Durston
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Durston is a village and
History
The place-name derives from the Anglo-Saxon word 'deór-tún', being a combination of the word for a wild animal, a deer (deór,) and the word for a fenced enclosure (tún). The most likely interpretation is 'deer park’.[2]
Alwig (a
John of Erleigh, a
Several historical documents give tantalizing glimpses of the lives of these Sisters, who originally cared for sick pilgrims and crusaders in Jerusalem. For whatever reason, the royal grant stipulated that this be the only Hospitallers' house in England that could receive Sisters of that order.[4] It was later written that ′′in all respects the sisters were looked on only as servants, and as not capable of receiving or holding anything other than from the supreme powers of the order.[4] In 1229 they were granted the right to a cart-load of dead wood and three cart-loads of faggots per week from the park of Newton.[6] In 1234 the king ordered that each Sister be given a tunic and a pair of slippers every year.[6] In 1398 the Grand Master of the Order of Knights Hospitallers urged that a preceptor be named ′′whose age and character should prevent any scandal arising from his association with the nuns′′.[6] Disputes with the Knights Hospitallers at Buckland, whose
Around 1200 William's daughter Mabel married Philip Arbalistarius, who was given the manor of Mansel (Maunsel House, a mile and a half NE of Durston). Philip had to give William two young pigs every Whitsun, ″at his court of Durston″.[5]
A deer park existed in 1223, a little north of the Durston manor house. These deer were brought from Blackmore forest, in Dorset. In the 14th century, buildings at North Petherton were constructed of wood from some of the park´s trees. In 1434 the park included 200 acres of wood and 60 acres of meadow.[7] A later John of Erleigh, born in 1322,left the manor of Durston and woods to his daughter Margaret, who married Sir Walter Sandy.[7] The property passed through several other families, including such surnames as St. Maur (or Seymour), Stawell and Portman.[4]
In 1391 there were several craftsmen at Durston, such as a tanner, a smith, a skinner, and a barber, outside the gates of the priory.[7] A spring north of Durston fed fishponds established in the later 12th century and supplied the priory with water. The water supply was channeled from a conduit by the 1260s. These fishponds were filled in by 1725.[7]
Cogload Farm is on the site of a hamlet established by the later 13th century. Lodge Farmhouse dates from the 15th century and may once have been an ecclesiastical residence. It has been designated as a grade II* listed building.[8] The Buckland inn was in use in the 17th and 18th centuries. In 1752 the Taunton-Glastonbury road became a turnpike. The Durston inn was opened by 1841.[7]
Governance
The
For local government purposes, since 1 April 2023, the village comes under the unitary authority of Somerset Council. Prior to this, it was part of the non-metropolitan district of Somerset West and Taunton (formed on 1 April 2019) and, before this, the district of Taunton Deane (established under the Local Government Act 1972). From 1894-1974, for local government purposes, Durston was part of Taunton Rural District.[9]
It is also part of the
Transport
The Bridgwater and Taunton Canal also ran through the village, when it opened in 1827. It is crossed by two bridges, Headworthy and Swan's Neck.
The
Religious sites
The parish Church of St John was rebuilt in 1853 on the site of an earlier church.[10]
See also
References
- ^ a b "Statistics for Wards, LSOAs and Parishes — SUMMARY Profiles" (Excel). Somerset Intelligence. Retrieved 4 January 2014.
- ^ Bosworth-Toller Anglo-Saxon Dictionary, http://bosworth.ff.cuni.cz. Retrieved 9 October 2014./
- ^ Great Domesday Book, Folio 94v. www.domesdaybook.co.uk/. Retrieved 12 September 2014.
- ^ a b c d e f g Collinson, John (1891). The History and Antiquities of the County of Somerset Volume 3.
- ^ a b Brennen, Christopher Earls. "Chapter One. Ancient Traces". Earls Family Chronicles. Christopher Earls Brennen. Retrieved 13 September 2014.
- ^ a b c d e f g h William Page, ed. (1911). "Houses of Knights Hospitallers: The commandery of Templecombe". A History of the County of Somerset: Volume 2. Institute of Historical Research. Retrieved 13 September 2014.
- ^ a b c d e f A P Baggs; M C Siraut (1992). R W Dunning; C R Elrington (eds.). "Durston". A History of the County of Somerset: Volume 6: Andersfield, Cannington, and North Petherton Hundreds (Bridgwater and neighbouring parishes). Institute of Historical Research. Retrieved 13 September 2014.
- ^ Historic England. "Lodge Farmhouse (1060491)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 8 January 2009.
- ^ "Taunton RD". A vision of Britain Through Time. University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
- ^ Historic England. "Church of St John (1060489)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 8 January 2009.
External links
Media related to Durston at Wikimedia Commons