Kilve is a small village east of Watchet on the edge of the Quantock Hills. To reach the coast, from the village, take the small lane (Sea Lane) which runs toward the sea. There is a large car park at the end of the lane and parking is charged by the day.
The foreshore shows alternating bands of shale and limestone and the effect that these have on its appearance.
Kilve Beach is designated as a geological Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), this important stretch of coast is famous for its exposed rock formations and fossils. The cliffs and beach are made up of limestone and shale visible as alternate layers. These date back to around 200 million years ago and they contain some of the earliest fossil Ammonites recorded in Britain. These
creatures would have been living near the sunlit surface of the sea during
the mid Jurassic Period.
The Blessed Virgin Mary, Kilve
Lying at the northern end of the Quantocks,
Kilve is a picturesque parish with Kilve Court residential centre nearby.
The beach is a favourite haunt of geologists with
it's spectacular rock formations.
The coastline at Kilve, Somerset.
The shale rocks at Kilve was once considered a good prospect for yielding oil but now only the ruins of a Retort House remain
Kilve, situated on the A39, was once a busy
village with four shops and a mill. It was also a centre of smuggling, with brandy and illicit goods stored in a building called the Chantry, built in 1329 by Sir Simon de Furneaux, which had previously been the home of monks. It burned down in 1850, the flames said to be intensified by the burning spirits.
Kilve has a beach situated some distance from the centre of the village.
Oil Shale Retort - Kilve
Oil Retort -
In 1916 it was discovered that the shale beds of the North Somerset coast were rich in oil, and in 1924 Dr Forbes-Leslie founded the Shaline Company to exploit them.The above brick Oil Retort house is thought to be the first structure erected for the conversion of shale to oil. This venture failed due to the fact that the process cost too much to be commercially viable.
Kilve Church
The Chantry
Chantry -
In 1329 Sir Simon Furneaux founded the Chantry for five priests to pray for his soul "in Kylve Church". The license includes "a house and garden" to support the endowment. The buildings included a refectory, dormitory, stillroom, granary and other monastic appearances, and these were used as a farmhouse until the 1850s when they were gutted by fire. In their later years the Chantry buildings were used as a hiding place for the contraband goods of local smugglers and local legend has it that the fire that engulfed the Chantry was made fiercer by the high-proof brandy that was kept there.
The Chantry
Kilve Pill -
The Pill was probably a landing place for small boats dating back to the middle ages. It was first mentioned in 1559, taking its present form between 1840 and 1887 when a limekiln was built at its southern end.
Lime kiln on the beech
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