Cranmore | |
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Church of St Bartholomew, Cranmore |
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Cranmore shown within Somerset | |
Population | 667 (2011) |
OS grid reference | ST665435 |
District | |
Shire county | |
Region | |
Country | England |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
Post town | SHEPTON MALLET |
Postcode district | BA4 |
Dialling code | 01749 |
Police | Avon and Somerset |
Fire | Devon and Somerset |
Ambulance | South Western |
EU Parliament | South West England |
UK Parliament | |
Cranmore is a village and civil parish east of Shepton Mallet, in the Mendip district of Somerset, England. The parish includes the hamlets of Waterlip, East Cranmore and Dean where Dean farmhouse dates from the 17th century, as does The Old Smithy, just off the A361 which was originally two residential dwellings before being finally "knocked through" to just one.
The name comes from Crane Mere, the Lake of the Cranes.
The parish of Cranmore was part of the hundred of Wells Forum. East Cranmore was part of the hundred of Frome.
It is the base of the East Somerset Railway which plays host to a variety of preserved diesel and steam locomotives. It operates the line between Cranmore railway station, Cranmore West, Merryfield Lane Halt and Mendip Vale. The section between Cranmore and the mainline is used for heavy quarry traffic to the nearby Merehead Quarry. The quarry, which is also known as Torr Works, covers an area of some 200 hectares, including 60 hectares which have been landscaped to blend with the surrounding countryside. It is operated by the Foster Yeoman Company employing over 200 people and produces 6 million tonnes of limestone annually which is carried directly from the quarry by Mendip Rail.