Bruton

The River Brue at Bruton Surgery typically maintains a range between 0.19m and 0.67m. This range has been observed for approximately 90% of the monitoring period. Over the past 12 months, the River Brue at Bruton Surgery has generally ranged between 0.17m and 1.11m. For at least 151 days within this year, the river's levels have remained within these boundaries. The highest recorded level at the River Brue at Bruton Surgery occurred on Saturday, 7th July 2012 at 9:00 am, reaching 2.69m. This camera was installed and is maintained by the Environment Agency and can be viewed here  All  content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0. The Church of St Mary in Bruton has its roots in the 7th century when it was founded by Ine of Wessex. During the time of the Domesday Book in 1086, Bruton was listed as Briuuetone, which signifies 'Vigorously flowing river' originating from the Old English 'tor' and the Celtic word 'briw' meaning vigour. The river has historically hosted several watermills, and in 2003, the South Somerset Hydropower Group installed their first hydroelectric turbine at Gants Mill in the nearby Pitcombe area. The river's vicinity also includes the remnants of Bruton Abbey, a medieval Augustinian priory, with a remaining wall located in the Plox near Bow Bridge. Following the dissolution of the monasteries, the priory was sold to Sir Maurice Berkeley (died 1581), a courtier from the Berkeley family's Bruton branch, who transformed it into a mansion. However, the mansion was later demolished in the late 18th century. The Dovecote, a notable structure overlooking Bruton, was constructed in the sixteenth century and served various purposes over time, including being a house, potentially a watchtower, and a dovecote. Designated as a Grade II* listed building and an ancient monument, the Dovecote is currently managed by the National Trust. Originally part of the Abbey's deerpark, the monks adapted the structure from a gabled Tudor tower, converting it into a dovecote around 1780. Notably, it boasts over 200 pigeon holes.