Radstock is a town in Somerset, England, 9 miles (14 km) south west of Bath, as well as 8 miles (13 km) north west of Frome. It is within the unitary authority of Bath and also North East Somerset and had a population of 5,620 according to the 2011 Census. Given that 2011 Radstock has actually been a town council in its very own right. Radstock has actually been resolved because the Iron Age, as well as its value grew after the building of the Fosse Way, a Roman roadway. The development of the town happened after 1763, when coal was uncovered in the location. Lots of mines opened during the 19th century including several possessed by the Waldegrave family, who had actually been Lords of the Manor given that the English Civil War. Admiral Lord Radstock, bro of George, fourth Earl Waldegrave, took the community's name as his title when developed a Baron. The spoil heap of Writhlington colliery is now the Writhlington Site of Special Scientific Interest, that includes 3,000 tons of Upper Carboniferous spoil from which more than 1,400 insect fossil samplings have been recouped. The facility geology and slim joints made coal removal hard. Tonnage raised throughout the 19th century, reaching a peak around 1901, when there were 79 separate collieries as well as annual production was 1,250,000 bunches per year. Nonetheless, because of regional geological difficulties and manpower scarcities outcome decreased and the number of pits reduced from 30 at the start of the 20th century to 14 by the mid-thirties; the last 2 pits, Kilmersdon as well as Writhlington, closed in September 1973. The Great Western Railway and the Somerset and Dorset Railway both established stations and mustering yards in the town. The last passenger train services to Radstock enclosed 1966. Manufacturing sectors such as printing, binding and also packaging provide some neighborhood work. Recently, Radstock has significantly become a commuter town for the close-by cities of Bath as well as Bristol. Radstock is residence to the Radstock Museum which is housed in a previous market hall, and also has a series of exhibitions which offer an insight right into north-east Somerset life because the 19th century. Much of the exhibits associate with regional geology as well as the now disused Somerset coalfield and also geology. The community is also residence to Writhlington School, popular for its Orchid collection, and a variety of academic, spiritual as well as social structures as well as sporting clubs.