Camerton, Somerset

infobox UK place
country = England
official_name= Camerton
population =
os_grid_reference = ST685578
latitude= 51.3188
longitude= -2.4526
unitary_england= Bath and North East Somerset
lieutenancy_england = Somerset
region= South West England
post_town = Bath
postcode_district= BA2
postcode_area=BA
dial_code = 01761
constituency_westminster = Wansdyke
constituency_westminster1= North East Somerset
(from next general election).:"There are other villages called Camerton in Cumbria and Yorkshire.:"Camerton is the name of a Mongolian boy band.

Camerton is a village and civil parish in Somerset, six miles southwest of Bath, lying on the Cam Brook.

The parish includes the hamlet of Tunley which is the site of a hill fort which has been designated as a Scheduled Ancient Monument. [cite web|url=http://www.bathnes.gov.uk/BathNES/environmentandplanning/Archaeology/ListOfScheduledMonuments.htm|title=Scheduled Monuments in Bath & North East Somerset|publisher=Bath and North East Somerset|accessdate=2008-08-14] In 2007 it was the site of a prosecution by the Environment Agency for the illegal dumping of waste including concrete, tarmac, bricks, blocks, subsoil, metal, fluorescent light tubes, electrical cable and asbestos sheets on the site. [cite web|url=http://environment-agency.gov.uk/news/1843975?lang=_e&region=&projectstatus=&theme=&subject=%C3%82%C2%AEion&searchfor=&topic=&area=&month=|title=Three fined for dumping waste near an ancient monument at Bath|publisher=Environment Agency|accessdate=2008-08-14]

The village stands beside the route of the Fosse Way, and the Roman settlement was south west of the current village. [cite book |title=The hidden places of Somerset |last=Scott |first=Shane |authorlink= |coauthors= |year=1995 |publisher=Travel Publishing Ltd |location=Aldermaston |isbn=1902007018 |pages=22 ]

Originally a farming village in North Somerset, its vicar from 1800 was the amateur antiquarian and archaeologist The Rev. John Skinner, who committed suicide in 1839.

The village expanded as a result of coal mining on the Somerset coalfield in the 19th Century. Camerton New Colliery, which started in the very early 1800s, and Camerton Old Colliery, which predates it by about 20 years. Camerton New Pit survived to be nationalised, eventually closing in 1950. The maximum amount mined was 77 000 tons in 1903. [cite web | title= Coal Mining | work=Somerset Ramblers | url=http://uk.geocities.com/[e-mail]/MAJOR/localinfo2.htm | accessdate=2006-11-12] In the centre of the village is an old coal spoil tip or "batch" called Camerton Batch (or Camerton Old Batch to distinguish it from the taller Camerton New Batch which lies just to the east).

With the closure of the coal mines it is now primarily a commuter village for people working in Bath. Camerton is also home to the National Osteoporosis Society.

Transport

Camerton once had a branch line from the Bristol and North Somerset Railway (part of the Great Western Railway) mainly for coal. It opened from Hallatrow in 1882 and was extended along the line of the former Somerset Coal Canal to Limpley Stoke in 1910, where it joined with the main line from Bath to Bradford-on-Avon railway station. Traffic on the line was never heavy: passenger services were suspended in 1915, resumed in 1923 and finally withdrawn in 1925. Goods traffic remained until 1951.

References