Norton Radstock
Encyclopedia
Norton Radstock used to be a small conurbation and large civil parish in Bath and North East Somerset
, England, 8 miles (13 km) 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, neither does it appear on any road map. It consisted of the towns of Midsomer Norton
and Radstock
and the parish of Westfield. The town was north of the Mendip Hills
. It included the smaller settlements of Clandown, Westfield and Haydon. Following a Governance Review in 2010, it was abolished in 2011 and replaced by three smaller councils.
Norton Radstock was twinned with Ambarès-et-Lagrave
in France
from September 1982.
Clandown was formerly a mining village, on the Somerset coalfield
, but the last pits in the area closed in the late 1960s. The village's roots date back to Celtic times, where it was given the name 'Clandown' which means meeting place. The village changed hands many times from Celts to Romans to Saxons and so on. Clandown's Church of the Holy Trinity is a small church in quasi-perpendicular style, dating from 1847–49. It was built for the Rev. Charles Otway Mayne of Midsomer Norton
by the architect G. P. Manners (Bath City Architect). It is a Grade II listed building. The church was converted to apartments some years ago. As well as the church, there were two chapels and three public house
s. One of the chapels has been demolished and the other has been converted to apartments. Two pubs have been demolished. A school was opened in 1861 (there having been a dame school
before this) and closed in 2006.
The nearby Bowlditch Quarry
is a 0.25 hectare
geological Site of Special Scientific Interest.
. Under the Local Government Act 1972
it became a successor parish
to the urban district.
The council was replaced in 2011 by separate town councils for Midsomer Norton
and Radstock
, and a parish council for Westfield.
Norton Radstock was governed by the unitary authority
of Bath and North East Somerset
and by Norton Radstock Town Council, which elected 14 councillors across the four wards of Midsomer Norton North, Midsomer Norton Redfield, Radstock and Westfield. It was part of the North East Somerset
, which elects a Member of Parliament
to the House of Commons
of the Parliament of the United Kingdom
.
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...
, England, 8 miles (13 km) south west of Bath, and the same distance 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...
. It had a population of 21,325 according to the 2001 census. The term Norton Radstock is not recognised by local residents, neither does it appear on any road map. It consisted of the towns of Midsomer Norton
Midsomer Norton
Midsomer Norton is a town near the Mendip Hills in Somerset, England, south-west of Bath, north-east of Wells, north-west of Frome, and 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...
and 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 the parish of Westfield. The town was north 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...
. It included the smaller settlements of Clandown, Westfield and Haydon. Following a Governance Review in 2010, it was abolished in 2011 and replaced by three smaller councils.
Norton Radstock was twinned with Ambarès-et-Lagrave
Ambarès-et-Lagrave
Ambarès-et-Lagrave is a commune in the Gironde department in southwestern France.-Population:-References:*...
in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
from September 1982.
Clandown was formerly a mining village, on 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...
, but the last pits in the area closed in the late 1960s. The village's roots date back to Celtic times, where it was given the name 'Clandown' which means meeting place. The village changed hands many times from Celts to Romans to Saxons and so on. Clandown's Church of the Holy Trinity is a small church in quasi-perpendicular style, dating from 1847–49. It was built for the Rev. Charles Otway Mayne of Midsomer Norton
Midsomer Norton
Midsomer Norton is a town near the Mendip Hills in Somerset, England, south-west of Bath, north-east of Wells, north-west of Frome, and 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...
by the architect G. P. Manners (Bath City Architect). It is a Grade II listed building. The church was converted to apartments some years ago. As well as the church, there were two chapels and three public house
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
s. One of the chapels has been demolished and the other has been converted to apartments. Two pubs have been demolished. A school was opened in 1861 (there having been a dame school
Dame school
A Dame School was an early form of a private elementary school in English-speaking countries. They were usually taught by women and were often located in the home of the teacher.- Britain :...
before this) and closed in 2006.
The nearby Bowlditch Quarry
Bowlditch Quarry
Bowlditch Quarry is a 0.25 hectare geological Site of Special Scientific Interest near the village of Clandown, Bath and North East Somerset, notified in 1952....
is a 0.25 hectare
Hectare
The hectare is a metric unit of area defined as 10,000 square metres , and primarily used in the measurement of land. In 1795, when the metric system was introduced, the are was defined as being 100 square metres and the hectare was thus 100 ares or 1/100 km2...
geological Site of Special Scientific Interest.
Governance
The parish was created in 1974 as a successor to the Norton-Radstock Urban District which had been created in 1933 by the merger of Midsomer Norton and Radstock urban districts, along with part of Frome Rural DistrictFrome Rural District
Frome was a rural district in Somerset, England, from 1894 to 1974.It was created in 1894 under the Local Government Act 1894.In 1974 it was abolished under the Local Government Act 1972 when it became part of Mendip....
. Under the Local Government Act 1972
Local Government Act 1972
The Local Government Act 1972 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales on 1 April 1974....
it became a successor parish
Successor parish
Successor parishes are civil parishes with a parish council created by the Local Government Act 1972 in England. They replaced, with the same boundaries, a selected group of urban districts and municipal boroughs that were abolished in 1974. Most successor parish councils exercised the right to...
to the urban district.
The council was replaced in 2011 by separate town councils for Midsomer Norton
Midsomer Norton
Midsomer Norton is a town near the Mendip Hills in Somerset, England, south-west of Bath, north-east of Wells, north-west of Frome, and 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...
and 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 a parish council for Westfield.
Norton Radstock was governed by 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...
and by Norton Radstock Town Council, which elected 14 councillors across the four wards of Midsomer Norton North, Midsomer Norton Redfield, Radstock and Westfield. It was part of the North East Somerset
North 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...
.