 The Quantock Hills are largely formed by rocks of the Devonian Period, which consist of sediments originally laid down under a shallow sea and slowly compressed into solid rock.In the higher north western areas older Early Devonian rocks, known as Hangman Grits, predominate, and can be seen in the exposed rock at West Quantoxhead quarry, which were worked for road building.The old medieval church in the village became so dilapidated that it was entirely rebuilt in 1856 leaving only the shaft of a cross  from the original building in the churchyard, two of the bells dated 1440, a Norman font and a stone coffin.