Walton and Ivythorn Hills

Coordinates: 51°06′30″N 2°45′05″W / 51.10828°N 2.75129°W / 51.10828; -2.75129
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Walton and Ivythorn Hills
Notification
1953
Natural England website

Walton and Ivythorn Hills is a 34.9 hectares (86 acres)

National Trust
who acquired the freehold in 1988.

The hills which rise to 80 metres (260 ft) above

scrubland and coppiced woodland. A quarry existed in the Middle Ages. This supports a variety of Butterflies, Leafhoppers, Spiders, Soldier Flies and Great Green Bush Crickets living on the vegetation. Notable buildings include Ivythorne Manor, which was originally built for Glastonbury Abbey, Walton windmill and a small sanatorium which became the first youth hostel in Somerset. In 1977 a short lived hippie camp was set up on Ivythorne Hill. The camp was a Free Festival to celebrate 7/7/77. The festival was attended by an estimated 3,000 people and was basically a one-day affair, with some people arriving early and the hangers on eventually evicted by the council.[1]

Geography

The Polden Hills 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. The ridge is underlain by Blue Lias with alternating strata of limestone, rheatic clay and Keuper marl.[2]

At the highest point on Walton Hill, which reaches 80 metres (260 ft) above Ordnance datum (mean sea level),[2] there is a topograph or orientation stone used as a triangulation point and highlighting key features of the surrounding landscape including the Somerset Levels and the Admiral Hood Monument.[3][4] It forms the starting point for the 6 miles (9.7 km) long footpath known as the Polden Way.[5]

History

Walton windmill

A quarry on Ivythorn Hill produced stone for Street Manor in 1403.

country house and was revised and extended from the 16th to 20th centuries by the Marshall and Sydenham families which owned it.[7] Within the grounds is a dovecote which was probably built around 1578 for John Sydenham.[8]

Walton windmill on Walton Hill was described as "new-erected" in 1741, although there had been a mill erected on the site in 1342.[6] It was worked until 1906.[9] It is now a Grade II listed building and private residence.[10][11] There was also a windmill on Ivythorne Hill.[12]

The shoe manufacturer

C. & J. Clark, through the Society of Friends, had a small sanatorium and convalescent home on Ivythorn Hill overlooking Street. In 1931, this chalet style building was leased to the Youth Hostel Association and became the first youth hostel in Somerset. It is still used for this purpose.[13][14]

The youth hostel

This site is owned and managed by the

National Trust. They acquired the freehold of 0.248 hectares (0.61 acres) of Ivythorn Hill in 1988 from Street Estates, which followed 16.606 hectares (41.03 acres) of Walton Hill in 1940 from Polden Farms Ltd and the initial 18.751 hectares (46.33 acres) of Ivythorn Hill and Wood in 1919 from Baron St Audries.[15]

In 1977 Ivythorne Hill was the site of a

Ecology

Walton and Ivythorn Hills are covered by a variety of semi-natural habitats. These include unimproved

scrubland and coppiced woodland including field maple and Ash. The range of habitats are home to many species of invertebrate. Butterflies, Leafhoppers, Spiders and Soldier Flies are particularly well represented. There is also a population of Great Green Bush Cricket (Tettigonia viridissima).[2]

Between 2011 and 2013 a project was undertaken to increase the population of Large blue butterflies on the Polden Hills. This included planting Wild Thyme and managing the grazing on Walton Hill.[17][18]

References

  1. ^ "Glastonbury free festival 1977".
  2. ^ a b c "Walton and Ivythorn Hills SSSI citation sheet" (PDF). English Nature. Retrieved 24 May 2015.
  3. ^ "TP9460 - Walton Hill". Trig Pointing UK. Retrieved 24 May 2015.
  4. ^ "Assessment of Special Landscape Features". Mendip District Council. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
  5. ^ "The heart of the West: a land of heroes and windmills". Western Daily Press. 3 February 2011. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
  6. ^ a b Siraut, M.C; Thacker, A.T.; Wliiamson, Elizabeth. "Parishes: Walton. A History of the County of Somerset: Volume 9, Glastonbury and Street". British History Online. Victoria County History. Retrieved 24 May 2015.
  7. ^ Historic England. "Ivythorn Manor (1176171)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
  8. ^ Historic England. "Dovecote in Grounds East of Ivythorn Manor (1345094)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
  9. ISBN 0-7050-0060-5.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link
    )
  10. ^ Historic England. "Walton Windmill (1058724)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 8 February 2009.
  11. ^ Historic England. "Walton Windmill (1058724)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 24 May 2015.
  12. ^ "Windmill site, Ivy Thorn Wood, Street". Somerset Historic Environment Record. Somerset County Council. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
  13. ^ "Youth Hostel, Street". Youth Hostel Association. Retrieved 24 May 2015.
  14. ^ Siraut, M. C.; Thacker, A. T.; Williamson, Elizabeth. "Parishes: Street In A History of the County of Somerset: Volume 9, Glastonbury and Street". British History Online. Victoria County History. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
  15. ^ "Acquisitions Up to December 2011" (PDF). National Trust. Retrieved 24 May 2015.
  16. ^ "Looking Back: Calls for army to deal with Street Hill hippy invasion in 1977". Central Somerset Gazette. 7 September 2014. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
  17. ^ "Expanding the Large Blue Landscape in the Polden Hills. Project Update" (PDF). Butterfly Conservation. Retrieved 24 May 2015.
  18. ^ "Large Blue butterfly at Collard Hill". National Trust. Retrieved 25 May 2015.