Mulchelney flooding, on the Somerset levels. A resource for geographers.

1. Muchelney
‘under water’

4. • Map of Levels needed – blank out names

8. Look at the aerial image – what type of
place is Muchelney?

9. What type of place is Muchelney?
• Muchelney is a rural hamlet with few houses
and a road junction at the centre. The church
is at the middle of the hamlet which has
grown outwards to make a circular shape. We
call this a nucleated village.

11. •Where has the
community met?
•Why do you think that
this place is dry?

12. Has the area flooded in the past?
• The community meets at the
church, which is at a higher
altitude and remains dry. In the
past, when flooding was more
common, the church would have
been built on a dry point above
the flood plain.

16. How close is Muchelney to the river?

17. How were the residents of Muchelney
affected by the flooding?
• Houses would be cold and wet
downstairs, mostly without
electricity. People’s personal
belongings would have been lost.
Sewage and mud would have
been deposited inside people’s
houses or around the outside.

20. • Do you think that driving into flood water is a
good idea?
• How deep do you think you could drive into?
• 10cm, 100cm, 2m?
• How deep would you wade into?

22. • Why do you think that going out for dinner is
important?

24. Swift Water Technician
• What colour is his
helmet?
• What is that attached to
the side of his helmet?
• What type of suit is he
wearing?
• What is attached to his
harness
• What does his red
button do?
• What do you think it
says on his badge??

25. Add the clothes and accessories to the outline of a Swift
Water Rescuer that she would need to rescue the people
of Muchelney.

27. Why, if it was a large island, does it flood?
This is Long Load,
What shape is it as a
village?
Long Load has water
at the end of their
gardens but the
houses are dry.
Are there any clues in
the name of the
village why?

29. Somerset Levels
• Originally below sea level and a wetland
ecosystem - Carr
• Allegedly King Alfred hid here
• Sedges grown for basket making, cider and
peat digging all industries
• Drained for farming
• Main drain = King Sedgemoor drain dug [1795]
south drain added after this.

31. Levees and Dredging
• Some believe that the levees retain the water
flooding onto the flood plain
• Others have asked the government to dredge the
drains so that the water will flow to the sea quicker

32. Links
• http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/07/world/eur
ope/accustomed-to-floods-but-nothing-like-this-
in-southern-england.html?_r=0
• http://www.telegraph.co.uk/topics/weather/105
64671/Stranded-the-island-in-the-middle-of-the-
English-countryside.html video
• http://www.itv.com/news/west/update/2014-02-
06/a-traumatic-day-for-farmer-james-winslade/
video

33. Settlement

34. What shape is Muchelney?

35. Nucleated

36. What is its OS Grid Reference?
• SY4324

37. What is its OS
Grid Reference?
• ST 4224

38. table

39. This is
Long Load,
What
shape is it
as a
village?

40. Linear

41. What is its OS Grid Reference?
• SY4324

42. Can we find some dispersed
settlements?
• Pg. 65

43. Can we find some dispersed
settlements?
• Pg. 65
• Isle Brewers?

45. How do you think that Roderic
receives warnings about flood water?