Somerton, Somerset
Somerton | |
---|---|
Avon and Somerset | |
Fire | Devon and Somerset |
Ambulance | South Western |
UK Parliament | |
Website | www.somerton.co.uk |
Somerton (
Residents are often referred to locally as Somertonians.[2] The civil parish includes the hamlets of Etsome, Hurcot, Catsgore, and Catcombe.
Archaeological remains at Somerton are evidence of a
In the centre of Somerton the wide market square, with its octagonal roofed market cross, is surrounded by old houses, while close by is the 13th century Church of St Michael and All Angels. Somerton also had links with Muchelney Abbey in the Middle Ages. The BBC drama The Monocled Mutineer was filmed in Somerton from 1985 to 1986.[4]
History
Archaeological evidence uncovered in 2019 indicates the existence of a Celtic settlement which pre-dates any written records of the area. The grave goods found suggest the local population were of a high status and adopted a Roman lifestyle, with the older and newer graves showing marked differences in burial customs.[3]
The earliest written reference to the town is in the
The Abbots of Muchelney Abbey held the Rectorship of the parish church of Somerton during the Middle Ages. They built a tithe barn, to house the tithes of crops and produce paid by the parish to the town's Rector.[17] The Abbey was dissolved in 1539 during the English Reformation, and the tithes and the tithe barn passed into the ownership of Bristol Cathedral. In the 20th century the barn was converted into private housing.[17][18]
Glove making was a major industry in the town in the early nineteenth century, along with the production of rope and twine.
Somerton was hit by four Luftwaffe bombs on the morning of 29 September 1942 during the Second World War. The bombs were aimed at the Cow and Gate milk factory and it was largely destroyed. Ten nearby houses were badly damaged. Nine people were killed and thirty seven injured.[26] A memorial at the dairy site commemorates those killed.[27]
Somerton also is home to large properties, like The Lynch Country House, a Grade II listed building, built in 1812 and St Michael's and All Angels Church.
Governance
Somerton is an electoral division electing two councillors to Somerset Council. The electoral division is larger than the town, including several neighbouring parishes.
The town also has a
The town was formerly part of South Somerset district from 1974 to 2023, and part of Langport Rural District from 1894 to 1974.[31]
Somerton is part of Somerton and Frome constituency for elections to the House of Commons.
Geography
Somerton is situated on a plateau, above and to the south of the deep valley of the
Somerton's climate is typical of the climate of south-west England which is usually cool winters with warmer summers and precipitation all year round, with more rain experienced in winter.[35]
Demography
The Somerton parish had a population of 4,706 as of 2002.[1] In the 1801 census the population of the town was 1,145 and the first half of the 19th century saw strong growth (reflecting that seen elsewhere in England during this period), with the population rising to 2,140 in 1851. It however then began to drop, starting with a significant drop to 1,917 by the 1861 census. The population steadily fell until 1921, before steadily rising thereafter. It was not until 1961 that the population of Somerton had risen above its former population of 1851. The population has since continued to steadily increase.[36]
Economy
A weekly market has been held in Somerton for much of its history. The cloth industry dominated the town's market from the 17th century until the 20th century, when agriculture took over as the leading industry.[37] Some light industries and services, such as garage repair, physiotherapy, water treatment, and builders and decorators, are located in the business park on Bancombe Road.[38][39]
Landmarks
The main square, Market Place, with its
From the early 1980s onwards projects aiming to improve Somerton for film industry purposes have been undertaken.[50] The market square was heavily revamped, creating a central parking area with easy access to the local amenities.[51] The BBC drama The Monocled Mutineer was filmed in Somerton from 1985 to 1986.[4]
Somerton Court
Somerton Court was originally known as "Somerton Erleigh". The house has had various owners including Edward IV's brother, the Duke of Clarence, and Henry Percy, 6th Earl of Northumberland, who sold the estate in 1530.[52] It passed through a number of hands until 1597 when it was purchased by James Fisher, whose son later rebuilt it in 1641.[53] The court remained in the Fisher family's possession until 1808 when it was sold. Its new owner renamed the house "Somerton Court", and replaced the gabled dormers with Gothic battlements and turrets.[54] The house was later enlarged by the Hall-Stephenson family.[55] During World War II it was occupied by Royal Navy WRENS. In the 1970s it was purchased by a local businessman Stuart Pattemore. In 1987 Somerton Court and the estate of 55 acres (22 ha) and 4 cottages including The Dower House was purchased by Roger Byron-Collins when it was subject to extensive upgrading and extensions. It was resold in 2005. The Dower House was built in the early 19th century.[56] The house now stands in 55 acres (22 ha) grounds.[57]
Transport
The town's former, and only,
The closest main road from Somerton is the
Media
Local news and television programmes are provided by BBC West and ITV West Country. Television signals are received from the Mendip TV transmitter. [62]
Local radio stations are BBC Radio Somerset on 95.5 FM, Heart West on 102.6 FM and Greatest Hits Radio South West (formerly The Breeze) on 105.6 FM. [63]
The town is served by the local newspaper, Somerset County Gazette. [64]
Religious sites
The Church of England parish church, St Michael and All Angels, has origins which date from the 13th century, with a major reshaping in the mid 15th century, and further restoration in 1889. It is built of local lias stone cut and squared, with Hamstone dressing. It has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade I listed building.[65]
The church is notable for a carved roof, with lions and a small cider barrel purportedly carved by the monks of Muchelney Abbey.[65] Sir John Betjeman was also inspired by an inscription on the candelabra. The church is quite plain on the outside but inside is one of the finest wooden carved roofs in the county. It is shallow pitched with massive, richly decorated tie beams and short king posts. The whole area of the roof is divided into square carved panels set in the framework of the structural timbers which are decorated with carved bosses where they intersect.[66] There are 640 panels each carved with the same quatrefoil design.[65] In the triangular spaces above each beam are dragon-like beasts.[67] It is said there are bullet holes in the timbers, caused by soldiers who camped in the church in 1646 before the Battle of Langport.[66] The 17th century pulpit and altar table are Jacobean woodwork.[66]
There are five other churches in the town, including Methodist and Catholic groups.[68]
Education
A grammar school in Somerton was first founded in the 1570s, and later was endowed as the Somerton Free Grammar School. In 1903, it became Somerton Free Church of England School, before merging with Montclefe in 1963. Monteclefe National School was founded in 1851 by the Pinney family of Somerton Erleigh.[46]
Somerton Infants School and Monteclefe CEVA Junior school merged in September 2014 to form King Ina Academy, with Somerton Roundabout Preschool also amalgamating with the school, with the ultimate aim of having one building for the whole academy. Currently the institution is still based on two sites, however applications have been submitted to the
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- Victoria History of the County of Somerset: Vol 3: Somerton, R.W. Dunning (1974)
External links
Further reading
- Somerton Extensive Urban Study (English Heritage/Somerset County Council)