Parish News

The Somerset Waste Partnership Briefing is available here: SWP Briefing July 2021 Garden Waste

The latest Somerset Waste Partnership Briefing is available here: SWP Briefing 2021 July FINAL

Budding time travellers of all ages are invited to a free, fun-packed, family event to celebrate the nationwide Festival of Archaeology. On Saturday 17 July, the village green at Bishops Lydeard will be transformed into a prehistoric village featuring interactive demonstrations of ancient crafts, family activities and object handling.

Under the expert guidance of archaeologists and craftspeople from Newhaven Coppice, visitors will be able to try their hand at making prehistoric pottery, woodworking and

weaving; there will be demonstrations of ancient bronze casting methods; and you can even prepare and taste foods that our prehistoric ancestors would have eaten.

Throughout the day there will be the chance to learn about and handle genuine archaeological artefacts with Dr Maria Kneafsey and colleagues from the Portable Antiquities Scheme; and young archaeology buffs can learn some of the skills of excavation in a sandpit dig. There will also be a drop-in finds surgery, allowing visitors to bring along any unusual artefacts they may have found whilst out for a walk or digging their gardens, and have them identified and recorded.

Best of all, the event is entirely free. It is being organised by the Quantock Landscape Partnership Scheme, a five year project hosted by the Quantock Hills AONB and funded largely by The National Lottery Heritage Fund which aims to inspire local communities to undertake a wide range of projects providing resilience and protection of the Quantock landscape.

Dan Broadbent, the scheme’s Historic Heritage Officer, said, “As we approach the end of Covid restrictions, we hope this will be a great way for people to come together in a safe, outdoor space, have some fun and learn something about the long and fascinating history and archaeology of the Quantock Hills.”

The event also marks the launch of archaeological excavations on nearby Cothelstone Hill. Dan explained, “We have a number of archaeological and heritage projects as part of the Landscape Partnership Scheme, all aimed at encouraging and helping people to better understand and engage with the Quantock landscape. The dig at Cothelstone Hill is our first excavation, which will be investigating the purpose and origins of a prehistoric earthwork which crosses the ridge of the hill.”

The Prehistoric Fun Day will be open from 10am – 4pm on Saturday 17th July, at Bishops Lydeard Village Green. Entry and all activities are free of charge.

A copy of the latest Quantock Hills AONB Newsletter is available here: JuneJuly 2021 Newsletter Issue 13

Following the resignation of Cllr Henry Davenport, there is a vacancy for a Parish Councillor.  The required notice is available here: Vacancy Notice 100621

Monday 14th June – Friday 25th June 2021 (excluding 19th + 20th June) under daytime closure (09.30 – 15.30)

Somerset County Council Highways (SCCH) would like to give notice of a planned resurfacing scheme along the A358 Williton Road, Combe Florey between Monday 14th June to Friday 25th June 2021 under a daytime closure (09.30 – 15.30). This scheme was originally planned to commence on the 19th April 2021 but had to be delayed due to administrative issues beyond our control. Through close liaison with our main contractors Milestone, these June dates were the only dates available to minimise disruption in our busy county-wide resurfacing programme for this financial year.

The dates cover a 10-day period of works which includes a contingency element at the end to allow for unforeseen circumstances such as poor weather and breakdowns. This major scheme brings together two planned elements of our routine maintenance programme and a safety improvement scheme. The routine maintenance element will resurface approximately 600 metres of the A358 Williton Road, from a point just south of the Combe Florey Road junction, north to a point just past the Coggins Lane (Farmers Arms) junction, along with some highway drainage upgrades which have already been completed.

The safety improvement element includes updated warning signage approaching the Coggins Lane junction from the Taunton direction along with a refresh of warning markings on the
road surface and additional edge of carriageway white lining to emphasis the narrow road under the railway bridge. As there is residential housing along this stretch of the A358, along with complicated diversion routes (an existing road closure along the A3259 at Monkton Heathfield), it has been decided to carry out these works during the daytime (09.30 – 15.30) under a complete road closure. The road will be re-opened during the rest of the day under traffic light control.

Appropriate early warning information signage will be posted along the route at least 10 days before the commencement of the scheme along with enhanced messaging from VMS signing
to help better inform the travelling public. This road closure and Temporary Traffic Regulation Order along with the associated diversions can be viewed through the ‘one.network, website
under reference – LG210YAPR9022-24. Local businesses affected by this closure have already been contacted to allow prior planning.

Any further enquiries should be made through the SCCH Somerset West and Taunton area office email at ‘countyroads-tdeane@somerset.gov.uk ‘.