South Petherton
| South Petherton | |
| Somerset | |
|---|---|
 St Peter and St Paul, South Petherton | |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | ST435165 |
| Location: | 50°56’42"N, 2°48’20"W |
| Data | |
| Population: | 3,222 |
| Post town: | South Petherton |
| Postcode: | TA13 |
| Dialling code: | 01460 |
| Local Government | |
| Council: | South Somerset |
| Parliamentary constituency: |
Yeovil |
South Petherton is a small country town on the River Parrett in Somerset. It is 5 miles east of Ilminster and 5 miles northwest of Crewkerne. It had a population of approximately 3,200 in 2002. The parish includes the hamlets of Yeabridge, Compton-Durvill, South Harp, and Over Stratton, and is approximately 2 miles from East Lambrook, Martock and Lopen.
History
The town's name refers to its position on the south bank of the River Parrett, as does that of North Petherton.
A site on Lightgate Road, north of the present town, has produced Iron Age occupation material, though archaeological evidence of any structures have not yet been discovered. Roman material, mostly consisting of coins, has also been discovered locally and, as it is only 2 miles from the Fosse Way, Roman occupation is likely, although it may have been abandoned between the 4th and 8th centuries.
King Ine of Wessex of the Kingdom of Wessex built a palace on present day Silver Street.[1]
A large royal estate of South Petherton was created and the Saxon settlement, Sudperetone (the southern tun on the Parrett), included a minster church, a royal palace and a short-lived 11th century mint. Most of the royal estate passed directly to William the Conqueror and was still a possession of the Crown in 1086.
Part of the estate was also held by Bruton Abbey from the 12th century until the Dissolution of the Monasteries, then becoming known as the manor of Hele. In 1213 a royal warrant by King John was granted for a market and fair, but by 1243 the main manor had been granted away from the Crown under Henry II and by 1243 South Petherton manor was owned outright by the Daubeney family, who continued to hold it until the late 15th century, the family dying out after Henry Daubeney acquired the earldom of Bridgwater and then failed to produce an heir to succeed him.[2]
The manor reverted to the Crown in 1553, before passing into the ownership of Charles Arundell (d. 1587), who left it to his brother Matthew Arundell, in whose family it remained until 1792, when it was sold to John Baker Edmonds. Edmonds also acquired the rectory estate of South Petherton (known also as the manor of Hele), which had had a complicated history of ownership, including purchase in 1753 by Henry Hele, a successful physician from Salisbury.[3]
During the Civil War troops from both sides occupied the town during 1644 and 1645. The town also had a role in the Monmouth Rebellion of 1680 and two townsmen were among those who prosecuted in the Bloody Assizes.
Churches
The Church of England parish church is St Peter and St Paul. It has Anglo-Saxon origins. It retains a 13th-century crosswing, with the remainder of the buildings dating from the 15th century, however it underwent major restorations in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It has been designated as a Grade I listed building. The tower is an irregular octagon on plan, wider on east-west axis,[4] which is believed to be the tallest octagonal church tower in the United Kingdom.[5]
The Coke Memorial Methodist Church was built in 1881 replacing an 1809 chapel on the site.[6] It was named after Thomas Coke, who was curate of the village 1772-76 and important, along with John Wesley, amongst the founders of Methodism.
Sights of the town
In Silver Street is a 14th-century manor house.[7] It was restored in the 19th century and nicknamed 'King Ina's Palace'.[8]
The 15th or 16th century Wigborough Manor House was never completed to its original plans and has subsequently been modified many times.[9]
Approximately a mile from the town is East Lambrook Manor Gardens created by Margery Fish who was known as the 'Leading Lady of Gardening' from the 1950s until her death in 1969.[8] It holds the national collection of geraniums,[10] and a collection of snowdrops.[11]
Sport
The Recreation Ground provides pitches for football and cricket clubs and there are also facilities for tennis and bowls and a children’s play area.
South Petherton Football Club has been particularly successful in recent years.
Outside links
References
- ↑ Holmes, Edric. "Wanderings in Wessex". Part 3. Fullbooks.com. http://www.fullbooks.com/Wanderings-in-Wessex3.html. Retrieved 2008-08-15.
- ↑ Dunning, Robert (2003). A History of Somerset (3rd ed.). Tiverton: Somerset Books. pp. 53. ISBN 0-86183-476-3.
- ↑ {{brithist|117096|A History of the County of Somerset, Volume 4 pp 170-198]
- ↑ National Heritage List 1056959: Church of St Peter and St Paul
- ↑ Vallins, John (2003-02-18). "Country Diary". The Guardian (London: The Guardian). http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2003/feb/18/ruralaffairs. Retrieved 2008-08-15.
- ↑ National Heritage List 1345928: Coke Memorial Methodist Church
- ↑ National Heritage List 1056956: Manor House, King Ina's Palace
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 "South Petherton". About Britain. AboutBritain.com. http://www.aboutbritain.com/towns/south-petherton.asp. Retrieved 2008-07-23.
- ↑ National Heritage List 1056928: Wigborough Manor House
- ↑ "East Lambrook Manor Garden". Gardenvisit.com. http://www.gardenvisit.com/garden/east_lambrook_manor_garden. Retrieved 2008-02-06.
- ↑ Bourne, Val (2008-01-04). "Snowdrops: White magic". The Telegraph (London). http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/main.jhtml?xml=/gardening/2008/01/05/garden-snowdrop105.xml. Retrieved 2008-02-06.