Curry Mallet
| Curry Mallet | |
| Somerset | |
|---|---|
 St James, Curry Mallet | |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | ST325215 |
| Location: | 50°59’20"N, 2°57’47"W |
| Data | |
| Population: | 302 (2001) |
| Post town: | Taunton |
| Postcode: | TA3 |
| Local Government | |
| Council: | South Somerset |
Curry Mallet (anciently "Cory Mallett") is a small village in Somerset. It stands on the Fivehead River (also known as the River Ile), 7 miles east of Taunton. The village had a population of 302 in 2001.
The old spelling of Cory Mallet is used especially in genealogies of the Poyntz family, "lords of Cory Mallett", who inherited the manor by marriage c.1217 to Helewise Malet.[1]
Curry Mallet is within the Abdick and Bulstone Hundred
Parish church
The parish Church of St James has 13th-century origins and has been designated as a Grade I listed building.[2]
History
At the time of the Domesday Book in 1086 the manor was held by Roger de Courselles, also the owner of Fisherton in Wiltshire, which was held under Curry. It later passed to the Malet family,[3] with William Malet, one of the guarantors of the Magna Carta, was lord of the manor in 1215. It passed on through the descendants of the Malet family until 1356 when it was sold to Sir Matthew Gourney and his family until 1443 when the estate passed to the king and became part of the Duchy of Cornwall.[4]
The Manor house, (Mallet Court) includes a great hall (or perhaps a barn) of the 15th century, and a small irregular manor house of the late 16th century,[7] stands on the site of, and incorporates parts of the castle built by William Malet, a Norman knight who fought at the Battle of Hastings, built the first castle on the site in 1068. It has been visited by William the Conqueror, King John and Henry II and was damaged during the Civil War.[8]
The most important private house in the village is the Manor House. Manor Court a separate new build circa 1960 is located in part of the garden of the Manor House sold off. Manor Court was constructed by Dita Matilde Mallet Du Cros (desceased, named changed to Malet by Deed Poll) a of the Malet family who returned to the village after many centuries of absence. The Manor House was lived in by the Pyne family and is more properly associated with them, evidence for which, is a grand Elizabethan family tomb of Sir John Pyne to be found in the misnamed Mallet Chapel in the village church more properly, the Pyne Chapel. The Manor House listed grade 2* includes a Great Hall formerly used as a barn, or a barn of the 15th century now aggrandized with 20th-century gothic-style windows, and is now attached to the small irregular manor house of the late 16th century, which stands on the site of the reputed castle built by William Malet. The entrance hall extension and other parts were upgraded and connected with the main house c1939 by Clough Williams-Ellis whose client was the Selous family. The Manor House reputedly incorporates earlier parts and was formerly known as the Gate House. Only at a very early date is the site associated with Malet family, the head of which was a Norman knight who fought at the Battle of Hastings, and reputedly built the first castle on the site in 1068. A wooden stockade built by the Saxon Prince Bitric may have been an earlier foundation and it is this structure which may have been visited by William the Conqueror, King John and Henry II and was damaged during the Civil War however, the date of the current structures precludes any knowledge of the present house by these illustrious persons although Elizabeth II visited the house as part of her duties when she was head of the Duchy of Cornwall and most of the surrounding farm land is Duchy Land, the house having been sold by the Duchy at some unknown date. The house is associated with the memory of Derek Jarman, film-maker, artist and gay activist. It is mentioned by his biographer, Tony Peake, and in his own diaries. His parents rented the house at the end of the Second World War. The biographer considered the Manor House had a profound influence on the young Derek who historical interests were kindled and reflected in his later radical artistic work. The current co-owners are Professor B. F. Robinson FRCP and the artist and printmaker, Sheridan F. Tandy whose work may be seen in the Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery and the collection of the Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton.
In Second World War, pillboxs were placed in the village as part of the Taunton Stop Line.
Legends of the Manor
Although unsubstantiated, numerous reports exist of the haunting of the manor house. The most frequently reported apparition is that of a woman in Elizabethan costume.[9] In addition, the Great Hall is said to be haunted by a pacing man.[10] The sound of metallic clashes, possibly resulting from a ghostly duel, have been heard echoing in the courtyard.[11]
In legend three streams are said to run under the manor leading directly to the holy well at the foot of Glastonbury Tor.[10]
Outside links
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("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Curry Mallet) |
References
- ↑ Sanders, I.J. English Baronies, Oxford, 1960, pp.38-9
- ↑ Images of England — details from listed building database (431242) Church of St James
- ↑ "Malet/Mallet of Curry Mallet Somerset c1130". Mallett Family History. http://www.mallettfamilyhistory.org/families/fip00993.htm. Retrieved 4 January 2009.
- ↑ Bush, Robin (1994). Somerset: The Complete Guide. Dovecote Press. pp. 79. ISBN 1-874336-26-1.
- ↑ "Abdick and Bulstone Hundred Through Time". A Vision of Britain Through Time. http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/relationships.jsp?u_id=10133830. Retrieved 9 September 2011.
- ↑ "Abdick and Bulstone in South Somerset". A Vision Britain Through Time. http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/place_page.jsp?p_id=21175. Retrieved 9 September 2011.
- ↑ "The Manor House". Images of England. English Heritage. http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/Details/Default.aspx?id=430846. Retrieved 4 January 2009.
- ↑ "Curry Mallet". Mysterious Britain & Ireland. http://www.mysteriousbritain.co.uk/england/somerset/hauntings/curry-mallet.html. Retrieved 4 January 2009.
- ↑ Williams, Yona. "Haunted Manors in Somerset, England". Unexplainable.Net. http://www.unexplainable.net/artman/publish/article_7311.shtml. Retrieved 18 August 2009.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 "The History of Curry Mallet Hall". Haunted UK. http://www.northern-ghost-investigations.com/haunted-uk/south-west/curry-mallet-hall.html. Retrieved 18 August 2009.
- ↑ "Curry Mallet". Mysterious Britain. http://www.mysteriousbritain.co.uk/england/somerset/hauntings/curry-mallet.html. Retrieved 18 August 2009.