Radstock is a community in Somerset, England, 9 miles (14 kilometres) southern west of Bath, and also 8 miles (13 km) north west of Frome. It is within the unitary authority of Bath and North East Somerset and had a population of 5,620 according to the 2011 Census. Considering that 2011 Radstock has been a community council in its very own right. Radstock has actually been settled since the Iron Age, and its significance grew after the construction of the Fosse Way, a Roman road. The growth of the town happened after 1763, when coal was discovered in the area. Multitudes of mines opened up during the 19th century including several had by the Waldegrave household, that had been Lords of the Estate given that the English Civil War. Admiral Lord Radstock, bro of George, fourth Earl Waldegrave, took the town's name as his title when developed a Baron. The spoil stack 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 specimens have been recuperated. The complex geology as well as slim seams made coal extraction difficult. Tonnage increased throughout the 19th century, reaching a peak around 1901, when there were 79 different collieries and also annual production was 1,250,000 loads per year. However, due to local geological troubles and manpower shortages result declined as well as the variety of pits decreased from 30 at the start of the 20th century to 14 by the mid-thirties; the last 2 pits, Kilmersdon and Writhlington, closed in September 1973. The Great Western Railway and also the Somerset and Dorset Railway both developed stations and also marshalling yards in the town. The last passenger train solutions to Radstock enclosed 1966. Production industries such as printing, binding as well as product packaging offer some neighborhood employment. In recent times, Radstock has progressively end up being a commuter community for the close-by cities of Bath and Bristol. Radstock is house to the Radstock Museum which is housed in a former market hall, as well as has a range of exhibits which use an insight right into north-east Somerset life given that the 19th century. A number of the exhibits connect to neighborhood geology and also the currently disused Somerset coalfield and geology. The community is also residence to Writhlington School, famous for its Orchid collection, and a variety of educational, spiritual and also social structures and also sporting clubs.