Thornfalcon
| Thornfalcon | |
| Somerset | |
|---|---|
 Thornfalcon village cross | |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | ST285235 |
| Location: | 51°0’23"N, 3°1’13"W |
| Data | |
| Population: | 119 (2011) |
| Post town: | Taunton |
| Postcode: | TA3 |
| Dialling code: | 01823 |
| Local Government | |
| Council: | Somerset West and Taunton |
| Parliamentary constituency: |
Taunton Deane |
Thornfalcon is a village in Somerset, amongst minor lanes four miles east of Taunton and within the North Curry Hundred. The village had just 119 people at the 2011 census and the wider parish includes the hamlet of Ash.
The village's delightful name comes from 'Thorn' combined with the personal name 'Fagun' (now Falcon), of the manorial owners in the Middle Ages. This was the Norman surname of Sir Gilbert of Thorn, whose family were lords of the manor until the 14th century.[1]
Parish church
The parish Church of the Holy Cross dates from the 14th century and was restored in 1882 by Benjamin Ferrey.
The church is designated as a grade I listed building.[2]
History
The Falcon family held the manor until the 14th century, and in later ages passed into other hands. The manor was bought from the Burridges of Lyme Regis by Nathaniel Butler Batten of Yeovil whose descendents, known as Chisholm-Batten from 1859 lived at Court House.[1]
There was a station on the Chard Branch Line that closed in 1962. The road bridge over the line is designated as a Grade II listed structure.[3] The village is near the Great Western Railway and the course of the old Chard Canal — the road bridge over the canal is also listed.[4]
The Battlements was built by the Chisholm-Batten family in the early-mid 19th century. It was originally a school building, but is now a private house,[5] whilst the Court House is older, dating from the late 15th century.[6]
Outside links
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("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Thornfalcon) |
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Bush, Robin (1994). Somerset: The Complete Guide. Dovecote Press. pp. 207. ISBN 1-874336-26-1.
- ↑ Images of England — details from listed building database (270927) Church of the Holy Cross
- ↑ Images of England — details from listed building database (270925) Road bridge at NGR ST 2815 2249
- ↑ Images of England — details from listed building database (477263) Former canal bridge
- ↑ Images of England — details from listed building database (270923) The Battlements
- ↑ Images of England — details from listed building database (270932) Court House