Catcott, Edington and Chilton Moors

Nature reserves in SomersetSites of Special Scientific Interest in SomersetSites of Special Scientific Interest notified in 1967Somerset LevelsWetland Sites of Special Scientific Interest

Catcott, Edington and Chilton Moors SSSI is a 1083 hectare biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Somerset, England notified in 1967. It is close to the villages of Edington and Catcott. It is part of the Brue Valley Living Landscape conservation project. The project commenced in January 2009 and aims to restore, recreate and reconnect habitat. It aims to ensure that wildlife is enhanced and capable of sustaining itself in the face of climate change while guaranteeing farmers and other landowners can continue to use their land profitably. It is one of an increasing number of landscape scale conservation projects in the UK.The site consists of low-lying land south of the River Brue, which floods on a regular basis; land north of here is included in the Tealham and Tadham Moors SSSI. The site is managed by Somerset Wildlife Trust and includes the Catcott Lows National Nature Reserve, Catcott Heath and Catcott North.A variety of fauna are found due to the varied soil types and management practices. Unimproved swards include meadows dominated by meadow thistle (Cirsium dissectum), meadow rue (Thalictrum flavum) and similar species, and southern marsh-orchid (Dactylorhiza praetermissa). In the wetter areas rushes and marsh marigold (Caltha palustris) are found. Catcott Heath is noted for its rare vascular plants including marsh pea (Lathyrus palustris), milk-parsley (Peucedanum palustre) and marsh fern (Thelypteris palustris). A total of 127 aquatic and bankside vascular plant species have been recorded in the field ditches, internal drainage board maintained rhynes and deep arterial watercourses.The botanically rich water channels support a diverse invertebrate fauna including water beetles Haliplus mucronatus and Hydrophilus piceus. The rare soldier fly, the flecked general (Stratiomys singularior), is found and there are good numbers of dragonflies and damselflies.The range of plants and invertebrates support many bird species including golden plover (Pluvialis apricaria), lapwing (Vanellus vanellus), snipe (Gallinago gallinago) and dunlin (Calidris alpina). Other vertebrate species present, include the otter (Lutra lutra), grass snake (Natrix natrix) and common frog (Rana temporaria).

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Catcott, Edington and Chilton Moors
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N 51.17397 °	E -2.87395 °

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TA7 8NX , Burtle
England, United Kingdom
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Burtle Priory

Burtle Priory (also known as Burtle Moor Priory) originated as a hermitage on a site called Sprauellissmede (or Sprawlesmede), in Burtle, Somerset, England. It was endowed by William son of Godfrey of Eddington in 1199. It was later known as St Stephens chapel and by 1312 a house of the Augustinian Canons Regular. In 1535 the priory was worth £6 5s. 2d.The present day Church of St Philip and St James stands on the site of the Priory. It was built in 1838-9 by Richard Carver, the County Architect and Surveyor, and is a Grade II listed building.

Burtle

Burtle is a village and civil parish on the Somerset Levels in the Sedgemoor district of Somerset, England.

Edington railway station

Edington Burtle railway station was a station on the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway, and served the village of Edington, Somerset, UK. Originally named Edington Road, with the village two miles away, it became in 1890 the junction for the Bridgwater branch off the Highbridge line and for the next period in its life was known as Edington Junction. After the Bridgwater line closed to passengers in 1952, the station was renamed as Edington Burtle – Burtle is a village to the north of the station, and somewhat closer than Edington. In February 1956 the down platform and signal box was closed. Goods Yard closed on 13 July 1964. It closed in March 1966 when the line was shut as part of the Beeching axe.

Edington, Somerset

Edington is a rural village, situated on the north side of the Polden Hills in the Sedgemoor district of Somerset, England. Either side of it lie the villages of Chilton Polden and Catcott, and north of it is the small village of Burtle. There is a 12th-century church, but the nearest primary school is in the village of Catcott. Edington has a surgery and an active village hall where the annual pantomime is held. At the north end of the village is a Holy Well which, since recent drainage work was carried out for Wessex Water, no longer functions.

Catcott

Catcott is a rural village and civil parish, situated close to Edington 7 miles (11.3 km) to the east of Bridgwater on the Somerset Levels to the north of the Polden Hills in the Sedgemoor district of Somerset, England.

North Drain

The North Drain flows westerly from Hurn Sluice on the River Sheppey to the North Drain Pumping Station at the River Brue, in Somerset, England.

Chilton Polden

Chilton Polden is a rural village and civil parish, situated close to Edington on the Somerset Levels to the north of the Polden Hills in the Sedgemoor district of Somerset, England.

South Drain (river)

The South Drain flows in a generally north-westerly direction from Actis Tunnel to Gold Corner, where it moves on to the Huntspill River, in Somerset, England. It flows through the Shapwick Heath Nature Reserve. It was constructed between 1802 and 1806 as a result of the 1801 Brue Drainage Act.

Chilton Priory

Chilton Priory (ST373389) (sometimes Stradling's Tower) is a Grade 2 listed folly, later extended to become a country house prominently located on Polden Hill, overlooking Bath Road, close to Chilton Polden, Parish of Polden Wheel, Somerset. The tower was erected in 1838 for William Stradling, deputy lieutenant of Somerset and a descendent of the local Stradling family who date back to the fourteenth century. The building commands extensive views over Somerset, including Glastonbury Tor. The first Ordnance Survey of 1886 records the tower and pleasure ground as 'Chilton Priory (Museum)'.

Westhay Heath

Westhay Heath (grid reference ST415422) is a 25.9 hectare (64.0 acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest 2km west of Westhay village in Somerset, notified in 1990. Westhay Heath, which is managed by the Somerset Wildlife Trust is an area of tall fen vegetation containing scrub, marshy grassland, ditches and small ponds in the heart of the peat moors on the Somerset Levels. This mosaic of habitats has developed on areas previously used for peat extraction. The site is of importance for the presence of a nationally rare fen community, including a diverse assemblage of breeding and wintering birds.

Polden Hills

Polden Hills in Somerset, England are a long, low ridge, extending for 10 miles (16 km), and separated from the Mendip Hills, to which they are nearly parallel, by a marshy tract, known as the Somerset Levels. They are now bisected at their western end by the M5 motorway and a railway, the Bristol and Exeter Railway, part of the Great Western Main Line.

Church of St Francis, Stawell

The Anglican Church of St Francis in Stawell, Somerset, England was built in the 13th century. It is a Grade II* listed building.