Somerset | Page 3

such a variety of physical features as Somerset.
Hill and valley, cliff and chasm, moor and seaboard, are all to be found
there; and, in addition to its wealth of scenery, Somerset is rich in
antiquities of different kinds; whilst it has also been the theatre of some
of the most stirring events in English history.
The physical skeleton of the county may be roughly described as
consisting of three parallel ranges of hills running transversely across
it--the Mendips and their outliers in the N.E., the insignificant Poldens
in the centre, and the Quantocks and Exmoor in the W., with the
Blackdowns occupying the S.W. corner. The intervening basins are
filled with a rich alluvial deposit washed down from the hills or left by
the receding sea. The Mendips spread themselves across the E. end of
the county in a N.W. direction from Frome to Weston-super-Mare,
where they lose themselves in the Channel, to re-appear as the islets of
the Steep and Flat Holms. On their S.W. side they descend into the
plain with considerable abruptness; and when viewed from the lower
parts of the county, present a hard sky-line, like some enormous
earthwork. On the opposite side their aspect in general is far less
impressive, and towards Bath they lose themselves in a confusion of
elevations and declivities. The main ridge is an extended tableland,

some 25 m. long, and in places 3 m. broad. It rises to its greatest
heights at Blackdown (1067 ft.) and Masbury (958). Geologically, it
consists of mountain limestone superimposed on old red sandstone,
which here and there comes to the surface. Near Downhead there is an
isolated outburst of igneous rock. The Mendips are honeycombed with
caverns, the most notable being at Banwell, Harptree, and Burrington;
and a large one has been recently discovered some 4 m. from Wells. At
Cheddar their W. edge is broken by a remarkable gorge, in the sides of
which caves also occur. The level of the tableland is indented with
"swallet holes," the chief of which are the East Water Swallet and the
Devil's Punch-Bowl. The Quantocks are much less extensive, though
their highest summits rise to a greater altitude. Like the Mendips, they
turn their steepest flank westwards, the ascent on the E. being gradual;
and on this side they are cut by a number of well-timbered and
delightful combes. Few caves have been discovered in them, though
there is one at Holwell near Asholt. W. of the Quantocks are the
Brendons and the highlands of Exmoor, the latter extending into Devon,
though their highest point, Dunkery Beacon, is included in Somerset.
Dunkery is 1707 ft. above the sea-level; and other conspicuous hills in
this district are Lucott Hill (1516), Elworthy Barrow (1280), Selworthy
Beacon (1014), and Grabbist Hill. The Quantocks, Brendons, and
Exmoor consist of older rocks than the Mendips, belonging as they do
to the Devonshire series of old red sandstones. Bordering the Brendons
are found the red marls of the Permian series; whilst between Dunster
and Williton, and along the base of the Quantocks, in the
neighbourhood of Taunton Dean, as well as in some other localities,
Keuper and Rhaetic beds occur. The Blackdowns in the S.W. are not
quite so elevated as their neighbours; near Otterford and Chard they
consist of greensand, whilst chalk appears at Combe St Nicholas and
Cricket St Thomas. The centre of the county is alluvial, and beneath it
the limestone of the Mendips sinks, coming to the surface again in the
W. only at a single spot, near Cannington. Out of this central plain rise
several isolated, cone-like hills, the most notable being Glastonbury
Tor and Brent Knoll. These belong to the lias and lower oolite rocks.
The Poldens consist of lias; and the same formation constitutes the
rising ground that bounds the plain on the S. and E. of the county. The
southern side of the Poldens is edged with Rhaetic beds, which also

extend to High Ham. Oolite rocks occur abundantly near Bath,
furnishing the famous Bath building-stone; and they likewise form the
prominent eminence of Dundry. Near Frome they rest upon the
mountain limestone. The same series of rocks occupies the S.E. corner
of the county, extending from Milborne Port to Bruton. On the E. they
are flanked with the Oxford clay, which reaches from Henstridge to
Witham Friary, whilst a ridge of higher ground near Penselwood
consists of greensand. Near Radstock coal is found.
The Somerset sea-coast, though destitute of ruggedness and grandeur,
possesses undeniable charm, at least at its W. and E. extremities; but it
lapses into unquestioned tameness where the sea washes the central
flats. The waters of the Bristol Channel as far down as Minehead are
discoloured; and, with the exception of a range of low cliffs near St
Andries and Watchet