Pits and planes
Back in 1986, local author Peter collier published a book entitled colliers Way. This was a guidebook to the Somerset coalfield, including its geology and history, its canals and railways as well as some fascinating conversations with retired miners. as an added bonus, there were 12 walks that explored the decaying remains of pits that once employed upwards of 4,000 men. I recently revisited one of these walks, starting from Paulton. It is something of an acquired taste rather than a pleasant rural ride!
Paulton has the feel of an old mining town and it has much character rather than being a pretty place. There are chapels aplenty, including the vast Methodist chapel, a sure sign that miners were non
conformist and wanted little to do with the ‘establishment’ at the church of England. There is also a half-decent non-league football team that as recently as 2009 played Norwich city in the Fa cup, a game broadcast live on Sky TV. Paulton is also equidistant from Bath, Bristol and Wells as a road sign in the town points out.
Early on, the walk passes the wooded batch of Simon’s Hill colliery. Little is known of this mine other than it was working in 1791 and closed around 1844. Beyond, lies the site of the Old Mills colliery, whose volcano-shaped batch is the most recognisable remnant of this once great coalfield. Paulton was the location of the first Great Mills DIY retain outlet, its name being derived from this pit. Years later, Great Mills was acquired by Focus DIY and the original store is now owned by Wickes.
Beyond a Western Power Distribution complex that resembles a trio of Stephenson’s
Rockets, the walk climbs up through Hillier’s Down Wood before following the wooded Langley Down Lane across a hilltop. Occasional clearings bring fine views, especially looking back across a rank of former miners’ cottages towards that fine batch of Old Mills colliery. From the hilltop, pleasant fieldpaths bring the walk to the fringes of Farrington Gurney and the remains of the Bristol and North Somerset Railway, the lifeline for the coal from the local mines.
alongside the main a362 in the village is the site of the former Miners arms pub, now Spice Dunes, an excellent Indian restaurant. around the side of this building is a small window and ‘hatch’ that was once the ticket office for Farrington Gurney Halt. a sign records that the ticket office sold on average 5,500 tickets annually. The Halt was open to passengers between 1927 and 1959.
Beyond are the remains of Farrington colliery, almost imperceptible in 2022, before the walk passes a moving war memorial just before journey’s end. The memorial is to the memory of two glider pilots and 21 men of the 9th Field company (airborne) Royal Engineers who were killed when their airspeed Horsa Glider RJ113 crashed in the field on Sunday, September 17, 1944, en-route for arnhem in Operation Market Garden. The glider took off from RAF keevil in Wiltshire towed by a Short Stirling bomber Lk 148 of 229 Squadron.
Getting there
■ Paulton lies on the B3355 two miles north of Midsomer Norton. A left turn just past Holy Trinity Church will bring you to the car park. There are also regular buses from Bath and Bristol.
■ 1. Leave the car park, walk down to the B3355 and turn right to walk into the centre of Paulton. Just before a roundabout by the Red Lion pub, turn right down an alleyway to reach Paulton’s High Street; this bypasses a dangerous section of main road. Follow the road to the right for ½ mile, passing Paulton Methodist Chapel and a shopping precinct, before turning left into Ham Lane. In 150 yards, turn right into Ham Grove and walk to the end of this cul-de-sac. Cross the field ahead, before bearing half-left in the next field and walking across to a gate. Cross the following field to its far right corner. Walk around the right-hand side of the wooded batch of Simon’s Hill Mine to reach a gate at the top of the hill. Cross the field ahead to a gate in its righthand corner before following a track down to a road.
■ 2. Follow this road to the right along to its junction with the B3355 by a medical centre. Cross over and follow the road opposite past a care home along to a gate. Cross the field ahead to a gate before bearing half-left in the following field and walking down to a gate to the right of the prominent batch of Old Mills Colliery. Follow a path to a road and walk past some DIY warehouses to the A362. Turn right and follow the pavement alongside this busy road before turning left on to a country lane in 350 yards. Follow this lane for ¼ mile to a power installation on the right. In another 150 yards, with a footpath on the left, turn right into a field and follow its right edge up to Hillier’s Down Wood. Follow what becomes Langley Down Lane across the wooded hilltop for ¾ mile to a point where two footpaths go off on the left.
■ 3. At this point, turn right and enter a hillside field. Follow its left edge down to a gate in the bottom corner, before crossing the next field to a lane that runs up past some houses to join the A362. Turn right and, in 175 yards, left on to a side road opposite an Indian restaurant. Follow this road for 200 yards, taking great care on a blind righthand bend (walk on the opposite side of the road) before turning right into Ruett Lane. Where this road bears right in 300 yards, keep ahead on a track and climb uphill to a gate and field. Cross this field, passing a war memorial on the right, to a gate. Walk diagonally across the middle of the next field to a gate and road on the edge of Paulton. Follow this road to the left for 400 yards to a junction by Newtown Chapel, now converted into flats. Turn right and, in 75 yards, turn left to cross a park back to the car park.