Nunney
| Nunney | |
| Somerset | |
|---|---|
 Church of All Saints, Nunney | |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | ST735455 |
| Location: | 51°12’29"N, 2°22’43"W |
| Data | |
| Population: | 844 |
| Post town: | Frome |
| Postcode: | BA11 |
| Dialling code: | 01373 |
| Local Government | |
| Council: | Mendip |
| Parliamentary constituency: |
Somerton and Frome |
Nunney is a village and parish in the hundred of Frome, Somerset, near to Frome itself.[1] The parish includes the hamlet of Holwell.
The name of the village comes from Old English and means Nunna's island.[2]
Today, the tourist attractions are the ruins of Nunney Castle, a historic church, and ducks wandering the streets near the river. The village hall is host to Nunney Acoustic Cafe which provides live music, homemade food, a bar and children's art activities on the second Sunday of each month (except July and August).[3]
On 30 September 2007, Nunney was the subject of a BBC Radio 4 report, asking whether "the prettiest village in England" is a place where we can learn "how to mend our broken society".[4]
Contents
History
Evidence of Roman settlement has been provided by the discovery of a hoard of Roman coins in 1869 at Westdown Farm and a villa with a mosaic floor.[2]
Nunney is mentioned as a manor belonging to William de Moyon in the Domesday Book in 1086, but the book does not mention a castle.[5]
For many years, from the mediæval period until the 19th century, Nunney was the site of water-powered mills owned initially by the Hoddinotts and then by James Fussell.[6]
Geography
Cloford Quarry is a geological Site of Special Scientific Interest and Geological Conservation Review site important for the exposures of sediments of Triassic and Jurassic age which occur in major fissures within the Carboniferous Limestone laid down beneath the sea some 350 million years ago.[7]
The Holwell Quarries are another geological Site of Special Scientific Interest which represent an internationally important geological locality. A comprehensive assemblage of Triassic (including Rhaetic), Lower Jurassic and Middle Jurassic fissure fillings are well displayed. The Rhaetic fissure fillings have yielded the richest assemblage of vertebrate faunas known from the British Triassic.[8]
Landmarks
The market cross across the road from the church is Grade-II* listed. It was originally built around 1100, when stood in the churchyard of All Saints' Church.[9] It was removed in 1869, as the noise from children playing on the steps annoyed the rector. The stone was discovered in a builders yard and rebuilt in his garden by the squire of Whatley and the Celtic cross added. After his death and a fire which destroyed his house, the cross was again dismantled and rebuilt on its present site in 1959.[10]
There are over 30 other listed buildings in the village, including Rockfield House which was built in 1805 by John Pinch.[11]
Religious sites
The Church of All Saints is a Grade-I listed building dating from the 12th century.[12]
Nunney Castle
- Main article: Nunney Castle
Nunney Castle is a small, French-style castle surrounded by a deep moat, built for Sir John Delamare in 1373, and said to have been based on the Bastille in Paris, and shows a strong awareness of contemporary French practice.[13] It was later the property of William Paulet, 1st Marquess of Winchester, before passing to several owners and in 1577 was sold by Swithun Thorpe to John Parker who only kept it for a year before selling it to Richard Prater, at a cost of £2000.[14] During the Civil Wars (1642–51) Colonel Richard Prater, who held the castle until 1645, lost it to Fairfax, the commander of Cromwell's forces in the battle that took place at Nunney. The castle was besieged for two days, but capitulated when Cromwell's men used cannon to blast a great hole in the north west wall of the castle.
The George at Nunney Inn
The George at Nunney Inn is close to the church and opposite Nunney Castle. It dates from the mid-18th century. Since that time it has been much extended and is now a 10 bedroom hotel with holiday cottages. The interior still features many of the original features with stone walls, exposed beams, and large open fireplaces. It is a Grade-II listed building.[15]
Nunney Players
The Nunney Players are a Drama group, who meet up every year to put on a performance at the village hall. The Nunney Players have won many awards and have put on shows such as Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk and Pinocchio.
References
- ↑ "Somerset Hundreds". GENUKI. http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/SOM/Miscellaneous/. Retrieved 8 October 2011.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Bush, Robin (1994). Somerset: The Complete Guide. Dovecote Press. p. 159. ISBN 1-874336-26-1.
- ↑ "Nunney Jazz Cafe". Nunney Jazz Cafe. http://www.nunneyjazzcafe.org/. Retrieved 24 April 2015.
- ↑ report, excerpted from BBC Radio 4 podcast
- ↑ Domesday Book: A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 2003. ISBN 0-14-143994-7 p.265
- ↑ Thornes, Robin (2010). Men of iron. The Fussells of Mells. Frome Society for Local Study. ISBN 978-0-9565869-1-9.
- ↑ English Nature citation sheet for the site . Retrieved 7 August 2006.
- ↑ English Nature citation sheet for the site . Retrieved 10 August 2006.
- ↑ "Market Cross". Images of England. English Heritage. http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/Details/Default.aspx?id=266808. Retrieved 7 February 2011.
- ↑ Byford, Enid (1987). Somerset Curiosities. Dovecote Press. p. 50. ISBN 0946159483.
- ↑ "Rockfield House". Images of England. English Heritage. http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/Details/Default.aspx?id=266828. Retrieved 7 February 2011.
- ↑ "Church of All Saints". Images of England. English Heritage. http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/details/default.aspx?id=266796. Retrieved 17 May 2009.
- ↑ Dunning, Robert (1983). A History of Somerset. Chichester: Phillimore & Co. ISBN 0-85033-461-6.
- ↑ Dunning, Robert (2005). A Somerset Miscellany. Tiverton: Somerset Books. p. 22. ISBN 0-86183-427-5.
- ↑ "George Inn". Images of England. English Heritage. http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/Details/Default.aspx?id=266804. Retrieved 7 February 2011.
- Outline History of Nunney: a brief history of the village and its unusual castle
- Windrum, Anthony. The History of Nunney. ISBN 0-948014-13-X
Outside links
 |
("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Nunney) |
Gallery
Road bridge at Nunney
View across the footbridge to the church
The castle
Main street
Market Cross
