Horner and Surrounding Area

Horner Farm is located ¾ mile from Porlock in the farming hamlet of Horner, 7 miles from coastal town of Minehead. Horner is part of the Holnicote Estate, which was donated to the National Trust in 1944 by Sir Richard Dyke Acland, and because of this it has changed little over the years.

Horner Frarm is located right next to Horner Woods one of the most largest, beautiful ancient oak woods in the country, covering 331 hectares (more than 800 acres). Horner Wood is nationally important for lichens and is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest. The presence of particular species of lichens in the wood indicate that this wood is of ancient orign. The National Trust's policy of leaving dead wood in situ encourages the growth of fungi. More than 400 different types can be found within the Wood, mainly in the autumn. Fungi to be found in Honer Wood include Death Cap, Shaggy Ink Cap, Cep and Sulphur Polymore.

The wood forms part of the Dunkery and Horner Wood National nature Reserve unenclosed, enabling sheep and wild red deer to roam freely. Insects and birds abound, such as the silver-washed fritillary butterfly in July and pied flycatcher, wood warbler and redstart from May to August. You may see dippers along the river all year. Horner Wood is of European importance for its lichen flora. Over 330 species occur, including all four species of Lobaria (Lung Moss). They are best seen in winter.

Silver-Washed Fritillary Butterflies breed in the Wood, feeding on violets and the nationally rare Haeth Fritillary Butterfly breeds in areas of bracken litter close to the wood. Horner Woods is home to 14 of the 16 UK bat Species. The open structure of the woodland canopy creates ideal conditions for Pied Flycatchers, Wood Warblers and Woodpeckers. The Green Woodpecker often feeds on wood ants, whose large rounded ant hills can be seen scattered throughout the upper slopes of the woodland. The Dipper can be seen feeding in the swiftly flowing HornerWater.

The Wood is rich in archaeological features including an Iron Age enclosure and a deserted settlement thought to date from Anglo-Saxon or medieval times. At least six house sites have been discovered, together with a hollow way or village road. Several charcoal burning platforms also exist within the Wood, indicating further commerical use in the past.

Pentley seat is a semi-circular stone seat that is worth a brief diversion both for the seat itself and for the view it commands. The seat was erected by his wife to the memory of Charles Thomas Dyke Ackland, who dies in 1919. The viewpoint offers a well-framed view of the Bristol Channel and the Welsh Coast seen between the ridges of Crawter Hill and Selworthy Hill.