- Kewstoke
infobox UK place
country = England
latitude= 51.3677
longitude= -2.9604
official_name= Kewstoke
population =|unitary_england=North Somerset
lieutenancy_england=Somerset
region= South West England
constituency_westminster= Weston-super-Mare
post_town=Weston-super-Mare |postcode_district = BS22
postcode_area= BS|dial_code= 01934
os_grid_reference= ST341661Kewstoke is a
civil parish and village in theunitary authority ofNorth Somerset , located next to the strip of coast calledSand Bay . Its population in the 2001 census was 1,624.There is a local football team, Kewstoke JFC. The under 10's won the North Somerset cup last season and are now in the first division. The local primary school is Kewstoke Primary School, for childrem aged 4-11, there is also a pre school and Kewstoke village hall.
The local parish church is St Paul's, which dates from the
12th century with the tower being built in 1395. The tower, is in two stages, with rendered, diagonal buttresses with set-backs which rise through parapet as corner pinnacles. A polygonal stair turret at the south east corner rises to a pyramidal cap. The first stage has two 2-light perpendicular west window under a plain drip mould, and similar but smaller window with carved stops to the south. The second stage has one 2-light perpendicular window under a drip mould with carved stops on each side; all louvres except the west which is blank. A quatrefoil pierced parapet has gargoyles at the corner. It has been designated as a grade Ilisted building . [cite web | title=Parish Church of St. Paul | work=Images of England | url=http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/search/details.aspx?id=33298 | accessdate=2007-03-03] In1849 areliquary was found in St Paul's Church that was believed to have come originally from the priory and to contain the blood of Thomas a Becket. It is believed that it was moved to St Paul's for safe keeping at the time of theDissolution of the Monasteries .Near the village, at the base of a
promontory calledMiddle Hope (which extends out into the sea as Sand Point), isWoodspring Priory , which is grade I listed. [cite web | title=Priory Church (formerly listed as Woodspring Priory (former Church of The Holy Trinity, St Mary and Thomas a Becket) | work=Images of England | url=http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/search/details.aspx?id=33305 | accessdate=2007-03-03] This Priory was founded in1210 byWilliam de Courtenay , grandson ofReginald Fitz Urse (one of the knights who murderedThomas a Becket - later St. Thomas a Becket), perhaps to atone for the past action of his grandfather.Monk's Steps
Monk's steps (also known to some as St Kew's Steps) are an ancient set of stone steps leading from St. Paul's church up through the woods on Monk's Hill. Although the origin of the steps are unknown, the presence of man in the adjacent woodland on Worlebury Hill can been tracked back to the Iron Age.
Flooding and flood protection
Being in places only 6 metres above
sea level , the settlements of Kewstoke and Sand Bay are, and have been historically, susceptible to flooding. Following several incidents of flooding [cite web|url=http://www.severnestuary.net/secg/NON%20TECHNICAL%20SUMMARY.pdf|title=Severn Estuary Shoreline Management Plan - Non Technical Summary|publisher=Severn Estuary Coastal Group|accessdate=2008-07-03] asea defence of combined dune system (sand was imported from the estuary to form this) and concrete walls are now in place along much of Sand Road. Whilst the sea defences have proved very effective for the last two decades, concerns about the long term stability of the dunes, in particular, remain.In the
Severn Estuary Shoreline Management Plan, 2000, commissioned by the Severn Estuary Coastal Group and carried out by Gifford Associated Consultants, the importance of sea defence maintenance was highlighted. The report stated that leaving the defences unmaintained would 'increase the risk of a severe flood to the low-lying residential area of Kewstoke and an extensive area of agricultural land that are currently defended. The authors went on to discuss the importance in the shorter and longer term of ensuring that the current defence line is kept and that monitoring and research of the coastal processes on the foreshore is recommended. The Sand Bay Management Committee is keeping a close eye on the conditions of both the salt marsh and the sand dunes and is working in partnership withThe
UK 'sEnvironment Agency are currently revising the North and Mid-Somerset Catchment Flood Management Plan, due for publication April 2007. The results of this will be summarised here.References
External links
* [http://www.kewstoke.org Kewstoke village website] The information about Woodspring Priory is taken from this page.
* [http://www.severnestuary.net/secg/NON%20TECHNICAL%20SUMMARY.pdf] 2000 Shoreline Management Plan
* [http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/commondata/acrobat/nmidsomset_summary_1491517.pdf] Summary of the Draft Catchment Flood Management Plan for North and Mid Somerset
* [http://maps.environment-agency.gov.uk/wiyby/wiybyController?topic=floodmap&ep=map&lang=_e&x=333659.0&y=163552.0&scale=5&layerGroups=1,&layerGroupToQuery=1&location=BS22%209XT] Environment Agency flood map for Kewstoke.
* [http://www.avonandsomerset.police.uk/LocalPages/BeatDetails.aspx?BeatID=122] Up-to-date information fromAvon and Somerset Police on the Kewstoke Beat
* Somerset Council have made the 1902 Ordance Survey map of the village available here [http://www.somerset.gov.uk/archives/maps/os62htm/0912.htm]
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