Mendip was a local government district of Somerset in England. The district covered a largely rural area of with a population of approximately 112,500,

Toponymy

Several explanations for the name Mendip have been suggested. Its earliest known form is Mendepe in 1185. One suggestion is that it is derived from the medieval term '. However, A D Mills derives its meaning from Celtic ', meaning mountain or hill, with an uncertain second element, perhaps Old English ' in the sense of upland, or plateau.

An alternative explanation is that the name is cognate with Mened (Welsh '), a Brythonic term for upland moorland. The suffix may be a contraction of the Anglo-Saxon ', meaning a valley. Possible further meanings have been identified. The first is 'the stone pit' from the Celtic ' and ' in reference to the collapsed cave systems of Cheddar. The second is 'Mighty and Awesome' from the Old English ' and '.

Governance

Until 2023, Mendip district fell under the jurisdiction of Mendip District Council. At the 2019 local elections, no party gained overall control.

{| class="wikitable"

|-

!Party

!Seats

!Net Gain/Loss

|-

|Liberal Democrat

|22

| +11

|-

|Conservative

|10

| -22

|-

|Green

|10

| +7

|-

|Independent

|5

| +4

|}

As of March 2022, the council had 23 Liberal Democrats, 12 Conservatives, 10 Greens, and 2 Independents.

Abolition

On 1 April 2023, the council was abolished and replaced by Somerset Council, a unitary authority for the area previously served by Somerset County Council.

Settlements

The five main settlements of the former Mendip council were Frome, Glastonbury, Shepton Mallet, Street and Wells. Frome, Glastonbury and Shepton Mallet were the only towns in the district, with Wells having city status and Street maintaining its status as a village despite a population in excess of 11,000.

Other villages and hamlets included:

  • Ashwick
  • Baltonsborough – Batcombe – Beckington – Binegar – Bleadney – Bowlish – Buckland Dinham – Burcott – Butleigh – Butleigh Wootton
  • Chantry – Charterhouse – Chelynch – Chesterblake – Chewton Mendip – Chilcompton – Coleford – Coxley – Cranmore – Croscombe
  • Dean – Dinder – Ditcheat – Doulting – Draycott – Dulcote
  • East Lydford – East Pennard – Easton – Emborough – Evercreech
  • Farleigh Hungerford – Faulkland
  • Godney – Great Elm – Green Ore
  • Henton – Highbury – Holcombe – Hornblotton – Horrington – Huxham Green
  • Kilmersdon
  • Lamyatt – Leigh-on-Mendip – Leighton – Litton – Lydford-on-Fosse
  • Maesbury – Meare – Mells
  • Nettlebridge – North Wootton – Norton St Philip – Nunney
  • Oakhill – Oldford
  • Pilton – Polsham – Prestleigh – Priddy – Pylle
  • Rode – Rodney Stoke
  • Southway – Standerwick – Ston Easton – Stratton-on-the-Fosse – Stoke St Michael – Stoney Stratton
  • Thrupe – Trudoxhill
  • Upton Noble
  • Vobster
  • Walton – Wanstrow – Waterlip – West Compton – West Lydford – West Pennard – West Woodlands – Westbury-sub-Mendip – Westcombe – Westhay – Whatley – Wookey – Wookey Hole – Worminster – Witham Friary
  • Yarley

Parishes

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="width:90%;"

|-

! class="unsortable" | Image

! Name

! Status

! Population

! Former local authority

! class="unsortable" | Coordinates

! class="unsortable" | Refs

|-

|alt=Gray stone building with square tower at left hand end. Foreground includes grass area with gravestones, taken over the top of metal railings.|100px ||Ashwick||Civil parish || style="text-align:center;" | 1,352 ||Shepton Mallet Rural District ||||

|-

|alt=Brown stone building with square tower at the left hand end. In the foreground is a grass area with gravestones.|100px ||Baltonsborough ||Civil parish || style="text-align:center;" | 864 ||Wells Rural District || ||

|-

|alt=A row of whitewashed buildings on the left with climbing plants. Small flower filled gardens separate them from a stone wall fronting a road.|100px ||Batcombe ||Civil parish || style="text-align:center;" | 439 ||Shepton Mallet Rural District || ||

|-

|alt=Street scene showing brown stone houses with tiled roofs. Several parked cars in the road.|100px ||Beckington ||Civil parish || style="text-align:center;" | 983 ||Frome Rural District || ||

|-

|alt=Yellow stone building with prominent square tower. Trees to left and right of the path leading to the building.|100px ||Berkley ||Civil parish || style="text-align:center;" | 344 ||Frome Rural District || ||

|-

|alt=Stone three stage square tower surmounted by a flag pole. To the right are trees and in the foreground grass.|100px || Binegar||Civil parish || style="text-align:center;" | 313 ||Shepton Mallet Rural District || ||

|-

|alt=Street scene showing grey stone houses on the left of a road with a few cars.|100px||Buckland Dinham ||Civil parish || style="text-align:center;" | 381 ||Frome Rural District || ||

|-

|alt=Grassy area with trees in the foreground and a terrace of stone houses, one white fronted, in the background|100px ||Butleigh ||Civil parish || style="text-align:center;" | 823 ||Wells Rural District || ||

|-

|alt=Stone two bay building with prominent ornamental tower behind|100px ||Chewton Mendip ||Civil parish || style="text-align:center;" | 585 ||Wells Rural District || ||

|-

|alt=Street scene with stone cross on three tier plinth to the left of the road. In the background is a white walled building.|100px ||Chilcompton ||Civil parish || style="text-align:center;" | 2,062||Clutton Rural District || ||

|-

|alt=Stone building with prominent square tower at near end. In the foreground are gravestones and trees to the left and right.|100px ||Coleford ||Civil parish || style="text-align:center;" | 2,313 ||Frome Rural District || ||

|-

|alt=Stone building with arched porchway. Prominent square tower to the left hand end of building. In the foreground gravestones and crosses on grass.|100px ||Cranmore ||Civil parish || style="text-align:center;" | 667 ||Shepton Mallet Rural District || ||

|-

|alt=Water flowing through a channel and over a weir between a building and a wall. Vegetation on both sides of the water.|100px ||Croscombe ||Civil parish || style="text-align:center;" | 603||Shepton Mallet Rural District || ||

|-

|alt=Yellow stone building with central square tower, Foreground is paths through green grass.|100px ||Ditcheat ||Civil parish || style="text-align:center;" | 725 ||Shepton Mallet Rural District || ||

|-

|alt=Gray stone building with two arched porch entrance doors. Separated from road by stone wall.|100px ||Doulting ||Civil parish || style="text-align:center;" | 618 ||Shepton Mallet Rural District || ||

|-

|alt=Stone building with square tower to left hand end. Foreground shows gravestones in grass area.|100px ||East Pennard ||Civil parish || style="text-align:center;" | 348||Shepton Mallet Rural District || ||

|-

|alt=Whitewashed building with square tower.|100px ||Emborough ||Civil parish || style="text-align:center;" | 148 ||Shepton Mallet Rural District || ||

|-

|alt=Street scene. Stone cross on a pillar rising from 5 step plinth. Iron lampost left and right of the road are stone terraced houses.|100px ||Evercreech ||Civil parish || style="text-align:center;" | 2,334 ||Shepton Mallet Rural District || ||

|-

|alt=Street scene. Buildings to left and right of narrow road.|100px ||Frome ||Town || style="text-align:center;" | 26,203 ||Frome Rural District<br />Frome Urban District || ||

|-

| alt=Red roofs of multiple houses, with some larger white roofs at the far side. Surrounded by trees and grren fields on all sides. Hills on the horizon.|100px||Glastonbury ||Town || style="text-align:center;" | 8,932||Glastonbury Municipal Borough || ||

|-

|alt=Stone building at the end of narrow lane with water filled ditches on either side. Surrounded by fields and trees.|100px ||Godney ||Civil parish || style="text-align:center;" | 237 ||Wells Rural District || ||

|-

|alt=Stone two arch bridge over water|100px ||Great Elm ||Civil parish || style="text-align:center;" | 171 ||Frome Rural District || ||

|-

|alt=Stone building with arched windows. Prominent square tower to the right hand end. In the foreground are gravestones in grassy area.|100px ||Hemington ||Civil parish || style="text-align:center;" | 640 ||Frome Rural District || ||

|-

|alt=Street scene. Road junction with red stop sign. Two cars. The sides of the roads are stone walls with large trees showing above them.|100px ||Holcombe ||Civil parish || style="text-align:center;" | 947 ||Shepton Mallet Rural District || ||

|-

|alt=Stone building with old metal sign above the door saying Old Post Office, red post box set into the wall and to the left an old blue telephone box. The door is below the level of the road and separated by metal railings. Hanging baskets of flowers on the front of the building.|100px||Kilmersdon ||Civil parish || style="text-align:center;" | 541 ||Frome Rural District || ||

|-

|alt=Gray stone building with square tower at left hand end. In the foreground are gravestones on grass.|100px ||Lamyatt ||Civil parish || style="text-align:center;" | 183||Shepton Mallet Rural District || ||

|-

|alt=Street scene showing a road unction with parked cars. On the left and right are stone houses with trees and fields in the distance.|100px ||Leigh-on-Mendip ||Civil parish || style="text-align:center;" | 514 ||Frome Rural District || ||

|-

|alt=Stone building with square tower at left hand end. In the foreground are trees and gravestones.|100px ||Litton ||Civil parish || style="text-align:center;" | 240 ||Clutton Rural District || ||

|-

|alt=Cast iron pump with its own tiled roof. Behind are two stone built thatched cottages.|100px ||Lullington ||Civil parish || style="text-align:center;" | 162 ||Frome Rural District || ||

|-

|alt=Small shop with white surrounds to the windows set in the right hand building of a terrace.|100px || Lydford-on-Fosse||Civil parish || style="text-align:center;" | 511 ||Shepton Mallet Rural District || ||

|-

|alt=Yellow stone building with tiled roof and arched doorway.|100px ||Meare ||Civil parish || style="text-align:center;" | 1,304 ||Wells Rural District || ||

|-

|alt=Street of grey stone houses. The church tower can be seen n the background|100px ||Mells ||Civil parish || style="text-align:center;" | 638 ||Frome Rural District || ||

|-

|alt=Stone church tower with flag pole. In the foreground are gravestones on grass.|100px || North Wootton||Civil parish || style="text-align:center;" | 317 ||Wells Rural District || ||

|-

|alt=White fronted building with black beams prominent. Over the door is a sign saying The George Inn, Wadworths.|100px ||Norton St Philip ||Civil Parish || style="text-align:center;" | 858 ||Frome Rural District || ||

|-

|alt=Ruined stone castle with round towers at each corner.|100px ||Nunney ||Civil parish || style="text-align:center;" | 844 ||Frome Rural District || ||

|-

|alt=Long stone building with buttressed walls and red tiled roof.|100px ||Pilton ||Civil parish || style="text-align:center;" | 998 ||Shepton Mallet Rural District || ||

|-

|alt=Large area of green grass with stone farm buildings behind. In the centre is a small thatched wooden building.|100px ||Priddy ||Civil parish || style="text-align:center;" | 624 ||Wells Rural District || ||

|-

|alt=Stone building with prominent square tower. Surrounded by trees and with green grass area in the foreground separated from the building by a stone wall.|100px ||Pylle ||Civil parish || style="text-align:center;" | 160 ||Shepton Mallet Rural District || ||

|-

|alt=Street scene. Triangular area of grass with village sign on wooden post and stone cross behind. Stone houses with tiled roofs n the background.|100px ||Rode ||Civil parish || style="text-align:center;" | 1,025 ||Frome Rural District || ||

|-

|alt=Stone building with square three stage tower at the left hand end. Trees to the right hand gravestones in front.|100px ||Rodney Stoke ||Civil parish || style="text-align:center;" | 1,326 ||Wells Rural District || ||

|-

|– ||Selwood ||Civil parish || style="text-align:center;" | 798 ||Frome Rural District || ||

|-

|alt=Stone buildings seen behind trees and grass area with wooden fence in the foreground.|100px ||Sharpham ||Civil parish || style="text-align:center;" | 130 ||Wells Rural District || ||

|-

|alt=Street scene with buildings on the left and right. In a central position is a stone arched building with a spire.|100px ||Shepton Mallet ||Town || style="text-align:center;" | 10,369 ||Shepton Mallet Urban District || ||

|-

|alt=Stone building with square tower|100px ||St Cuthbert Out ||Civil parish || style="text-align:center;" | 3,749 ||Wells Rural District || ||

|-

|alt=Gray bstone building with square tower to the left hand end, partially obscured by tree. In the foreground is a stone wall separating the church from the road.|100px ||Stoke St Michael ||Civil parish || style="text-align:center;" | 926 ||Shepton Mallet Rural District|| ||

|-

|alt=Stone building with square tower. Foreground is grass with gravestones.|100px ||Ston Easton ||Civil parish || style="text-align:center;" | 550 ||Clutton Rural District || ||

|-

|alt=Gray stone building with square tower. Foreground is grass with gravestones.|100px ||Stratton on the Fosse ||Civil parish || style="text-align:center;" | 1,108 ||Shepton Mallet Rural District || ||

|-

|alt=Paved shopping street with shops on either side. Green bollards|100px ||Street ||Civil parish || style="text-align:center;" | 11,805 ||Street Urban District || ||

|-

|alt=Stone arched bridge with wooden handrail over river.|100px ||Tellisford ||Civil parish || style="text-align:center;" | 182 ||Frome Rural District || ||

|-

|alt=Street scene. Red telephone box and telegraph pole. Stone buildings around road junction.|100px ||Trudoxhill ||Civil parish || style="text-align:center;" | 423 ||Frome Rural District || ||

|-

|alt=Stone building with tower beyond field and stone wall.|100px ||Upton Noble ||Civil parish || style="text-align:center;" | 128||Frome Rural District || ||

|-

|alt=White circular building with three windows, surrounded by vegetation.|100px ||Walton ||Civil parish || style="text-align:center;" | 1,106 ||Wells Rural District || ||

|-

|alt=Street scene. Houses to left and right of road junction.|100px ||Wanstrow ||Civil parish || style="text-align:center;" | 489 ||Frome Rural District || ||

|-

|alt=People at coloured market stalls. Surrounding are houses with the towers of the cathedral visible behind.|100px ||Wells ||City|| style="text-align:center;" | 10,536 ||Wells Municipal Borough || ||

|-

|alt=Yellow stone building with red tiled roof and square tower with short spire. Foreground is grass with gravestones.|100px ||West Bradley ||Civil parish || style="text-align:center;" | 277 ||Shepton Mallet Rural District || ||

|-

|alt=Gray stone building with arched windows and square tower. Foreground is grass with gravestones.|100px ||West Pennard ||Civil parish || style="text-align:center;" | 670 ||Wells Rural District || ||

|-

|alt=Stone building with square tower partially obscured by tree.|100px ||Westbury ||Civil parish || style="text-align:center;" | 801 ||Wells Rural District || ||

|-

|alt=Stone building with archway through it for the road. Steps to wooden doorway on the first floor.|100px ||Whatley ||Civil parish || style="text-align:center;" | 245 ||Frome Rural District || ||

|-

|alt=A row of cottages, partially obscured by vegetation. In the background is the bell tower of a much large building.|100px ||Witham Friary ||Civil parish || style="text-align:center;" | 399 ||Frome Rural District || ||

|-

|alt=Two bay building with square tower with spirelet. In the foreground are gravestones in a grassy area.|100px ||Wookey ||Civil parish || style="text-align:center;" | 1,311 ||Wells Rural District || ||

|}

Transport

Major roads

  • A37 from Bristol to Yeovil
  • A361 from the M5 to Frome
  • A371 from Weston-super-Mare to Wincanton
  • A39 from Bath to Bridgwater

Railway stations

  • Frome, served by Great Western Railway on the Heart of Wessex Line and Reading to Taunton Line
  • Served by the East Somerset Railway:
  • Cranmore
  • Cranmore West
  • Merryfield Lane
  • Mendip Vale

See also

  • Grade I listed buildings in Mendip
  • Grade II* listed buildings in Mendip
  • List of scheduled monuments in Mendip
  • 2019–2023 structural changes to local government in England

References

  • Official website, archived in March 2023