Mendip Rocks! Framework Consultation Event 25th January 2014
The purpose of this one day event was to consider ideas for improving the
understanding and management of the Mendip Hills geology and the wildlife and
historic landscape that it has shaped.
A significant amount of research, activities and management has already been
undertaken by a wide range of individuals and organisations. This one day event
started to look at the following ; How can we better share this information? What
further research and information is required to engage land managers, decision
makers and local communities in the caring for key features and sites? What
information, interpreted in interesting ways, would add to the visitor experience and
encourage visitors to explore further?
The event was attended by 32 people representing a range of interests:
Name
Andy Mallender
Sarah Jackson
Dr Gill Odolphie
Ruth Worsley
Robin Thornes
Barry Lane
Bob Corns
Michele Bowe
Alan Gray
Lila Morris
Bob Croft
Ed Goodall
Jane Abrahall
Chris Binding
Robin Bradbury
Paul Bryan
Barry Clarke
Christopher Couldry
Tim Corner
Nick Croxson
Gill Davies
Joan Goddard
Antonia Gwynne
Francis Hayden
Peter Margerum
Tony Setterington
Rachel Shaw
Jane Snelling
Nigel Taylor
Judith Tranter
Graham Price
Clem Maidment
Organisation
Mendip Hills AONB Unit
Mendip Hills AONB Unit
Somerset Earth Science Centre
Somerset Earth Science Centre
Quarry Faces
Wells and Mendip Museum
Natural England
Somerset Wildlife Trust
Mendip Cave Registry
Somerset Wildlife Trust
Somerset County Council
AONB Volunteer Ranger
AONB Volunteer Ranger
Coleford Parish Council
Mendip Hills AONB Unit
Doulting Parish Council
Bristol Regional Environmental Records Centre
English Heritage
Charterhouse Environs Research Team (CHERT)
Charterhouse Environs Research Team (CHERT)
Shipham First School
Nunney Parish Council
Somerset Industrial Archaeology Society
Heritage Education Freelance
Charterhouse Environs Research Team (CHERT)
Westbury Quarry
Mendip Society
Mendip Society and Council for Southern Caving Clubs
Radstock Museum
Session 1 was a series of presentations on current and future activities:
1. Welcome and introduction – Sarah Jackson, Mendip Hills AONB Manager.
2. Somerset Earth Science Centre: Dr Gill Odolphie, Centre Manager.
3. Mendip Rocks Festival: Ruth Worsley, Festival Coordinator
4. Quarry Faces Project: Robin Thornes.
5. Wells Museum - Netherworld and Beyond: Barry Lane
6. Geodiversity: Bob Corns, Natural England.
7. Biodiversity and Site Management: Lila Morris, Somerset Wildlife Trust.
8. Mendip Cave Exploration and Records, Alan Gray, Mendip Cave Registry
9. Somerset Historic Environment Research, Priorities and Directions – Bob
Croft, Somerset County Archaeologist.
Session 2 – Workshop Discussions
Participants were divided into 4 groups for the afternoon workshops covering the
following topics:
1. Education and Activities
2. Interpretation
3. Site Management
4. Research
Each group spent 20-30 minutes on each of the 4 discussion topics. A summary of
each of the discussion groups is shown below. This is a record of points discussed
on the day as written up on flip charts for the 4 topics. It is recognised that some of
the points raised are already being addressed and some activities suggested are
already underway.
Work will be undertaken to identify what has been undertaken to date on each topic
and what are potential new activities that have support for being taking forward as
part of a Mendip Rocks! Framework..
To help us identify completed and current activities and identify new priorities
for action as part of the Mendip Rocks! Framework please complete the
attached form by 28th March 2014.
Record of points made and or discussed for each of the four themes:
Theme 1 - Education and Activities
Essential to do an audit of existing materials, interpretation before
redeveloping and creating new materials
Branding – come up with brand, logo etc and ensure consistency
Education – for all ages – life long learning
Identify opportunities:
Age groupsPrimary – Set up Geology Club (national Rockwatch is junior membership of
GA?)
Volunteer work groups – DOE (youth – 25 age group) work with partners to
establish volunteering work programmes and liaise with local secondary
schools – Also John Muir Award (4 day/element )
Young Rangers
Arts Award initiative could be applied to these groups
Schools – ‘Handling’ loan boxes - work with Wells Museum (QF currently
creating a loan box)
Teaching Resources/Packs
Audit of what is being done already by practitioners as well as the schools
themselves and develop new teaching resources in consultation with
teachers to see what activities they would like to reflect new curriculum – ks1
through to A Level and undergrad projects. (SESC have good links with
several higher education) Photocopiable downloadable worksheets
School visit sites
Identify sites that lend themselves to educational activity ie sufficient visual
evidences, safe walking routes to them, parking and ideally but not essential
(as schools can do half day visits) loos and wet weather cover - this would be
part of schools resources project
Are there sites that lend themselves to Forest school opportunities for
university groups (not currently widely engaged – as part of course they can
assist with market research, contributing to content, trialling routes)?
Access for All
Consider and accommodate the needs of all - regardless of disability where
terrain allows – aim to provide an level access for all trail (this can attract
funding) involve people with disabilities in the planning(community
engagement opportunity).
Trails
Sculpture trail (but ensuring materials are natural, locally sourced and do not
look plonked in landscape – so sensitively sited and reflecting spirit of
Mendips) it could a series of waymarkers, and stiles (Bristol and Bath
Railway Path commissioned an artist to design sculptural stiles/kissing gates)
Sculptural posts
One participant said that some existing waymarkers look messy and are
confusing – several liked the idea of sculpted waymark posts with images
celebrating the rocks and wildlife
 Doulting stone a soft stone could be used and involve students in carving
workshops
 Themes could be… lichen (good link between rock and wildlife), rocks trail
– rock timeline trail
 I Spy – Big 5, trails to tell different stories
Arts
As above plus youth video projects, community dance, poetry, storytelling –
One possible project collaboration between street poets, artists, with children
producing posters, videos, and publicity material for events
Geocaching trails
Pilgrimage trails led by story teller, poet
E.g. poets walk, Mendips stories, dance,
Audio Trails
Downloadable onto ipod or dvds made available to folk who have mobility
issues (and can walk in the safety of their arm chairs) one participant
suggested recording Chris Richards who has a great voice and can
communicate geology in a very accessible way e.g. Black Rock, Dolebury
Caving
It was agreed we tend to forget about the opportunities to see geology in
caves – suitable for 8yrs and up – could include caving trail in a Mendip
Rocks! Festival event –Goatchurch Cavern very accessible
Good paths
Mendips Rocks the Villages
Like parish map project – encourage villages to create in any media of their
choice the geology, history and wildlife of their area – this could culminate in
an exhibition
Events – tie in National Farm Open Days?
Also need to educate farmers about their special landscape – how do we do
that ( we didn’t come up with any ideas but AWT use to run farmer days thru
NFU at Folly Farm and NE on Somerset levels – FWAG? Is there a farmer’s
network we can organise an event for?)
Publications
Interactive Map of trails and activities both on website and hard copy for
interpreting Mendip rocks (geology, archaeology, history) and showing trails –
develop different trails to communicate and celebrate different themes that
are identified
Website – online teaching materials, trails, opportunity for volunteers to
upload observations
QR code - APPs on publications, boards etc
But apps expensive – link thru to websites for more info
Postcards and Beer Mats
Postcards - To promote Mendip Rocks – e.g. old quarry pictures, special
landscape places, caves, aerial views of Priddy Circles
Beer Mats – promote web site addresses links to trails etc
Events
Ideas for events (Mendip Rocks! festival)
Winford Ochre Redding pits
From stone to cathedral event
Geoblitz
Fairy Cave tour
Introduction to caving, climbing tasters
150th anniversary of possibly the first mechanised quarry – Waterlip (next
year) may use to mark end of QF project or next phase!
Publicity
Get Countryfile to cover Mendip Rocks! and continue good relationship with
media developed with Mendip Rocks! Festival
Funding ideas
Somerset county councillors have Health and Wellbeing grants – need to
approach individual Councillors – Dawn Hill suggested
Theme 2 - Mendip Rocks Interpretation
Methods
 Arts Festival
 Literary Festival
 Faces on the
Quarry
 Oral History
 Facebook
 Music
 Education
Resources
 Goats
 Schools
 Museum
Exhibitions
 Guided walks
 Leaflets
Topics
 Wildlife
 Geology
 Landuse
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Boards
Maps
Information
Points
Outdoor
Pursuits
One Day One
Rock (BRERC)
Photography
Geology Trails
Pubs
Talks
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Water
Industries
Archaeology
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Web
Download
Walks
Geology
Information
Link to other
Mendip
Websites
Apps
Meta data on
websites
Food and Drink
Cave flora and
fauna
Coordination
 Free Advertising, radio/press of guided walk downloads.
Audiences
 Primary Schools
 Secondary Schools
 Interested Adults
 Visitors
 Youth Groups
 Landowners/farmers
 Developers
 Local History Societies
 Somerset heritage Centre
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British Geographical Survey
(BGS)
Bristol Regional Environmental
Records Centre (BRERC)
Somerset Environmental
Records Centre (SERC)
Bristol City Museum galleries
and Archive
Theme 3 - Site Management
Need to designate a coordinator to contact local groups/ interest groups, to tell them
we are interested in sites.
 Need advocates e.g. Geological Society.
 Get local groups and organisations (interested in heritage and nature
sites)involved and ask them to let us know if a site is at risk or is being
disturbed.
o Link to County Geological Sites (CGSs)
 “Adopt a site” scheme.
 Involve local industrial and/or historical societies, walking groups, cavers,
schools, trusts and charities.
 Involve local people in management of Local Geological Sites (LGSs).
 Contact interested landowners e.g. Environmental Stewardship Schemes.
 Publicise the presence of CGSs.
 Avon RIGGS group is very active.
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Need to assess County Geological Sites (GSSs), designate more sites and prioritise
which sites need management.
 More broad ranging sites and not just popular sites.
 Focus on sites which need restoring and target these.
 Do we need to create more CGSs in Mendip? E.g. unknown sites.
 Natural England Responsible for SSSis but no one responsible for CGSs.
 Every LGS needs and assessment.
 Need to involve experts in different fields: nature, archaeology, history,
recreation, in making decisions on management. Prioritise management of
CGSs based on interest and risk and then promote to interest groups.
 Not all sites have been identified e.g. Western Mendip.
 Talk to local geological societies about new sites that need Local Wildlife Site
(LWS) designation.
Engaging visitors to help manage sites with a small budget for management
 With sites with no budget visitors could be engaged to help look after sites –
litter picking etc.
 BCRA Geological/Karst walks are in print but not available to download.
 Geocaching could get people involved with small sites- care about them –
manage them.
 Low key programme of family walks could lead to general interest as well as
geological interest.
Need to consider health and safety e.g. mine shafts.
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To engage public interest need to talk about geology, nature, archaeology
and many areas of interest.
How can we enthuse people about small sites?
Theme 4 - Research
Research is needed to help inform Site Management
 Identify key local sites
 Resolve conflicts in management
o Geology, biodiversity, archaeology.
 Aim to find areas of agreement between conflicting interests.
 Prioritise significant heritage assets.
 Work at an agency level to balance Biodiversity vs. Heritage.
There is need to make Data more accessible
 All data in the public domain.
 Collation of datasets from interested parties.
o GIS, SWT, AONB, Local Authorities.
 Historic mapping of Mendip.
 Develop websites, phone apps and GPS logs that contain: data, GIS info,
Scheduled monuments record, fieldwalking data.
How to best target research.
 How to find specialist research.
 More about: history, geology, archaeology – Where and how?
 Publish research on Mendip SSSIs.
 Create an up to date bibliography of research giving commonality across the
area.
 Coordinate existing archives.
 Use BRERC, SERC, Bristol Museum and Archives.
 Use community research volunteers eg CHERT.
TOPICS FOR NEW RESEARCH
1. Visitor data
 Visitor numbers
 Where are people coming from
 Types of visitor / activities
 How can we spread the word balanced with increasing visitor pressure.
2. Visitor pressure
 How do visitors affect important sites.
 Effect of dog waste on calaminarian grassland.
3. Mining
 Stories of lead (and other metals) mining
 Science and origins of lead mining.
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Analyse the lead in the Roman Pig.
Explore stories e.g. Mendip lead in Pompeii.
4. Establish a boundary for Mendip – is this the National Character Area?
5. Social History
 What was life like in a mining community?
 Historic conflicts between mining and agriculture.
o Are there current conflicts
 Explore Rev Skinners diaries and other contemporary notes.
6. Research into Tufa springs.
7. Social History of caving (see Chris Richards book)
8. What is underneath Priddy Circle – are there caves?
9. Hunting your Quarry – where was the quarry to supply stone to the buildings
in your community?
10. Offer specialist tours of sites, consider open days at restricted sites e.g.
Priddy Circles.
How will research be delivered and by whom?
 How will research be funded? HLF?
 Can schools and universities carry out research?
 How do we agree priorities?