Priddy Mineries, Nature reserve in Somerset, England
Priddy Mineries is a nature reserve covering 50 hectares of grassland, nutrient-poor pools, wetland, and heather slopes beside Stock Hill woodland. Mining remnants are scattered across the landscape: ponds, mounds, and spoil heaps shape the terrain throughout.
The area functioned as a lead mining site for two millennia before closing in 1908. Victorian-era workings left behind ponds, mounds, and spoil heaps that remain visible today.
The place forms part of the Monarch's Way national footpath and shows traces from mining days, including old settling ponds and flues. Visitors can discover these industrial remnants while walking and understand how people once worked here.
A car park at Stockhill Wood offers free parking and access to multiple walking routes through the site. The paths are open to all visitors and suit different walking speeds.
The site hosts 20 dragonfly species, including the rare Downy Emerald dragonfly. This species is found nowhere else in the Mendip Hills.
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