Priddy Mineries
Encyclopedia
Priddy Mineries is a nature reserve
previously run by the Somerset Wildlife Trust
. It is in the village of Priddy
, on the Mendip Hills
in Somerset
.
The reserve lies 3 miles north of Wells and 1.5 miles east of the village of Priddy. It is a site of 50 ha (123 acres) and is part of the Priddy Pools
Site of Special Scientific Interest
(SSSI). It is mostly grassland / heather mosaic with an area of valley mire and some nutrient-poor pools. The site is one of the beauty spots of Mendip partly due to these pools with the changing colours of the vegetation and the pines and the heather slopes. It is adjacent to Stock Hill
woodland, and one of the paths form part of the long distance national footpath, the Monarch's Way
.
There are wide range of plant and small animal species. More than 20 species of dragonflies have been recorded, most of them breeding on site. In particular this is the only site in the Mendips for the Downy Emerald
. There are numerous species of water bug including Water stick-insect
(Ranatra linearis) and also all British species of amphibian
, except for the Natterjack Toad
, in good breeding numbers.
The site was worked for lead
for many centuries, probably 2000 years until 1908, and the earlier workings were obliterated by those of the Victorians which left a legacy of pools, mounds and spoil heaps. The buddle pits and condensation flues are the remains of the Waldegrave lead works of that time. The site is of great interest to industrial archaeologists and also to cavers on account of the existence of Waldegrave swallet (opened 1934) and the possible rediscovery of Five Buddles Sink or Thomas Bushell’s Swallet (named after the man who first discovered it).
A barrow or Tumulus
can be found in the northern part of the Reserve.
Nature reserve
A nature reserve is a protected area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological or other special interest, which is reserved and managed for conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research...
previously run by the Somerset Wildlife Trust
Somerset Wildlife Trust
Somerset Wildlife Trust is a wildlife trust covering the county of Somerset, England.The trust, which was established in 1964, aims to safeguard the county's wildlife and wild places for this and future generations and manages almost 80 nature reserves. Examples include Fyne Court, Westhay Moor,...
. It is in the village of Priddy
Priddy
Priddy is a village in Somerset, England in the Mendip Hills, close to East Harptree and north-west of Wells. It is in the local government district of Mendip....
, on 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...
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...
.
The reserve lies 3 miles north of Wells and 1.5 miles east of the village of Priddy. It is a site of 50 ha (123 acres) and is part of the Priddy Pools
Priddy Pools
Priddy Pools is a geological Site of Special Scientific Interest at Priddy in the Mendip Hills, Somerset, notified in 1972.The pools provided the water supply for the Priddy Mineries which is now a Nature Reserve.- Biological :...
Site of Special Scientific Interest
Site of Special Scientific Interest
A Site of Special Scientific Interest is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom. SSSIs are the basic building block of site-based nature conservation legislation and most other legal nature/geological conservation designations in Great Britain are based upon...
(SSSI). It is mostly grassland / heather mosaic with an area of valley mire and some nutrient-poor pools. The site is one of the beauty spots of Mendip partly due to these pools with the changing colours of the vegetation and the pines and the heather slopes. It is adjacent to Stock Hill
Stock Hill
Stock Hill is a Forestry Commission plantation on the Mendip Hills, Somerset, England.It lies to the south of the B3135 which runs from Cheddar Gorge to Green Ore and is the largest woodland on the Mendip plateau. A number of wide rides run through the forest...
woodland, and one of the paths form part of the long distance national footpath, the Monarch's Way
Monarch's Way
The Monarch's Way is a long-distance footpath in England that approximates the escape route taken by King Charles II in 1651 after being defeated in the Battle of Worcester.Most of the footpath is waymarked...
.
There are wide range of plant and small animal species. More than 20 species of dragonflies have been recorded, most of them breeding on site. In particular this is the only site in the Mendips for the Downy Emerald
Downy Emerald
The downy emerald is a species of dragonfly. It is metallic green and bronze in color, and its thorax is coated with fine hairs, hence its name. Like most other emeralds, the downy emerald has bright shiny green eyes...
. There are numerous species of water bug including Water stick-insect
Water stick-insect
Ranatra is a genus of generally slender predatory members of the family Nepidae, known as water stick-insects or water scorpions. Their front legs are strong and are used to grasp prey. They breathe through a pair of long breathing pipes extending from their tails...
(Ranatra linearis) and also all British species of amphibian
Amphibian
Amphibians , are a class of vertebrate animals including animals such as toads, frogs, caecilians, and salamanders. They are characterized as non-amniote ectothermic tetrapods...
, except for the Natterjack Toad
Natterjack Toad
The Natterjack Toad is a toad native to sandy and heathland areas of Europe. Adults are 60–70 mm in length and are distinguished from Common Toads by a yellow line down the middle of the back...
, in good breeding numbers.
The site was worked for lead
Lead
Lead is a main-group element in the carbon group with the symbol Pb and atomic number 82. Lead is a soft, malleable poor metal. It is also counted as one of the heavy metals. Metallic lead has a bluish-white color after being freshly cut, but it soon tarnishes to a dull grayish color when exposed...
for many centuries, probably 2000 years until 1908, and the earlier workings were obliterated by those of the Victorians which left a legacy of pools, mounds and spoil heaps. The buddle pits and condensation flues are the remains of the Waldegrave lead works of that time. The site is of great interest to industrial archaeologists and also to cavers on account of the existence of Waldegrave swallet (opened 1934) and the possible rediscovery of Five Buddles Sink or Thomas Bushell’s Swallet (named after the man who first discovered it).
A barrow or Tumulus
Tumulus
A tumulus is a mound of earth and stones raised over a grave or graves. Tumuli are also known as barrows, burial mounds, Hügelgrab or kurgans, and can be found throughout much of the world. A tumulus composed largely or entirely of stones is usually referred to as a cairn...
can be found in the northern part of the Reserve.