Bruton

The usual range of the River Brue at Bruton Surgery is between 0.19m and 0.67m. It has been between these levels for 90% of the time since monitoring began. The typical recent level of the River Brue at Bruton Surgery over the past 12 months has been between 0.17m and 1.11m. It has been between these levels for at least 151 days in the past year. The highest level ever recorded at the River Brue at Bruton Surgery is 2.69m, reached on Saturday 7th July 2012 at 9:00am. 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, Bruton was founded by Ine of Wessex in the 7th century. Bruton was listed in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Briuuetone, meaning 'Vigorously flowing river' from the Old English tor and Celtic briw meaning vigour. The river has been the site of several watermills and in 2003 the South Somerset Hydropower Group installed their first hydroelectric turbine at Gants Mill at nearby Pitcombe. It was the site of Bruton Abbey, a medieval Augustinian priory from which a wall remains in the Plox close to Bow Bridge. The priory was sold after the dissolution of the monasteries to the courtier Sir Maurice Berkeley (died 1581), whose Bruton branch of the Berkeley family converted it into a mansion then demolished in the late 18th century. The Dovecote which overlooks Bruton was built in the sixteenth century. It was at one time used as a house, possibly as a watchtower and as a dovecote. It is a Grade II* listed building and ancient monument. It is managed by the National Trust. The building was once within the deerpark of the Abbey. It was adapted by the monks from a gabled Tudor tower. The conversion to be a dovecote took place around 1780. It has over 200 pigeon holes