South Exmoor SSSI

Exmoor is loosely defined as an area of hilly open moorland in west Somerset and north Devon in South West England. It is named after the River Exe, the source of which is situated in the centre of the area, two miles north-west of Simonsbath. Exmoor is more precisely defined as the area of the former ancient royal hunting forest, also called Exmoor, which was officially surveyed 1815–1818 as 18,810 acres (7,610 ha) in extent. The moor has given its name to a National Park, which includes the Brendon Hills, the East Lyn Valley, the Vale of Porlock and 55 km (34 mi) of the Bristol Channel coast. The total area of the Exmoor National Park is 692.8 km2 (267.5 sq mi), of which 71% is in Somerset and 29% in Devon. The upland area is underlain by sedimentary rocks dating from the Devonian and early Carboniferous periods with Triassic and Jurassic age rocks on lower slopes. Where these reach the coast, cliffs are formed which are cut with ravines and waterfalls. It was recognised as a heritage coast in 1991. The highest point on Exmoor is Dunkery Beacon; at 519 metres (1,703 ft) it is also the highest point in Somerset. The terrain supports lowland heath communities, ancient woodland and blanket mire which provide habitats for scarce flora and fauna. There have also been reports of the Beast of Exmoor, a cryptozoological cat roaming Exmoor. Several areas have been designated as Nature Conservation Review and Geological Conservation Review sites. There is evidence of human occupation from the Mesolithic. This developed for agriculture and extraction of mineral ores into the Bronze and Iron Ages. The remains of standing stones, cairns and bridges can still be identified. The royal forest was granted a charter in the 13th century, however foresters who managed the area were identified in the Domesday Book. In the Middle Ages sheep farming was common with a system of agistment licensing the grazing of livestock as the Inclosure Acts divided up the land. The area is now used for a range of recreational purposes.

The Caratacus Stone, sometimes known as the Caractacus Stone, is an inscribed stone on Exmoor in Somerset, England. It is thought to date from the 6th century, and it has been a scheduled monument since 1925.The inscription, in Latin, appears to read CARAACI NEPVS, though experts have stated that a bar above the second A forms a ligature meaning that it should be read as CARATACI NEPVS. It is possible that there was more text on the stone that has weathered away.The inscription, which can be translated as "grandson or immediate descendant of Caratacus", has led to the general opinion that the stone was probably erected as a memorial to a person who claimed the first-century British chieftain Caratacus as an ancestor.The first mention of the stone was in 1219, when it was described in a perambulation of the Royal Forest of Exmoor as "the Langeston". In 1890 the letter N (which is reversed) was missing from the inscription, but by 1919 the missing piece had been found and was cemented back in place. In 1906 a shelter was erected over the stone, and an excavation in 1937 revealed that the stone was not associated with a burial site.

The Tarr Steps is a clapper bridge across the River Barle in the Exmoor National Park, Somerset, England. They are located in a national nature reserve about 2.5 miles (4 km) south east of Withypool and 4 miles (6 km) north west of Dulverton. A typical clapper bridge construction, the bridge's listing assesses it as medieval in origin. The stone slabs weigh up to two tons each. The bridge is 180 feet (55 m) long and has 17 spans. It has been designated as a Grade I listed building and scheduled monument.

not to be confused with the 17th century Ashwick Court in eastern Somerset.Ashwick House is an Edwardian mansion in Ashwick, four miles northwest of Dulverton, Exmoor, Somerset, England. The house is located on a hillside overlooking the Barle Valley. It was built in 1901 by a Bristolian businessman as a hunting retreat. It sits in six acres of sprawling gardens and looks across the hills to the Bristol Channel. The house has six bedrooms, each named after trees and individually decorated. The "Ash Room" is decorated in shades of pink and green, matching the stained-glass window.In 1928 Frank Green purchased Ashwick House. He moved to Exmoor in 1930 and took as active interest in running the Ashwick Estate, which extended to several hundred acres of farmland. In those days 20 resident staff ran the house and it was regularly used for lavish entertaining. To provide for entertainment of the staff, a miniature theatre (sometimes known as the music room) was constructed in the grounds. Standing on stone pillars. The auditorium is 30 feet (9.1 m) long and 15 feet (4.6 m) wide with a wooden dance floor. The stage is 8 feet (2.4 m) deep with a proscenium arch 10 feet (3.0 m) wide. The wings have trompe-l'œil paintings on canvas of Edward VII and Queen Alexandra on one side and politicians including H. H. Asquith, Bonar Law and Austen Chamberlain on the other. The building has been taken over by the Moorland Mousie Trust and is being restored to serve as a heritage information centre.From 1980 the house was run as a hotel but according to its official site it is now closed to the public.

Garratts Wood is a woodland in Somerset, England, near the village of Winsford. It covers a total area of 1.11 hectares (2.74 acres). It is owned and managed by the Woodland Trust.

Winsford is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, located about 5 miles (8 km) north-west of Dulverton. It is within the borders of the Exmoor National Park and around 10 miles (16.1 km) south-west of the coastal town of Minehead. The village has one hotel, The Royal Oak dating to before the start of the 16th century, and one shop and post office. There is also a tea garden and a service station, which does not serve fuel for motor vehicles. The village is on the route of the Samaritans Way South West and is located within the Exmoor National Park, to the east of the village is the hamlet of West Howetown.

Brewer's Castle is a defended Iron Age settlement in the West Somerset district of Somerset, England. The hill fort is situated approximately 2 miles (3.2 km) west from the town of Dulverton. The settlement survives as an earthwork situated on Hawkridge Ridge Wood. It is also very close to Mounsey Castle.

The Anglican Church of St Giles in Hawkridge, Somerset, England was built in the 14th century. It is a Grade II* listed building.

Mounsey Castle is an Iron Age irregular triangular earthwork of 1.75 hectares (4.3 acres) north west of Dulverton, Somerset, England. It has been scheduled as an ancient monument. It has been added to the Heritage at Risk Register.It is named after the Monceaux family, who were the local lords of the manor in the Middle Ages.The earthwork is surrounded by the remains of coursed stone rampart which is between 1.5 metres (4 ft 11 in) and 2 metres (6 ft 7 in) high, with an entrance to the west. For most of its circumference it is univallate however where the slope is not so steep on the eastern and southern sides there is a second rampart. The remains of a stone building can be seen within the hillfort, which is likely to have been a charcoal burners hut.It overlooks the River Barle.

Road Castle is an Iron Age bank and ditch in the West Somerset district of Somerset, England. The hill fort is situated approximately 2 miles (3.2 km) west from the village of Winsford. The ditch is almost square in plan with rounded corners and covers an area of approximately 0.7 acres (0.28 ha).

The Anglican Church of St Andrew in Withypool, Somerset, England was built in late medieval period. It is a Grade II* listed building.

The Anglican Church of St Mary Magdelene in Exford, Somerset, England was built in the 15th century. It is a Grade II* listed building.