Southstoke
| Southstoke | |
| Somerset | |
|---|---|
 Church of St James, Southstoke | |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | ST747612 |
| Location: | 51°20’59"N, 2°21’50"W |
| Data | |
| Population: | 460 (2011) |
| Post town: | Bath |
| Postcode: | BA2 |
| Local Government | |
| Council: | Bath & NE Somerset |
| Parliamentary constituency: |
North East Somerset |
Southstoke, otherwise South Stoke, is a small village in north-east Somerset (in the county's Bath Forum Hundred).
The village is two miles south of the city of Bath, on the River Avon and the route of the disused Somersetshire Coal Canal. The village provides views over the surrounding area and is the starting point for country walks. A popular route is to visit other villages and their pubs in the area, such as Combe Hay and Midford.
Southstoke is a designated Conservation Area as identified by the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990. The buildings are mainly cream oolitic limestone [1] and there are 27 listed structures in and around the immediate village which has retained much of its original character and historic appeal.
History
In the 19th century a mine extracting fuller's earth was dug close to the line of the Wansdyke. It closed before 1902.[2]
Church of St James
The parish church is dedicated to St James. It dates from the 12th century, was altered in the 15th, and further restored with the chancel and south aisle being rebuilt between 1845 and 1850. It is Grade II* listed.[3]
Packhorse Inn
The village for centuries had an ancient pub, the Packhorse Inn, which had a garden and served many traditional beers and ciders, as well as food. It dated from 1498, when it was rebuilt on the site of an earlier guesthouse or hostelry built by monks to provide shelter with food and drink for travellers and pilgrims.[4] The present building dates from 1674, and is a Grade II listed building.[5]
Despite this long history, the pub closed unexpectedly in 2012, and was bought by a private individual wishing to use it as a dwelling-house, but planning ermsson was refused and the pub was sold to a local community interest company. The Packhorse reopened to the public on 18 March 2018.[6]
Outside links
 |
("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Southstoke) |
References
- ↑ Somerville, Christopher. A good walk Southstoke and Cam Valley, Somerset, The Times, 2 January 2010:
- ↑ Macmillen, Neil (2009). A history of the Fuller's Earth mining industry around Bath. Lydney: Lightmoor Press. pp. 53–54. ISBN 978-1-899889-32-7.
- ↑ National Heritage List 1277046: St James' Church
- ↑ Packhorse Inn
- ↑ National Heritage List 1232550: Packhorse Inn
- ↑ Crawley, James (21 September 2016). "South Stoke community set to buy The Packhorse Pub after £685,000 raised". Bath Chronicle. http://www.bathchronicle.co.uk/south-stoke-community-set-to-buy-the-packhorse-pub-after-685-000-raised/story-29737015-detail/story.html.; https://www.bathchronicle.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/packhorse-pub-near-bath-announces-1181982