Norton Fitzwarren

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Norton Fitzwarren
Avon and Somerset
Fire	Devon and Somerset
Ambulance	South Western
UK Parliament	Taunton Deane
List of places UK England Somerset 51°01′24″N 3°08′57″W / 51.0232°N 3.1491°W / 51.0232; -3.1491

Norton Fitzwarren is a village, electoral ward, and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated 2 miles (3.2 km) north west of Taunton. The village has a population of 3,046.^[1]

History

The village is on the southern slope of Norton Camp, a large hillfort that shows evidence of occupation from neolithic times, through the Bronze Age, to the Roman occupation of Britain.

The Church of All Saints dates from the late 13th and early 14th century. It has been designated as a Grade II* listed building.^[2]

The parish of Norton Fitzwarren was part of the

On 23 November 2021 a double murder occurred in the village, involving a local IT teacher and coffee shop worker.[4]

Governance

The

groups on matters of crime, security, and traffic. The parish council's role also includes initiating projects for the maintenance and repair of parish facilities, as well as consulting with the district council on the maintenance, repair, and improvement of highways, drainage, footpaths, public transport, and street cleaning. Conservation matters (including trees and listed buildings) and environmental issues are also the responsibility of the council.

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, Norton Fitzwarren was part of Taunton Rural District.^[5]

It is also part of the

system of election.

Military connections

PoW camp

It was the location of a 300-man prisoner of war camp during

. POW Camp Number 665 – 'Cross Keys Camp', Norton Fitzwarren.

Royal Marines

Just north of the village is Norton Manor Camp, home of 40 Commando, Royal Marines. For many years it was the base of Junior Leaders Battalion, Royal Army Service Corps (until 1965 when RASC was disbanded) which became Junior Leaders Regiment, Royal Corps of Transport. From the early 1960s to the late 1970s, it took boys from age 15 yrs to age 17½ years and trained them to be army transport drivers.

Industry

Norton Fitzwarren is located on the confluence of many fast flowing local water flows, and from the 1700s onwards became the base for many water-powered weaving mills, and after the riots in London, also many silk mills, which gave part of the area its name.

For many years Norton Fitzwarren was the site of the main factory of the Taunton Cider Company producing cider brands such as Blackthorn Cider. Production was moved to Shepton Mallet after Matthew Clark plc, the UK division of Constellation Brands, bought Taunton Cider in 1995.

Transport

GWR Autocoach is propelled (by GWR 4575 Class 5542) to the new Norton Fitzwarren station on the heritage-West Somerset Railway

Norton Fitzwarren was the site of a boat lift on the now disused section of the Grand Western Canal from 1839 to 1867.

Norton Fitzwarren station closed in 1966, the same year that the British Army supply depot closed. Taunton Cider took over the former goods yard to the north of the site, but this also closed in the early 1990s, and has been redeveloped as housing. Most of the former Minehead branch is now operated by the West Somerset Railway as a heritage railway.

See also

• Norton Camp Bronze Age hillfort
• Norton Fitzwarren rail crash (1940)
• Norton Fitzwarren rail crash (1890)

References

External links

• Norton Fitzwarren Parish Council