Brean Down

Infobox Mountain
Name = Brean Down
Photo = Brean Down.jpg
Caption = Brean Down from Steep Holm
Elevation = 97 m (318 ft)
Location = Mendip Hills, England
Range =
Prominence = 91 m
Coordinates =
Topographic
OS "Landranger" 182
Type =
Age =
First ascent =
Easiest route =
Grid_ref_UK = ST284590

Brean Down is a promontory off the coast of Somerset standing convert|320|ft|m|0|lk=on high and extending convert|1.5|mi|km|0|lk=on into the Bristol Channel between Weston-super-Mare and Burnham on Sea.

Made of carboniferous limestone, it is a continuation of the Mendip Hills, and two further continuations are the small islands of Steep Holm and Flat Holm.

It is now owned by the National Trust, and is rich in wildlife, history and archaeology. It is a Site of Special Scientific Interest. [cite web |url=http://www.english-nature.org.uk/citation/citation_photo/1003155.pdf |title=Brean Down |accessdate=2008-03-24 |format=PDF |work=English Nature ] There are steep cliffs and, at its seaward point, a Brean Down Fort built in 1865 and then re-armed in the Second World War.

History

There is evidence of a pagan shrine at Brean Down dating from pre-Roman times [cite book |last=Dunning |first=Robert |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=A History of Somerset |year=1983 |publisher=Phillimore & Co |location=Chichester |id=ISBN 0-85033-461-6 ] which was re-established as a Romano-Celtic style temple in the mid-4th century and probably succeeded by a small late-4th century Christian oratorycite book | last = Aston | first = Mick | coauthors = Burrow, Ian | title = The Archaeology of Somerset | publisher = Somerset County Council | date = 1982 | location = Taunton] . There is also evidence of an Iron age hill fort and prehistoric barrows and field systems. [cite book |last=Adkins |first=Lesley and Roy |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=A field Guide to Somerset Archeology |year=1992 |publisher=Dovecote press |location=Stanbridge |isbn=0946159947 ]

Brean Down Fort was built on the headland between 1864 and 1871 on the recommendations of the 1859 Royal Commission. It was the most southerly of a chain of defences across the Bristol Channel, protecting the access to Bristol and Cardiff. On the outbreak of World War II the fort was rearmed with two 6" ex-naval guns and machine gun posts were built on the Down. During WWII the site was also used as a test launch site for rockets and experimental weapons, and a large arrow was painted on the down to direct bombers to the practice range.

In the 1860s plans were laid for a deep water harbour on the northern shore of Brean Down. The foundation stones of the pier were laid, but the project was later abandoned after a large storm destroyed the foundations.

In 1897, following wireless transmissions from Lavernock Point in Wales and Flat Holm, Guglielmo Marconi moved his equipment to Brean Down and set a new distance record for wireless transmission.

In 1952 the former Axbridge Rural District Council gave the down to the National Trust to celebrate the "Festival of Britain". After restoring the fort, Sedgemoor District Council gave this to the trust as well in 2002.

Various proposal have been put forward to construct a Severn Barrage for tidal electricity production from Brean Down to Lavernock Point in south Wales.

Ecology

The nationally rare White Rock-rose ("Helianthemum appenninum") is a common species at the site, occurring in abundance on the upper reaches of the grassy south-facing slopes. Twist, Colin, "Rare Plants in Great Britain - a site guide"] Some of the broomrapes growing here which were originally thought to be Oxtongue Broomrape ("Orobanche artemisiae-campestriae") are now no longer believed to be this species, but atypical specimens of Ivy Broomrape ("O. hederae") [Green, Ian, Peter Green and Geraldine Crouch "The Atlas Flora of Somerset"]

Other plants on the southern slopes include the Somerset Hair Grass, wild thyme, Horseshoe Vetch and birds-foot-trefoil. The northern side is dominated by Bracken, bramble, privet, hawthorn, cowslips and bell heather.

The birds seen on Brean Down include Peregrine falcon, jackdaw, kestrel, collared and stock doves, whitethroat, linnet, stonechat, dunnock and rock pipit. There are also several species of butterfly including; Chalkhill blue, Dark Green Fritillary, Meadow Brown, Marbled White, small heath, and common blue.

References

Gallery

External links

* [http://www.burnham-on-sea.com/breandown.shtml Burnham-on-Sea Page]
* [http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-visits/w-findaplace/w-breandown/ Brean Down information at the National Trust]
* [http://www.swuklink.com/AAAAADIK.php Brean Down info at swuklink]