street.somerset.england.uk
Chairman Nina Swift 01458 443881 : Secretary Deanne Silmon 01458 443284 : Membership Catherine Atkins 01458 443055
email thestreetsociety@btinternet.com

The Levels

The Street Society runs a programme of monthly talks in the Leigh Road Methodist Hall. These meetings are open not only to members but also to other people who are interested, and details can be found by phoning 01458 443881.

Richard Bradford The talks have covered a wide range of topics and at the March meeting of the Street Society the guest speaker was Richard Bradford. He gave a very interesting illustrated talk on the Somerset Levels and Moors.

Richard has worked in the area of nature conservation on the levels for 15 years. He told us that the area covers one hundred and fifty thousand acres which are all below the 10 metre contour. Its lifeblood is water and the levels are the largest area of wetlands in England.

Its character was the same as the Fens in East Anglia until 400 years ago when agriculture in Somerset went principally down the route of the cow and dairy farming rather than arable farming.

Today there is a wealth of bird-life in this vast conservation area and each year there are seventy to ninety thousand migrant birds wintering in the area.

As regards the future of the levels and moors the key points are: who will decide its direction, how the water will continue to be managed with reductions in farming and will the area be allowed to flood?

The Society’s next meeting is at 7.30 on Tuesday April 22nd and is “The History of Butleigh Hospital” by Sheila Taylor.

Dave Atkins

Reports and Concerns

Newsletter here.

Committee Agenda and Minutes

View from the Street Blog - news and views on Street.

Google map of Street, showing places of interest.

Roman Street

Street from the air video

Overleigh video

Visits

Malmesbury July 2007

Bridgwater June 2007

Poundbury/Kingston Maurward pix.

Tyntesfield

Talks

Talk on the Levels - notes

Family History.

Dr Merrick on the past and future of medical services in Street.

The Early History of Millfield School.

Strode College by Principal Ian Bennett

A history of worship in Street by Revd David Parsons

The trees around Leigh Holt

Oral history

They lived in Street

Who was Merriman?

Merriman Park

Walter Raymond, author

Housman Society visit

Catalogue of the Laurence Housman collection in Street library.

The Laurence Housman website.

Concerns

The public consultation on the Houndwood development.

Murals in the library gardens - pictures

Overleigh Character Statement

Visitors since 19 May 2005

© The Street Society 2001, 2002

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