The Quantock Hills are probably one of England’s best kept secrets, nestling in against their larger cousin Exmoor. But the Quantocks are so much more than a ‘little Exmoor’. This gentle ridge of uplands rises from just a few feet above sea-level at Taunton and climbs to 1260 ft at Wills Neck, before dipping its shoulders in to the Bristol Channel, a mere 12 miles later. Size for size, in these few miles that make up the Quantocks, there can surely be no more beautiful a place in Britain. Indeed Coleridge and Wordsworth captured their simple beauty in verse and in doing so wrote some of this country’s most celebrated literature while staying in the hills in the 1790s.

Indeed, little has changed since those heady days of the romantic poets. So little wonder, with all the wonderful facets the hills have to offer, the open moorland, Jurassic coastline, charismatic farmland and magnificent woodland, that the Quantocks were awarded in 1956 the distinction of being England’s first Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

This collection of over 140 superbly composed photographs depicts one of England’s little gems. Although recognized nationally for its natural beauty, never before has such a varied and intimate portrait of the hills been assembled. Shot from dusk till dawn, subjects from moor, to coast, farmland, woodland and wildlife, have been brought to life by photographer Craig Hutchings who demonstrates his love of this wonderful landscape, not only through the well known vistas but those secret places only a local would know.

Born in the county town of Taunton, Craig can be described as an Englishman by birth and a son of Somerset by the grace of God, such is his love for his native county. He was introduced to photography by his father Ron in the 1970s, while still at school. From this early introduction, a great passion for photography grew, with Craig photographing just about everything and anything over the next 30 years. So, being brought up in the shadow of the Quantocks and now a resident of the hills along with his wife Bev and two daughters Amberley and Emily, little wonder that Craig knows just about every combe, cairn and tuft of heather on them. To capture the ever-changing light which dances across the combes and moors, has become a burden of delight. Forever drawn to early mornings, late nights and endless hours of waiting for the perfect shot, Craig has devoted much of his recent life to building up this superb collection of images.

Imprint: Halsgrove. ISBN 978 1 84114 933 2, hardback, 214×230mm, 144 pages. Published March 2009.

Craig Hutchings has most generously donated the royalties from the initial print run to Friends of Quantock - so get your copy today!

As a result of the snow and the poor condition of the roads, we had to postpone our talk on Bridgwater Bay.  We apologise for the inconvenience.  If members think a talk may be cancelled because of the weather, they can check our website or phone the Hon. Secretary, Mary ter Braak. 

Our AGM will take place on Tuesday 22 September 2009 at the Church Centre in Bishops Lydeard.

New Subscription charges

The “credit crunch” has hit everyone and Friends of Quantock are no exception.  Our investment income has fallen dramatically while our administrative costs have risen and we are having to dip into reserves to meet them.  Our subscriptions were last raised in 1994 and the committee has therefore carried out a comprehensive review.  In doing so, we have tried to balance the hard times that all our members are experiencing against the need not only to cover our administrative costs but also to have a surplus towards the objectives of Friends of Quantock.

It has therefore been decided that there will be a new 5 year membership, to replace the 10 year membership and that both annual and 5 year memberships will now cover all members of one household.  One free badge will be included with each membership.

We have looked carefully at the subscription rates of other amenity groups and decided to set our annual membership rate at £12 p.a., which is still one of the lowest rates for similar societies.  In order to ease the increase for existing members, they will be offered a one-off renewal of £8 for the first year.  In fact a husband and wife paying the full rate for annual membership would currently be paying £10 p.a.

The 5 year membership has been fixed at £50, thus giving a very worthwhile 16% discount over the annual rate.

The committee feels that these increases are inevitable and hopes that, while no increase is ever welcome, members will support the need to keep the society in good shape financially and ready to continue the work of preserving the Quantocks.

Our membership currently stands at 400 which is about half what it was at one time.  We need new members both to strengthen the society and to improve our finances so if you know anyone who might be interested in joining, either give them an application form or ask our Hon. Secretary to do so.  If every member could introduce a new one we should immediately be in a much stronger position.

Present: Mrs L Kelly (Chairman), Mrs J Swash (Vice Chairman), Major D H S White (Treasurer), Mrs M ter Braak (Secretary) Miss P. Davies-Gilbert, Mrs W. Hofmaier, Mr A. Hughes, Mr C. Tilley, Mrs J. Warmington, Mr M. Treharne and 28 members.

 1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE: Lady Gass, Mr E G and Lady Sarah Wright, Mr. S Atkinson, Mr J Edney, Mrs G Fillary, Lt.Col. & Mrs. Borradaile, Mrs A Mead, Mr & Mrs M Gambier, Mr & Mrs M Hawkins, Lt. Cdr. M. Ingram, Mr Upson.

2. MINUTES OF MEETING HELD ON 26 SEPTEMBER 2007: Mr D Worthy advised the meeting that he had not realised that his Resolutions would be discussed under Item 6 - Any Other Business. The Chairman referred him to her report in the AGM papers in which this was mentioned. The Minutes were accepted as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

3. CHAIRMAN’S REPORT: This year 3 members were co-opted on to the Committee - Mrs Wendy Hofmaier (in February 2008) and Mal Treharne and Alan Hughes who, together with Mrs Jane Warmington, produced the Spring newsletter under editorship of Mr. Alan Corkett.

Projects supported: 
(a) Janet White’s application to the Sustainable Development Fund (SDF) for a grant towards improving the vegetation on Aisholt Common. This work has been carried out and has received much acclaim.
(b) The installation of a new wooden gate at Triscombe Stone car park. We do (financially) support the hanging of wooden gates, rather than metal ones, wherever possible.
(c) The Quantock Link project - we made a contribution to the creation of a new public right of way at Plainsfield enabling walkers, bikers and riders to avoid having to cross a busy main road.
(d) Re-instatement of Bicknoller and Halsway Posts.
(e) Donation towards the restoration of St. Agnes’ Well, Cothelstone (another SDF project) - and there are more projects in the pipeline.

Red deer
This is a subject of great concern to many; we therefore published a letter by Dr. Jochen Langbein in our Spring newsletter and included the Quantocks AONB deer management leaflet.  It is hoped this will help towards a greater understanding of deer management.  At this Spring’s deer count the total number was 675, lower than last year’s 758.

Ticks
At the April meeting of the Quantock Hills Joint Advisory Committee, Professor Roy Brown delivered a report about the study of ticks in selected areas of the Quantocks.  The report showed a significant increase in ticks in some areas, especially ones which are much visited, such as Cothelstone and Lydeard Hill.  It also pointed out that the number of ticks which carry diseases has dramatically increased.  To obtain a copy of the full report, please contact the Quantock Hills AONB service on  01823 451 884

Quantock Hills Joint Advisory Committee
As a member of this committee, FoQ has been invited to sit on a panel discussing the Quantock Hills Management Review.  This will be finalised in Spring 2009.  In JAC meetings FoQ has raised the following issues at members’ requests - the deer cull, littering, barbed wire (old and new) left by contractors.

4. HONORARY TREASURER’S REPORT: the Treasurer presented the Accounts for 2007. Excess of income over expenditure was £71. Expenditure and income were fairly similar to previous years. The deposit account with the Portman Building Society has been closed and the Treasurer asked for suggestions from members for a suitable place for the bulk of FoQ’s funds, at present deposited with HSBC. A 12 month bond from the Skipton Building Society was suggested and it was agreed to look into this.

5. ELECTION OF OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE:
Lady Gass has kindly agreed to serve again as President.
Mrs Laetitia Kelly was elected Chairman (nominated by Mr K ter Braak and seconded by Mrs D Gascoigne).
Mrs J Swash was elected Vice Chairman (nominated by Mrs C Taylor and seconded by Mrs M. Greswell).
Major D White was elected Treasurer (nominated by Mrs P Hardy and seconded by Mr M Treharne).
Mrs M ter Braak was elected Secretary (nominated by Mr R Hardy and seconded by Mrs D Gascoigne).
The remainder of the Committee were re-elected (nominated by Mrs White and seconded by Mrs M Greswell).

6. ANY OTHER BUSINESS:

At the start of the meeting Mr Worthy had distributed copies of his Resolutions to all members and the Committee had also given members copies of both Mr Worthy’s Resolutions and the Committee’s Responses to them. The Chairman allowed sufficient time for everyone to read these documents before they were discussed.

Due to the number of Resolutions put forward (16), and the fact that all members had been given the time to read through them all, the Chairman advised Mr Worthy that he could have ten minutes in which to propose these Resolutions to the Meeting. After a period of 15 minutes, the Chairman asked for a vote on the proposal that “the Members accept the responses from the Committee to these Resolutions as the way forward”. There was a show of hands and the majority of members were in favour of this proposal.

The Chairman declared the meeting closed.

What does the prudent landowner do? He has a tree hazard survey done by someone qualified. He looks at it critcally. He instructs a contractor to fell all trees identified as being dangerous. And then he can sleep easily at night. The danger, and therefore the liability, have been removed.

It’s not quite that easy. Although no felling licence (from the Forestry Commission) is required to fell a dangerous tree, a licence may well be required under The Habitats Directive if there is a danger of disturbing a European Protected Species, in this case one of our seventeen species of bat. But as human health and safety is one of very few valid reasons, a licence should be forthcoming.

What is the dilemma? It is that, whilst the landowner owes a duty of care to motorists and walkers on footpaths and riders on bridleways, he is also concerned about the landscape. And felling lots of large and very old trees in full public view is not top of his list of good things to do. The courts have decreed that without commissioning a tree survey a landowner can hardly claim to be prudent. And if that landowner then ignores the survey’s conclusions he will definitely be culpable.

What is the risk? Very small. Every accident involving fallen trees is reported because it is so unusual.  But the consequences in terms of loss of life and financial damages can be huge. There is another small irony in this story. The trees most at risk are those standing alone, or in an avenue. They have no protection from strong winds. And these are the trees that would be most missed because they are individuals. Trees within, or even at the edge of woodland, have the protection of their neighbours, and if they were to be lost there is another tree standing nearby.

There is a further disincentive to fell dangerous trees. It is expensive. By definition they are well past their prime in terms of timber value, and perching next to a road adds difficulty and expense. Let me just say that it makes very expensive firewood. But the butt is too big for firewood, and too rotten for timber, so we can leave it to quietly decay and continue to provide a living for all those nice creepy crawlies. Oh, and we will continue to plant trees to replace those we might lose as well as those already lost.

This is a fascinating book for anyone and especially for those who know and love the Quantocks. It examines the changing face of the Quantock landscape from earliest times to the 20th century but particularly explores the impact that man and his activities have had on the hills. Hazel is well versed in the archaeology of the area and takes us through the evidence of early hunter-gatherers from before the last ice-age, through the Neolithic and Bronze Age settlements and standing stones, and the barrows and earthworks that litter the hilltops, to historic times. The Middle Ages were a period of deer parks and the origins of most of the settlements that we know today with the ancient track-ways and early buildings. In more recent times she writes of the enclosure movement, industrial archaeology and big estates of the last two hundred years.

It is a fascinating read and a mine of information. If you have been intrigued by the Trendle Ring or Dowsborough Camp, by the barrows on Wills Neck or the statue of Jupiter at Terhill, you can learn all about them in this book, although I am sorry that Hazel does not explain the derivation of Wills Neck.

However well you think you know the Quantocks you will still find new information about features that you may often have passed but not recognised for what they are. The illustrations are superb with many aerial views that show the hills in a new light, maps, old photographs and drawings.

A century ago Gresswell described the combe: “The slopes are closely covered with slender trunks deep in leaf mould.  Some distance up there is a little sacred well, stone covered and mossy but whether there were originally 7, I do not know. It does seem to be an extremely ancient name for the valley.

Easier to find is St David’s Well, a path to it is signed from Great Wood car park. It lies below Quantock Farm and was restored by Quantock School some years ago. Near the bottom of the path northwards through the woods from Deadwoman’s Ditch towards Lady Combe is Lady’s Fountain in Bincombe is another well, its name seems lost, struggling to exist. Certainly there are plenty of springs on the hills, invaluable for livestock and from one near Buncombe a Taunton doctor used the water to make up prescriptions. But why did some have a special significance lasting over the years so that a small structure was built over to protect them? Look for a W on a big scale OS map to find others now lost or forgotten. It would be lovely to restore them.

Those wells in Quantock villages are better documented and are generally holy wells such as St Peter’s at Over Stowey and St John’s at Holford. St Andrew’s, Stogursey, reached by a lane from near the old cross, is worth a visit, fed by a copious supply of water. It has been used for drinking and laundry rather than curative powers, but the name Blindwell for a house at Nether Stowey tells of its supposed properties, also associated with one near Quantock Barn, Enmore. Another, St Sativola’s, near Wick Barrow and Hinckley Point, was good for both eye and skin problems.

Somewhat different is the Devil’s Whispering Veil, not far from Bishops Lydeard church, where curses can be whispered. Was that once a holy well acquired by Satan? And there used to be a well in Pardlestone Lane, Kilve, where apparently a covey of witches met and from which locals feared to let stock drink.

Many of the old houses in the area had their own water supply giving beautifully cold water to drink and also useful to store perishables in their depths before the days of fridges. But although they rarely did the owners any harm a lot would not pass to-day’s tests for drinking, often they were not far from the outside privy!
Audrey Mead.

The Quantock Deer Management and Conservation Group have called for more female deer to be culled in and around the Quantock Hills. I would like to explain the reasons that have led the very broad array of individuals and conservation organisations, which make up the QDM&CG, to ask local landowners to move towards culling in a more collaborative, selective and sustainable manner.

A visual spring (pre-calving) count of red deer on the Quantocks has been organised annually with the help of 50 volunteers for the past 17 years. Deer are difficult to count accurately, but this standardised count enables at least minimum numbers to be confirmed and trends to be monitored. The average of counts obtained during the five years from 1993-1997 was 555, rose to 745 from 1998-2002 and has averaged 830. The count records merely the annual minima before at least 350 calves are born during the summer, taking the total to somewhere near 1100.

Culling of deer on the Quantocks is nothing new, 200 to 250 deer will have been culled in most recent years but this has clearly not prevented the increase in deer numbers and the proportion of adult females culled needs to be greater.

For appropriately qualified and experienced stalkers, red deer are not an especially difficult species to cull. The more complicated task lies in getting the many individual landowners to work towards maintaining a healthy and sustainable herd as a valued part of our wildlife and asset to local tourism, but without unacceptable levels of damage to farm and timber crops or detrimental impact on semi-natural habitats.

The QDM&CG is fully committed to the long-term conservation of a substantial population of red deer on the Quantocks. However, its members (which include Quantock landholders, as well as other interested bodies) have jointly reached the conclusion that concerns about damage to farmland, forestry, and woodland biodiversity make the current size of deer populations unsustainable in the longer term particularly relative to the conservation of the ancient semi-natural oak woods on the Quantock, which are a Special Area of Conservation of international importance. The group has therefore asked local landholders to liaise in a gradual reduction of the population over the coming five years, and then retain a population nearer 500 head. To accomplish this, an extra 50 to 100 mature females will need to be culled annually to initiate a more significant reduction in the breeding herd.

Whilst the optimum deer population level for the Quantocks remains debatable and will always require compromises between landholders and other interest groups, in the absence of any natural predators, direct management intervention does become inevitable at some point.

Therefore as a biologist and wildlife enthusiast I have no problem in accepting the need for culling as part of deer management. The more important issue is that deer culls should be undertaken in a humane, professional and highly selective manner and that a significant and healthy population is retained which remains valued as an asset rather than perceived as a pest by landholders.

Name - the name of the association shall be “Friends of Quantock.”

Boundaries -the boundaries of the Quantocks for the purposes of the association are those of the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (created in 1957) and clearly shown on the maps issued by Somerset County Council in 1990 as part of the Quantock Hills Management Plan with freedom for the Executive Committee of the association to recommend from time to time such inclusion of additional territory or such exclusion as it may determine.

Object - the object of the association is to safeguard the landscape, natural beauty and amenities of the Quantocks in co-operation with other bodies who have similar objects or interests provided that, in furtherance of the association’s objects, the Executive Committee may from time to time take action concerning areas near the Quantocks but outside the boundaries before mentioned.

The association is hereby declared to be non-profit making, and to exist for charitable purposes only. Its funds will be directed solely towards the objects above mentioned, for the protection of the rights and privileges of the public and commoners, and such other charitable purposes in connection with the Quantocks as may be decided upon from time to time by the association.

Membership - there shall be two classes of members, namely:

(i) affiliated organisations comprising national, provincial and local organisations, societies and clubs concerned in any way with rural preservation;

(ii) individual annual subscribing members.

Officers - the Officers of the association shall be elected annually at the general meeting and shall consist of a President, Vice-President(s), Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer and these shall be ex-officio members of the Executive Committee, and of such other committees and sub-committees as may be appointed.

Committee - the association shall be managed by a Committee not exceeding twelve in number (exclusive of the officers) to be elected annually at the general meeting; nominations shall be made in writing by a proposer and seconder; shall be accompanied by the consent of the nominee and shall reach the Secretary not less than four days before the general meeting. Nominations may also be made by the retiring Committee. The Committee may from time to time co-opt such members (not exceeding five) as it may desire for such purposes and periods as it may desire. The Committee shall determine its own procedure. Four shall form a quorum.

Subscriptions - annual membership subscriptions from individual members and affiliated organisations shall be such amounts as are determined from time to time at the annual general meeting.

Affiliated Organisations - affiliated organisations may each appoint one delegate or such other number of delegates as may be decided by the Committee to represent them at the annual general meeting.

Annual General Meeting - the annual general meeting of the association, of which at least fourteen days’ notice in writing must be given to each member and affiliated organisation, shall be held in such month as the Committee may determine. A copy of the annual report and the balance sheet shall be sent to each member and affiliated organisation. It shall be the business of the annual general meeting to elect the Officers and Committee, to adopt the annual report, to approve the balance sheet, and to transact any other competent business. Not less than seven days’ notice of any motion shall be given in writing to the Secretary, together with the name of the proposer.

A special general meeting may be convened at any time (subject to fourteen days’ notice to members and affiliated organisations) by the Chairman of the Committee, by the Committee, or by twenty-five members of the association.

Rules - any of these rules may be rescinded, supplemented or altered at any annual general meeting of the association. Fourteen days’ notice of motions for such purpose shall be given in writing to the Secretary.

Dissolution - the association shall not be dissolved except by a resolution of three quarters of those present at a special general meeting called for the purpose.

In the event of dissolution, any surplus funds of the association shall be disposed of in such way, being in conformity with the object of the association, as the committee shall decide.