also the father of Sir Ronald Gould, teacher and trade unionist.-Early life:Gould was born in Midsomer Norton. He came from a...
(1879–1971) MP for Frome, 1923–24 and 1929-31 - Sir Ronald GouldRonald GouldSir Ronald Gould was General Secretary of the National Union of Teachers from 1947–1970. He was the son of the Labour MP Frederick Gould.-Early life:He was born in Midsomer Norton, Somerset...
(1904–1986), General Secretary of the National Union of Teachers - Anita HarrisAnita HarrisAnita Harris is an English actress, singer and entertainer....
(born 1942), actor, singer and entertainer. - Bert HeadBert HeadBertram James Head was an English professional football player and manager.-Playing career:Head was born in Midsomer Norton and began his career with his local team before joining Welton Rovers. He moved to Torquay United in October 1936 and made his debut, at right-back, in a 1–0 win at home to...
(1916–2002), footballer for Torquay United and Bury FC. - Denise JohnsDenise JohnsDenise Johns is a professional beach volleyball player. She was born in Luxembourg, grew up in the USA, but competes for Great Britain.-Early life:...
(born 1978), professional beach volleyball player for Great Britain who lives in the town. - Uriah MaggsUriah MaggsUriah Maggs founder in 1853 of Maggs Bros Ltd, the longest-established antiquarian booksellers in the world.He was born in Midsomer Norton in Somerset. In about 1850, he and his father left to start a new life in London. After several failed business ventures he took up bookselling, founding...
(c.1828-1913), founder of Maggs Bros Ltd, long-surviving antiquarian bookseller - Professor Leslie Rowsell (L.R.) MooreLeslie Rowsell MooreProfessor L.R. Moore, , was Sorby Professor of Geology at Sheffield University, where under his leadership its geology department became one of the largest in the country. He also made significant advances in the study of palaeobotany and palynology. He was called as an expert witness at the...
(1912–2003), Professor of Geology at Sheffield University - Sedge Moore (born 1958), musician with The WurzelsThe WurzelsThe Wurzels are a British Scrumpy and Western band...
- Gareth and Kim Paisey from indie pop band Los Campesinos!Los Campesinos!Los Campesinos! are a seven piece indie pop band from Cardiff, Wales, formed in early 2006 at Cardiff University. Although the band formed in Wales, none of its members are Welsh. They released their debut album, Hold on Now, Youngster..., in February 2008 and followed this up by releasing a record...
. - George RowdonGeorge RowdonGeorge Henry Rowdon, born at Midsomer Norton, Somerset on 6 October 1914, and died in Bath in February 1987, played in one first-class cricket match for Somerset in the 1936 season....
(1914–1987), cricketer for Somerset - Samuel Evans RoweSamuel Evans RoweThe Reverend Samuel Evans Rowe was a minister who reached high rank in the Methodist church before a distinguished period as a missionary in South Africa, holding senior posts in the church, and founding an educational institution for girls.-Early life:He was born in Midsomer Norton, Somerset,...
(1834–1897), Methodist missionary to South Africa - Duncan SteelDuncan SteelDr Duncan I. Steel, BSc, MSc, DIC, PhD, FRAS , is a British/Australian scientist born in Midsomer Norton, Somerset. He is a world-renowned space science authority who has worked with NASA to assess the threat of comet and asteroid collisions and investigate technologies to avert such impacts...
(born 1955), world authority on space science - Dr. Geoffrey ToveyGeoffrey ToveyGeoffrey Harold Tovey CBE CBE, MD, FRCP, FRCPath, was a doctor whose scientific contributions in the field of haematology brought him an international reputation. He was also an expert in serology and founder and Director of the UK Transplant Service.-Childhood and early life:Geoffrey Harold Tovey...
(1916–2001), expert in serology and founder of NHS Blood and Transplant Service - Norman Voake, local historian
- Steve VoakeSteve VoakeSteve Voake is a successful English children's author from Midsomer Norton, Somerset, whose books have sold all over the world.In 2003 he was head teacher of a primary school in Kilmersdon, Somerset, when the BBC reported that he was being hailed as the next J. K. Rowling...
, children's author - Arthur WaughArthur WaughArthur Waugh was an English author, literary critic, and publisher. He was the father of the writers Alec and Evelyn Waugh.-His life:...
(1866–1943), renowned author and member of famous literary family - Andrew Webb, published poet
- C. J. F. WilliamsC. J. F. WilliamsChristopher John Fardo Williams was a British philosopher. His areas of interest were philosophical logic, on which topic he did most of his original work, and Ancient philosophy, as an editor and translator.-Life:...
(1930-1997), philosopher