The River Frome’s wild history is the subject of a new book by a local resident.
‘Somerset’s River Frome: the extraordinary natural history of a quiet English river’ has been a passion project for the last three years for Frome resident David Glasman.
The book charts the story of the animals, plants and fish that have lived in and around the river from before the end of the last Ice Age to the present day.
David, who has lived in Frome since 2016, said he fell in love with the river soon after he moved from Bristol.
“Rivers have always fascinated me and looking at the river from the town bridge one day, I realised the River Frome had an absorbing and untold history and was still important today to the people who live along its course.
“I started by walking the length of the river on both sides and became more and more immersed in its history and in the wildlife that I saw every time on my walks.”
David’s sightings have included kingfishers, little egrets, grey herons, otters, chub, a white pheasant and cormorants. He said, “Historically there is evidence that humans living in the local area in periods during the last Ice Age shared the land with, among other animals, brown bears, spotted hyenas, steppe pika, lemmings and reindeer.
He said, “The River Frome and the area around it have nurtured and continue to nurture a really rich patina of life both in the water and near its banks. We, as modern humans, tend to take our rivers for granted but they are still really important and deserve our attention and respect.
“And as far as the local area is concerned, the river was central to the cloth trade, which made this place famous in past centuries, and is, in its own way, responsible for Frome being the thriving town it is today.”
As well as covering the river’s history the book has sections on how the river is faring today and includes some chapters on how it may alter in the face of manmade climate change up to 2100.
David said, “The river is facing some tough challenges ahead, especially with higher temperatures, which could make life hard for some of its fish, plant life and invertebrates, as well as probable periods of drought. So, we need to really care about it. Thankfully there are many local people doing just that.”
He added the recent introduction of beavers was a good example of people trying to find “green” solutions to the problems the river faces now and in the future.
David says he is not an ecologist but a lay enthusiast and a retired clinical psychologist who was helped in his research by the Friends of the River Frome, Frome Anglers and the Heal rewilding project based beside the river’s source south of Witham Friary.
“Many people helped and encouraged me over a number of years and I’m really grateful for their time and knowledge,” he said. “Many already care for and love the river and I hope my book encourages even more people to enjoy the Frome and appreciate the wildlife that calls it home.
The book ‘Somerset’s River Frome: the extraordinary natural history of a quiet English river’ is available for £7.99 only from Amazon.
