Bossington

Bossington

Bossington, a hamlet 1 m. from Porlock, lying under Bossington Beacon, which is the W. end of the North Hill (see Minehead). It is a picturesque place, noteworthy for its huge walnut trees. It is separated from the sea by a stretch of shingle. There is a little chapel of some antiquity, which has a good E. window (restored). The summit of the Beacon may be reached either from the hamlet itself or from Allerford (whence numerous zigzag paths lead through the woods).

Bossington

View west - Bossington Hill

The village lies in the National Trust's Holnicote Estate and it's picture postcard cottages are noted for their bread ovens and tall chimneys. There are great walks to the large pebble beach and Hurlstone Point.

Cottage in Bossington

Birds of prey and all sorts of animals can be seen at the Farm Park.

Bossington Green

Hurlstone Point

Bossington Storm Beach

Porlock shingle ridge

Bossington is a picturesque hamlet in Selworthy parish, on the National Trust's Holnicote Estate. Distinctive cottages with chimney stacks and bread ovens bulging from the facades line the single street. There are good walks along the Coast Path to Hurlstone Point and Porlock Marsh and superb views from Bossington Hill. There is a car park, toilets, picnic area and tea gardens in season, and a wildlife park and medieval chapel at nearby Lynch.

Bossington, a long, picturesque thatched village with tea rooms, some fine walnut trees and the starting point for several bracing walks out to Hurlstone Head. Bossington village is part of the National Trust's Holmcote Estate covering 20 square miles, with a rich and varied landscape of rugged coastline, rare ancient woods, heather moorland and a rich heritage of buildings.

The Village:- mainly owned by the Trust, has many interesting cottages in the local style, some with round chimneys and bread ovens. All the cottages and form buildings are maintained by the Estate's building team, using traditional materials, including limewash on cottage walls.

Bossington in 1934

Bossington in 1934 - photo presented with the kind permisssion of www.grumpystumpy.com

Bossington Somerset in August 1938

Bossington Somerset in August 1938 - photo presented with the kind permisssion of www.grumpystumpy.com

Horner Water:- runs down through the village, emerging into the sea by filtering through the shingle. Once or twice a year, during periods of high rainfall, the river punches a hole through the ridge with a tremendous roar. Many Brown Trout live in the river, attracting the keen interest of Herons.

Archaeology:- at the rear of Bossington Beach a group of ruined buildings form the remains of at least one lime kiln. lime was traditionally brought in by boat and heated in the kiln to render it usable for addition to the acidic soils of Exmoor, to improve them for farming. A number of pillboxes dating from World War II can be seen, built to defend the coastline against invasion. Coastal Management:- the shingle ridge protecting the low-lying farmland has recently been breached by high tides, evidence suggests that in the past the area behind the ridge was tidal rather than freshwater, as it is today. As the ridge is likely to be breached by the sea again, the National Trust is developing a management strategy which takes advantage of frequent inundation by the sea. This allows the valuable salt marsh to increase and improves the habitat for birds.

Bossington Hill with Dunkery as a backdrop

Bossington Hill with Dunkery as a backdrop - image supplied by kind permission of Somerset Tourism, Somerset County Council

Bossington Hill:- a walk from the car park takes you over the river and around the foot of Bossington Hill towards Hurlstone Point. The ruined coastguard station at the tip of the Point offers splendid views around the bay. A return walk leads back around a higher contour of the hill. The view looking down on to the villages of the Vale is magnificent.

Looking to the West from Bossington Hill

Bossington Beach: this shingle ridge stretches from Hurlstone Point round Porlock Bay to Porlock Weir. The steeply shelving beach is open to the Atlantic gales and the waves grade the pebbles up the beach according to size, the smallest being at the crest of the beach. At low water, rock pools are visible, havens for crabs, sea anemones and numerous "Shellfish. Birds such as Curlew, Oystercatohers, Shelduck and Gulls are attracted by these rich pickings.

Bossington Beach Lookout