Radstock is a community in Somerset, England, 9 miles (14 km) south west of Bath, and also 8 miles (13 kilometres) 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 been a town council in its own right. Radstock has actually been resolved considering that the Iron Age, as well as its importance grew after the construction of the Fosse Way, a Roman roadway. The development of the community occurred after 1763, when coal was uncovered in the location. Great deals of mines opened up throughout the 19th century consisting of a number of had by the Waldegrave family, who had actually been Lords of the Estate considering that the English Civil War. Admiral Lord Radstock, sibling of George, fourth Earl Waldegrave, took the town's name as his title when created a Baron. The spoil heap of Writhlington colliery is now the Writhlington Site of Special Scientific Interest, which includes 3,000 tons of Upper Carboniferous spoil where greater than 1,400 insect fossil samplings have actually been recovered. The complex geology and also narrow seams made coal extraction tough. Tonnage enhanced throughout the 19th century, reaching a peak around 1901, when there were 79 separate collieries and annual production was 1,250,000 lots per annum. However, as a result of regional geological difficulties as well as manpower shortages result decreased as well as the number of pits decreased from 30 at the beginning 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 terminals and also mustering lawns in the town. The last passenger train solutions to Radstock enclosed 1966. Production markets such as printing, binding as well as packaging supply some local work. In recent times, Radstock has progressively become a commuter town for the close-by cities of Bath as well as Bristol. Radstock is house to the Radstock Museum which is housed in a previous market hall, and also has a variety of displays which supply an insight into north-east Somerset life considering that the 19th century. Most of the exhibits associate with local geology and also the currently obsolete Somerset coalfield and geology. The town is likewise home to Writhlington School, famous for its Orchid collection, and a series of instructional, religious and also cultural buildings and also showing off clubs.