Sedgemoor

Sedgemoor is a low-lying area of land in Somerset, England. It lies close to sea level south of the Polden Hills, historically largely marsh (or "moor" in its older sense). The eastern part is known as King's Sedgemoor, and the western part West Sedgemoor. Sedgemoor is part of the area now known as the Somerset Levels and Moors. Historically the area was known as the site of the Battle of Sedgemoor.

Sedgemoor gave its name to a local government district formed on 1 April 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, by a merger of the municipal borough of Bridgwater, the Burnham-on-Sea urban district, Bridgwater Rural District and part of Axbridge Rural District. The district covered a larger area than the historical Sedgemoor, extending north of the Polden Hills across the Somerset Levels and Moors to the Mendip Hills.

On 1 April 2023 the district was abolished and replaced by a new unitary district for the area previously served by Somerset County Council. The replacement council is Somerset Council. Elections for the new council took place in May 2022, and it ran alongside Sedgemoor and the other councils until their abolition in April 2023.

Toponymy Sedgemoor does not mean 'sedge moor", but is instead 'marsh of a man called Sicga' from the Old Norse personal name and Old English 'moor'. The name was recorded as in 1165.

Largest settlements Bridgwater – the administrative centre Burnham-on-Sea North Petherton Highbridge Axbridge Cheddar

Parishes Image Name Status Population Former local authority Coordinates Refs Ashcott Civil parish 1,186 Bridgwater Rural District Axbridge Town 2,057 Axbridge Rural District Badgworth Civil parish 525 Axbridge Rural District Bawdrip Civil parish 506 Bridgwater Rural District Berrow Civil parish 1,534 Axbridge Rural District Brean Civil parish 635 Axbridge Rural District Brent Knoll Civil parish 1,271 Axbridge Rural District Bridgwater Town 35,886 Bridgwater Municipal Borough Bridgwater Without Civil parish 428 Bridgwater Rural District Broomfield Civil parish 249 Bridgwater Rural District Burnham on Sea and Highbridge Town 19,576 Burnham on Sea Urban District Burnham Without Civil Parish 1,636 Axbridge Rural District Burtle Civil parish 388 Bridgwater Rural District Cannington Civil parish 2,271 Bridgwater Rural District Catcott Civil parish 531 Bridgwater Rural District Chapel Allerton Civil parish 401 Axbridge Rural District Cheddar Civil parish 5,755 Axbridge Rural District Chedzoy Civil parish 404 Bridgwater Rural District Chilton Polden Civil parish 698 Bridgwater Rural District Chilton Trinity Civil parish 260 Bridgwater Rural District Compton Bishop Civil parish 620 Axbridge Rural District Cossington Civil parish 564 Bridgwater Rural District Durleigh Civil parish 548 Bridgwater Rural District East Brent Civil parish 1,302 Axbridge Rural District East Huntspill Civil parish 1,146 Bridgwater Rural District Edington Civil parish 372 Bridgwater Rural District Enmore Civil parish 247 Bridgwater Rural District Fiddington Civil parish 298 Bridgwater Rural District Goathurst Civil parish 193 Bridgwater Rural District Greinton Civil Parish 71 Bridgwater Rural District Lympsham Civil parish 960 Axbridge Rural District Lyng Civil parish 338 Bridgwater Rural District Mark Civil parish 1,478 Axbridge Rural District Middlezoy Civil parish 725 Bridgwater Rural District Moorlinch Civil parish 408 Bridgwater Rural District Nether Stowey Civil parish 1,373 Bridgwater Rural District North Petherton Town 6,730 Bridgwater Rural District Othery Civil parish 642 Bridgwater Rural District Otterhampton Civil parish 831 Bridgwater Rural District Over Stowey Civil parish 352 Bridgwater Rural District Pawlett Civil Parish 1,038 Bridgwater Rural District Puriton Civil parish 1,068 Bridgwater Rural District Shapwick Civil parish 536 Bridgwater Rural District Shipham Civil parish 1,087 Axbridge Rural District Spaxton Civil parish 1,012 Bridgwater Rural District Stawell Civil parish 386 Bridgwater Rural District Stockland Bristol Civil parish 165 Bridgwater Rural District Thurloxton Civil parish 153 Bridgwater Rural District Weare Civil parish 658 Axbridge Rural District Wedmore Civil Parish 3,318 Axbridge Rural District WembdonCivil parish 3,613 Bridgwater Rural District West Huntspill Civil parish 1,414 Bridgwater Rural District Westonzoyland Civil parish 1,801 Bridgwater Rural District Woolavington Civil parish 2,115 Bridgwater Rural District

Rivers

River Parrett River Brue River Huntspill King's Sedgemoor Drain

Battles Battle of Sedgemoor 1685

Industry Light industry now predominates, but traditional trades including peat extraction, willow crafts and cider making may still be found, in addition to livestock farming. The River Parrett provides a source of eels (anguilla anguilla) and elvers from January through to May.

Also notable is the new Isleport trading estate at Highbridge, which houses many global businesses such as Geest (Isleport Foods) who make yoghurt under franchise to Ski & Muller, Brake Brothers who supply the catering trade, BFP wholesale who supply dry goods to bakeries etc., Woodbury & Haines who supply furniture globally, Polybeam Limited who supply GRP radio masts to customers such as Marconi, and also AT&T whose centre there controls all internet cable traffic to and from the US.

Industry in Bridgwater has also seen major growth recently with the opening of "Express Park" which houses Gerber Foods (a global fruit juice supplier), NHS Logistics depot and Eddie Stobart depot.

Governance

Sedgemoor District Council

The Sedgemoor district was established in 1974 and was based in Bridgwater. It covers a mostly rural area between the Quantock Hills and the Mendip Hills. The council, along with Somerset County Council, was replaced in April 2023 by Somerset Council, a unitary authority.

Education

Schools (those which are not independent) in Sedgemoor are operated the Children & Young People's Directorate of Somerset County Council, although some such as The Kings of Wessex School in Cheddar have distanced themselves from the county council by opting for foundation and then subsequently academy status.

Sedgemoor

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