Burrington Combe

Burrington Combe

Site of Special Scientific Interest
Location within Somerset
Location	Avon
Grid reference	ST478583
Coordinates	51°19′17″N 2°45′02″W / 51.32140°N 2.75047°W / 51.32140; -2.75047
Interest	Biological and Geological
Area	139.1 ha (344 acres)
Notification	1952 (1952)
Natural England website

Burrington Combe is a Carboniferous Limestone gorge near the village of Burrington, on the north side of the Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, in North Somerset, England.

"Combe" or "coombe" is a word of Celtic origin found in several forms on all of the British Isles, denoting a steep-sided valley or hollow. Burrington Combe is a gorge through the limestone hills although there is now no river running through it. Various cave entrances are exposed which have been occupied by humans for over 10,000 years, with a hillfort being built beside the combe in the Iron Age. The geology has led to a diversity of plant life.

According to legend Augustus Montague Toplady was inspired to write the hymn Rock of Ages while sheltering under a rock in the combe, although recent scholars have disputed this claim.