West Harptree

Coordinates: 51°18′31″N 2°37′45″W / 51.3085°N 2.6291°W / 51.3085; -2.6291
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

West Harptree
Avon and Somerset
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England
Somerset
51°18′31″N 2°37′45″W / 51.3085°N 2.6291°W / 51.3085; -2.6291

West Harptree is a small village and

civil parish in the Chew Valley, Somerset within the unitary district of Bath and North East Somerset. The parish has a population of 439.[1]

The village is 13 miles (20.9 km) south of Bristol, 15 miles (24.1 km) southwest of Bath and 17 miles (27 km) east of Weston-super-Mare. It is just south of Chew Valley Lake on the A368 between Bishop Sutton and Compton Martin. The village has a pub and several shops including a post office. With its close neighbour East Harptree the villages are collectively known as the Harptrees.

History

According to Stephen Robinson it is listed in the 1086 Domesday Book as Herpetreu meaning 'The military road by the wood' from the Old English herepoep and treow.[3]

Between 1154 and 1172 an estate at West Harptree was granted by William FitzJohn to the Knights Templar.[4]

The shape of some of the existing fields with cross-slope and down-slope

medieval origin.[5]

The parish was part of the

Governance

The

, 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 of interest to the council.

Along with

.

Bath and North East Somerset's area covers part of the

county of Avon.[7] Before 1974 that the parish was part of the Clutton Rural District.[8]

The parish is represented in the

first past the post
system of election.

Demographics

According to the 2001 Census the Mendip Ward (which includes East Harptree and Hinton Blewett), had 1,465 residents, living in 548 households, with an average age of 39.0 years. Of these 79% of residents describing their health as 'good', 22% of 16- to 74-year-olds had no qualifications; and the area had an unemployment rate of 1.5% of all economically active people aged 16–74. In the Index of Multiple Deprivation 2004, it was ranked at 25,387 out of 32,482 wards in England, where 1 was the most deprived LSOA and 32,482 the least deprived.[9]

Landmarks

Street scene with a church and spire central to the picture. To the right is a yellow building with a pub sign. To the left is a large tree with a signpost in front. Several cars.
West Harptree showing the church

Gournay Court

Gournay Court is a Grade II* Country house. Circa 1600 (Historic England. "Gournay Court (1129581)". National Heritage List for England.) The entrance Gates and railings are grade II (Historic England. "Entrance Gates and Railings (1136644)". National Heritage List for England.) as are the Gatepiers to the west (Historic England. "Gatepiers to west of Gournay Court (1320763)". National Heritage List for England.)

Grade II listed buildings

Religious sites

The Church of St Mary dates from the 12th century, although the tower is a much later addition,[10] and is a Grade II* listed building[11]

References

  1. ^ a b "West Harptree Parish". Neighbourhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 31 December 2013.
  2. ^ "West Harptree Parish Council".
  3. .
  4. .
  5. ^ "Mendip Hills An Archaeological Survey of the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty" (PDF). Somerset County Council Archeological Projects. Retrieved 16 January 2011.
  6. ^ "Somerset Hundreds". GENUKI. Retrieved 8 October 2011.
  7. ^ "The Avon (Structural Change) Order 1995". HMSO. Archived from the original on 30 January 2008. Retrieved 9 December 2007.
  8. ^ "Clutton RD". A vision of Britain Through Time. University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 4 January 2014.
  9. ^ "Neighbourhood Statistics LSOA Bath and North East Somerset 021D Mendip". Office for National Statistics 2001 Census. Retrieved 25 April 2006.
  10. .
  11. ^ Historic England. "Church of St. Mary (1312706)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 22 April 2006.

External links