May Hill

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May Hill
The River Severn from May Hill
Elevation	296 metres (971 ft)
Location	Gloucestershire, England
Prominence	c. 217 m
Parent peak	Worcestershire Beacon
Topo map	OS Landranger 162
OS grid reference	SO695213
Listing	Marilyn

May Hill is a hill between Gloucester and Ross-on-Wye, whose summit is on the western edge of Gloucestershire, though its northern slopes are in Herefordshire. It forms part of a low range of hills separating the River Severn from the River Wye. The Hill used to be known as Yartleton Hill, but may have been renamed because of the May Day activities there ( see below). The top of the hill is a Site of Special Scientific Interest. Much of the hill is owned by the National Trust, though the very top is vested with the Longhope Parish Council (though with no fences). It was recently included among the seven wonders of the West Country.

The summit is 296 metres (971 ft) above sea level, and located there among the trees are several benches from which one may study the views, which are extensive in all directions. They include views to the Welsh borders, and the lower reaches of the River Severn, bypassed for shipping by the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal.

Much of the hill is forest, both pine and deciduous, though the summit area is grassland and heath, with a little heather and gorse. The immediate summit is topped with mature pines which were planted to mark Queen Victoria's golden jubilee. These trees make May Hill as easily identifiable landmark from many miles away. The younger trees around were planted to mark Queen Elizabeth's silver jubilee. Early maps and accounts show a clump of trees on the top before these plantings. Birds to be seen on the hill include meadown pipit, Tree Pipit, redstart and raven, whilst the woods below have a good population of woodcock.

On the summit is a plaque erected to commemorate the Silver Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth in 1977. It reads:

This plaque was erected by the parishes of Longhope & Newent as a tribute to a gracious and beloved monarch. "God Save The Queen".

Each May Day (the first of May), morris dancers dance in the new dawn on the top of May Hill and hundreds of observers join in the celebration. A ceremony on May Day morning has been carried out for several centuries, originally it included of a mock battle between youths.

The summit is reached by three public footpaths, two of them forming the Gloucestershire Way and Wysis Way.

[edit] Geology

May Hill is formed of sandstones and siltstones known as the May Hill Sandstone, consisting of the Huntley Hill and Yartleton Formations. These rocks date from the Early Silurian period and are formed into adome, cut through by several faults. The most significant of which is the Blaisdon Fault which forms the eastern boundary of May hill and separates it from the younger rocks of the Severn Vale.

[edit] References

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