Langport
Langport | |
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Avon and Somerset | |
Fire | Devon and Somerset |
Ambulance | South Western |
UK Parliament | |
Langport is a town and
History
Langport (old forms are "Langeberga" and "Langeport") consists of two parts, one on the hill and one by the
Many of the houses in Bow Street tilt backwards due to settlement of the land behind the causeway. It is speculated that Langport is the place mentioned in old Welsh sources as "Llongborth" = "Ship-port", the site of the
Langport could have been important during the
The parish of Combe was part of the
The first charter, granted by
The charter of 1562 granted three annual fairs to Langport, on 28 June, 11 November, and the second Monday in Lent. Only one fair is now held, a horse and cattle fair on 3 September. A Saturday market was held under the grant of 1562, but in the 19th century the market day was changed to Tuesday.[8]
On 10 July 1645, the Battle of Langport was fought here, in which the last effective Royalist field army was destroyed and the Parliamentary victory in the Civil War became all but inevitable. When the Royalists retreated through the town many were killed by the bridge over the Parrett, and many of the buildings were set on fire. Although one authority states this was an act of the Parliamentary cavalry, reading contemporary accounts of the battle it is clear that the Royalist cavalry set the lower town on fire in the (vain) hope that this would hinder the pursuit led by Cromwell's cavalry.[9]
In 1826 Langport was the birthplace of Walter Bagehot a businessman, essayist and journalist, who wrote extensively about literature, government, economic affairs and other topics. He went into partnership with George Stuckey and by 1866 the company owned 14 East Indiamen as well as 19 barges on the River Parrett. This developed into the Somerset Trading Company. Stuckey's Bank had been founded in 1770, and by 1909 its banknote circulation was second only to that of the Bank of England. It was then taken over by Parr's Bank, which became part of the Westminster Bank.[10]
The Great Bow Bridge, which now carries the
Around 1840 the Westport Canal was built, which joined the river at Langport.[14] The abortive Ivelchester and Langport Navigation scheme had sought to avoid the Great Bow Bridge, by making the Portlake Rhine navigable, rebuilding Little Bow Bridge in the centre of Langport, and making a new cut to Bicknell's Bridge. Seven locks, each with a small rise, were planned but the scheme foundered in 1797, due to financial difficulties.[15] The railway came to Langport in 1853 and opened up new markets, but caused the decline of river traffic.
In 1856 the proprietor of the Langport Herald, James Richard Moreton, printed and published the 107 hymn tunes and six anthems written by his father, who was the minister of Langport Independent Chapel. This was the Reverend James Moreton's Sacred Music, used by Congregationalists and other denominations in the 19th century; there is a copy in the British Library.
In World War II Langport was the site of a United States Army military prison or Disciplinary Training Center.[16]
Governance
The
For local government purposes, since 1 April 2023, the town comes under the unitary authority of Somerset Council. Prior to this, it was part of the non-metropolitan district of South Somerset, which was formed on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, having previously been part of Langport Rural District.[18]
The town is in the 'Langport and Huish'
It is also part of the
Geography
Langport lies on the east bank of the River Parrett, below the point where that river is joined by the River Yeo (Ivel). There is a causeway across the moor and an important bridge over the river. Below Langport the Parrett is tidal. The rivers flow from the southern hills through Thorney Moor and Kings Moor, through a gap between the upland areas around Somerton and Curry Rivel, onto the Somerset Levels through which it flows past Bridgwater to the Bristol Channel. During the winter the low-lying areas around Langport are sometimes flooded.
Langport Railway Cutting is a Geological Conservation Review site where Gravels are exposed which show scour-and-fill structures consistent with braided stream deposition from the Pleistocene age.[20]
To the south of the town is
Climate
Along with the rest of
Annual sunshine rates are slightly less than the regional average of 1,600 hours.
Landmarks
Two buildings in the town, the Tudor House and The Warehouse in Great Bow Yard, have been restored by the Somerset Buildings Preservation Trust.[24]
Close to All Saints' Church, an archway crosses the road, bearing a
Education
Education for children aged 11 to 18 is provided by Huish Episcopi Academy, a mixed secondary school with academy status. The school has a specialist status as a Science College and Language College. It has around 1,400 students.[26]
Huish Episcopi Primary School — near the centre of Langport — takes pupils from the age of 4 to 11. The school serves Langport, Huish Episcopi, Aller, Muchelney, Pibsbury, Drayton and Pitney. The school site includes 7 classrooms, an ICT suite, hall, library, playground and school field.[27] There are around 180 pupils.[28]
St Gildas' School formerly provided private education, but is now closed.
Religious sites
The main street leads up a slope from the river to the fine
Railways
The
Media
Langport is served by a free newspaper, The Leveller, established in 2010, which provides news of the town and the county of Somerset with a circulation (net of returns) of over 12,000 copies.
Local news and television programmes are provided by BBC West and ITV West Country. Television signals are received from the Mendip TV transmitter. [33]
Local radio stations are BBC Radio Somerset on 95.5 FM, Heart West on 97.1 FM, Greatest Hits Radio South West (formerly The Breeze) on 105.6 FM and West Somerset Radio, a community based station which broadcast on 104.4 FM. [34]
Notable people
- Walter Bagehot (1826–1877), author, was born here.
- Norman Gash (1912 - 2009), historian, retired to Langport.
- Jacquemine Charrott Lodwidge (1919-2012), an art director, grew up in Langport.
- Emma Overd (1838–1928), folk singer. She was born and died in Langport.[35]
- Marti Webb (born 1943), singer and actress, retired to Langport.[36]
- Anne Beale (1816-1900), novelist, poet and short story writer, was born in Langport.
- Graham Watson (born 1956), former President of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party, lived in Langport during most of his political career, from 1994 to 2017.
References
- ^ "Langport (Somerset, South West England, United Kingdom) - Population Statistics, Charts, Map, Location, Weather and Web Information". www.citypopulation.de. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
- ^ "History of Langport". Langport.org.uk. Archived from the original on 7 October 2011. Retrieved 10 January 2011.
- ISBN 978-0-19-869103-7.
- ^ Mackay, Ian (1999–2006). "Geraint, Son of Erbin". History of Drumchapel. Archived from the original on 15 April 2014.
- ^ Richardson, Miranda. "An archaeological assessment of Langport and Frog Lane" (PDF). English Heritage Extensive Urban Survey. Somerset County Council. Retrieved 14 August 2018.
- ^ "Somerset Hundreds". GENUKI. Retrieved 16 October 2011.
- ^ Richardson, Mrianda. "An archaeological assessment of Langport and Frog Lane" (PDF). Somerset County Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 July 2011. Retrieved 10 January 2011.
- ^ Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 16 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 177.
- ISBN 1-84415-146-8.
- ^ "Stuckey's Banking Co Ltd, Taunton, 1826–1909". Royal Bank of Scotland. Retrieved 10 January 2011.
- ISBN 978-0-946217-25-0.
- ^ Historic England. "Great Bow Bridge (1235760)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 22 December 2009.
- ISBN 0-7277-1971-8.
- ISBN 0-85033-461-6.
- ISBN 978-0-946217-25-0.
- ISBN 0-947554-51-3.
- ^ "Langport Town Council". South Somerset Council. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
- ^ "Langport RD". A vision of Britain Through Time. University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
- ^ "Langport and Huish ward 2011. Retrieved 4 March 2015".
- ^ "Langport Railway Cutting SSSI" (PDF). English Nature. Retrieved 10 January 2011.
- ^ "Wet Moor" (PDF). English Nature. Retrieved 9 September 2006.
- )
- ^ a b c d "South West England: climate". Met Office. Archived from the original on 5 June 2011. Retrieved 14 March 2010.
- ^ "The Warehouse Trust Langport". Somerset Rural Renaissance. Retrieved 14 May 2010.
- ^ Historic England. "The Hanging Chapel (1056615)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 6 November 2006.
- ^ "Huish Episcopi Academy" (PDF). Ofsted. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
- ^ Huish Episcopi Primary School website
- ^ Huish Episcopi Primary School Ofsted Report Archived 6 October 2011 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Historic England. "Church of All Saints, Langport (1056616)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 5 March 2008.
- ^ "Church of All Saints, Langport". The Churches Conservation Trust. Archived from the original on 27 June 2009. Retrieved 5 March 2008.
- ^ "The Churches Conservation Trust". The Institute of Historic Building Conservation. Retrieved 5 March 2008.
- OCLC931112387
- ^ "Full Freeview on the Mendip (Somerset, England) transmitter". UK Free TV. 1 May 2004. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
- ^ "West Somerset Radio". Retrieved 13 December 2023.
- required.)
- ^ Mark Shenton, "20 Questions With... Marti Webb" in What's on Stage, dated 9 February 2004
External links
Media related to Langport at Wikimedia Commons