Berrow, Somerset

infobox UK place
country = England
latitude= 51.267275
longitude= -3.011891
official_name= Berrow
population = 1638cite web|url=http://www.somerset.gov.uk/media/58B/0A/Sedgemoor_Parishes.pdf|title=Parish Population Statistics|work=ONS Census 2001|publisher=Somerset County Council|accessdate=2008-07-03]
shire_district= Sedgemoor
shire_county = Somerset
region= South West England
Ambulance= South Western
constituency_westminster=
post_town=
postcode_district =
postcode_area=
dial_code=
os_grid_reference= ST295525

Berrow is a village and civil parish in the Sedgemoor district of Somerset, England. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 1,638.

Church

The Church of St Mary dates from the 13th century and was restored in the 19th. The tower contains a bell dating from 1801 and made by Thomas and James Bilbie of the Bilbie family. [cite book |last=Moore |first=James |authorlink= |coauthors=Roy Rice & Ernest Hucker |title=Bilbie and the Chew Valley clock makers |year=1995 |publisher=The authors |location= |isbn=0952670208 ] It has been designated by English Heritage as a grade I listed building. [cite web | title=Church of St Mary | work=Images of England | url=http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/search/details.aspx?id=433618 | accessdate=2007-10-05]

Beach and dunes

Berrow beach was awarded the Blue flag rural beach award in 2005. The beach is home to the shipwreck of the Norwegian barque "SS Nornen", which ran aground on March 3 1897. [cite web | url= http://www.burnham-on-sea.com/berrow-wreck.shtml | title= The Berrow Ship Wreck | work= Burnham-on-Sea website | accessdate= 2007-10-11] In July 2003, Sedgemoor District Council threatened to remove the wreck from the beach fearing it could be held liable if any jet-skiers were to hit the wreck while submerged at high tide. [cite web | url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/somerset/3175292.stm | work= BBC News | title= Shipwreck could stay on beach | date= 8 October 2003 | accessdate=2007-10-11]

Berrow Dunes, west of the village, has a golf course, and is a noted site for various unusual plants, including a strong colony of Lizard Orchids. A 200 hectare (494 acre) area was designated in 1952 as a Site of Special Scientific Interest. [cite web | title=Berrow Dunes | url=http://www.english-nature.org.uk/citation/citation_photo/1003714.pdf | accessdate=2006-08-06]

Berrow Marsh, contained within the dunes between the village and the beach, is a mixture of reedbed and saltmarsh. Birds found here include many wetland species such as Reed and Sedge Warbler and in winter occasional Jack Snipe amongst large numbers of Common Snipe.

References