Mendip

Mendip is a local government district of Somerset in England. The Mendip district covers a largely rural area of 285 square miles (738 km²) ranging from the Mendip Hills through on to the Somerset Levels. It has a population of approximately 112,500. The administrative centre of the district is Shepton Mallet but the largest town (three times larger than Shepton Mallet) is Frome.

The district was formed on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, by a merger of the municipal boroughs of Glastonbury and Wells, along with Frome, Shepton Mallet, Street urban districts, and Frome Rural District, Shepton Mallet Rural District, Wells Rural District, and part of Axbridge Rural District and part of Clutton Rural District.

Toponymy

Several explanations for the name "Mendip" have been suggested. Its earliest known form is Mendepe in 1185. One suggestion is that it is derived from the medieval term "Myne-deepes". However, A D Mills derives its meaning from Celtic monith, meaning mountain or hill, with an uncertain second element, perhaps Old English yppe in the sense of upland, or plateau.

Mendip (disambiguation)

Mendip is a local government district of Somerset, UK.

Mendip may also refer to:

See also