Black Down, Somerset

Infobox Mountain
Name = Black Down, Somerset
Photo = Beaconbatchmay2005.jpg
Caption = A view of Black Down from near Charterhouse Wireless Station in the Mendip Hills
Elevation = 325 m (1,068 ft)
Location = Mendip Hills, England
Range =
Prominence = "c." 241 m
Coordinates =
Topographic
OS "Landranger" 141
Type =
Age =
First ascent =
Easiest route =
Grid_ref_UK = ST484572
Listing = Marilyn

Black Down is an area of Open Access common on the Mendip Hills, Somerset, England. The hill is largely of a moorland characteristic, with dense cover of associated vegetation, including Heather and Bracken.

The summit of Black Down is Beacon Batch, the highest point of the Mendip Hills. The summit is a popular site and is marked with a Ordnance Survey trig point, the base of which was recently rebuild by the Mendip Hills AONB authority.

During World War II a decoy town was constructed on Black Down which was intended to represent the blazing lights of a town which had omitted to follow black out regulations. The success of this endeavour is questionable, with no ground indications that the hills were used as targets. [cite web | title=Mendip Hills An Archaeological Survey of the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty | work=Somerset County Council Archeological Projects | url=http://www.somerset.gov.uk/media/896B4/MendipAONB.pdf | accessdate=2006-10-28]

References