Steep Holm

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Steep Holm
Elevation	78 m (256 ft)
Location	Bristol Channel, England
Prominence	78 m
Topo map	OS Landranger 182
OS grid reference	ST229607

Steep Holm (grid reference ST228607) is a 48.87 acre at high tide, expanding to 63.26 acres at mean low water, 25.51 hectare, English island lying in the Bristol Channel.^[1] Administratively it is now part of North Somerset unitary authority. It was formerly in Somerset; then it became part of Avon on 1 April 1974.^[1]

The island serves as a wind and wave break, sheltering the upper reaches of the Bristol Channel. The island is now uninhabited, with the exception of the warden and protected as a nature reserve and Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), notification having taken place in 1952. Nearby is Flat Holm island, part of Wales.

Both Steep Holm and Flat Holm were fortified in the 1860s as a defence against invasion: Steep Holm having several gun batteries, some of which are Scheduled Ancient Monuments; and a centralised group of brick-built barrack blocks. These facilities were updated in both World War I and World War II; and in WW II, search light batteries were built on Steep Holm. The Steep Holm batteries were also connected, by underwater telegraph cable, to the Brean Down Fort batteries; but parts of the cable were stolen for scrap after the end of WW II.^[2]

The island is owned by the Kenneth Allsop Memorial Trust, a charity which took over the administration of Steep Holm in 1974, in memory of the well-known broadcaster and naturalist; and purchased it in 1976.^[1] The mission statement of the Trust is: "To protect, preserve and enhance for the benefit of the public the landscape, antiquities, flora, fauna, natural beauty and scientific interest of the island of Steep Holm in the County of North Somerset and to advance the education of the public in the natural sciences."

One barrack block is in use today to provide visitor facilities.

[edit] Notes

[edit] References

• van der Bijl, Nicholas (2000). Brean Down Fort: Its History and the Defence of the Bristol Channel. Cossington: Hawk Editions. ISBN 0-9529081-7-4.
• Brown, Donald (1999). Somerset V Hitler: Secret Operations in the Mendips 1939–1945. Newbury: Countryside Books. ISBN 1-85306-590-0.
• Legg, Rodney, (1995). The Steep Holm Guide: The history of the Island off Western-super-Mare. Second Edition. Wincanton: Wincanton Press. ISBN 0-948699-49-3.
• Rendell, Stan and Joan, (1993). Steep Holm: The Story of a Small Island. Stroud: Alan Sutton Publishing. ISBN 0-7509-0323-6.

Biological Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Avon

Ashton Court • Avon Gorge • Banwell Caves • Biddle Street, Yatton • Bishop's Hill Wood • Blagdon Lake • Bodkin Hazel Wood • Brockley Hall Stables • Brown's Folly • Burledge Sidelands and Meadows • Burrington Combe • Chew Valley Lake • Cleaves Wood • Cleeve Wood, Hanham • Combe Down and Bathampton Down Mines • Compton Martin Ochre Mine • Congrove Field and The Tumps • Dolebury Warren • Ellenborough Park West • Folly Farm • Goblin Combe • Gordano Valley • Harptree Combe • Hawkesbury Meadow • Hinton Charterhouse Field • Horseshoe Bend, Shirehampton • Iford Manor • King's Wood and Urchin Wood • Long Dole Wood and Meadows • Lower Woods • Max Bog • Middle Hope • Midger • Monkswood Valley • Plaster's Green Meadows • Purn Hill • Puxton Moor • Severn Estuary • Shiplate Slait • St. Catherine's Valley • Steep Holm • Tickenham, Nailsea and Kenn Moors • Uphill Cliff • Upton Coombe • Walton Common • Weston Big Wood  • Yanal Bog Neighbouring areas: Gloucestershire • Somerset • Wiltshire