Mendip Book Launch Sat. 7th March.

The Old Ruminator

Well-known member
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By Nicholas Chipchase, on Flickr​
 

mrodoc

Well-known member
A great evening and an excellent book (a must have really).
 

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The Old Ruminator

Well-known member
A very intensively researched book given the disparity of the areas under consideration. The Brendon Hill iron mines are covered as well as Buckingham Mine on the Quantocks. All my old Quantock rambles from the 1960's are recorded as well as the meeting of two great Mendip minds ( not mines ! ) myself and a callow youth by the name of Peter Glanvill at Holwell Cavern. Lots of other useful notes on archeology, conservation and geology are included. Can't wait for volume two ( West Mendip apparently at the printers ). Volume 3 and 4 seem to be %80 complete but maybe in abeyance whilst a new Mendip Underground is completed. A waterproof sleeve is offered as separate but needs considerable dexterity in the fitting thereof. Such was the crush and excitement at the Hunters last night that I forgot to ask the author about distribution. I expect most Mendip clubs will have a source of supply.

 

mrodoc

Well-known member
it should be in reputable bookshops too as it of much wider interest to other  than cavers
 

ZombieCake

Well-known member
it should be in reputable bookshops
Picked up mine from an unreputable caving club...  The effort that's gone into cataloguing all the caves, mines and features is amazing. Didn't realise how much stuff is actually out there. Very well done indeed.
 

Scud

Member
How do you buy a copy of this book, as i'm not based down in the Mendip's?

Will anybody be attending the BCA Council meeting in April from Somerset, where i could buy one (get money to somebody prior) then somebody bring it to the BCA Council meeting for me?

Wayne
 

The Old Ruminator

Well-known member
mrodoc said:
Picked up mine from an unreputable caving club.

Dispreputable surely?


[/quote]

This from somebody who took two toads into our dig ( he meant loads ) thus sparking a major amphibian cruelty alert.
 

complex

Member
Scud said:
How do you buy a copy of this book, as i'm not based down in the Mendip's?
https://www.mcra.org.uk/wiki/doku.php?id=for_sale

(although caver post via the BCA council meeting would save the MCRA the postage costs)
 

mikem

Well-known member
mrodoc said:
Dispreputable surely?
Got to love it when you correct somebody with a spelling mistake...

complex said:
(although caver post via the BCA council meeting would save the MCRA the postage costs)
Postage costs are extra to the cost of the book, so saves you money, rather than MCRA - however, it is currently not available, as dispatcher cannot get to the Post Office.
 

rhychydwr1

Active member
Somerset Underground,  Volume One.  Bristol ? Broadfield Down.  The Bristol Channel & West Somerset by R M Taviner 2019  276 pp. illus.  DW in plastic cover.  Available from the Mendip Cave Registry and Archive for ?12.50 post free from:
https://www.mcra.org.uk/wiki/doku.php?id=for_sale#somerset_underground_-_volume_1

Although the word ?Caves? in not in the title I was surprised to find that about half the book covered mines: metalliferous, stone and ochre, but not coal.  Other sites include railway tunnels, a storm water tunnel, conduits, spring and wells.  Many of the mines had been filled in, not exactly an aid to exploration.  I was horrified to find that many of the closed mines were once well known bat haunts.  I am surprised that the local bat groups did nothing to keep them open.  ?Caves? also included many sea caves which accounted for about 25% of the caves.  Not exactly karst features. 

There are many significant omissions like Pocock?s or Highwayman?s Cave.  Key publications are also missing from the bibliography:  The Caves of the Avon Gorge by Members of the Speleological Group Rodway School 1973 of which all later publications are based.  Although there is an index of caves/sites, many other alternative cave names are not indexed.  A list of caves/sites by National Grid References is also lacking, in my opinion an important omission.


Work is in progress on the other titles in the series: Volume 2 West Mendip, Burrington and North Mendip.  Volume 3 Central and South Mendip.  Volume 4 East Mendip, Bath and South Somerset.  I am eagerly looking forward to these.




 

PeteHall

Moderator
Just picked up volume 1 and volume 2 at the weekend.

What a fantastic wealth of information!

Good effort Tav, looking forward to volumes 3 and 4  :clap:
 

PeteHall

Moderator
Not yet, but it is available from various local sources. I got the last of Ali's stock, but I can get you a list of other people who may still have some.
 

maxb727

Member
This is Tav?s Facebook post:


SOMERSET UNDERGROUND VOLUME TWO ? UPDATE
As some of you will already be aware, Somerset Underground Volume Two is now available. Given the continuing restrictions surrounding large gatherings, we have decided to abandon our plans for an official book launch and are therefore making it available locally with immediate effect. For administrative purposes we have chosen to release this volume gradually, in stages, beginning with local sales via the usual suspects, whose support in these trying times is greatly appreciated. Apart from myself of course, copies are currently available from Mike Moxon, Dave King, Estelle and James, Tony Boycott, Graham Mullan, Alison, Alan Gray, Rich Witcombe and Matt & Mandy. Please be respectful and feel free to message me directly if you need a contact. Just to remind you, Volume Two comprises 261 pages and covers practically every conceivable natural cave, mine, sink, rising, spring, holy well and artificial underground site situated in West Mendip, Burrington and North Mendip. Despite rumours to the contrary, of the 600 sites discussed barely a dozen are gated! As with Volume 1 (which IS now available via postal sales) Volume 2 retails at the rock-bottom price of just ?10! Before anybody asks, this post is intended for local information only, so is deliberately not shareable to all. I shall update accordingly as soon as postal sales are available. Good caving! Tav
 
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