Steart
| Steart | |
| Somerset | |
|---|---|
.jpg) St Andrews Church, Steart | |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | ST270458 |
| Location: | 51°12’29"N, 3°2’31"W |
| Data | |
| Post town: | Bridgwater |
| Postcode: | TA5 |
| Dialling code: | 01278 |
| Local Government | |
| Council: | Sedgemoor |
| Parliamentary constituency: |
Bridgwater |
Steart (pronounced Ste-art), historically also called Stert, is a small village in Somerset. It stands in an isolated position on the Steart Peninsula on the Bristol Channel coast, about six miles north of Bridgwater.
The name of the village is derived from the Old English steort, meaning "tail, projecting piece of land".[1] Steart was historically in the ancient parish of Stockland Bristol, except for the foreshore on the Bristol Channel coast, which was in the parish of Stogursey.
A mediæval chapel at Steart was disused by 1611. The Church of St Andrew was built in 1882.[2] The Bethel Congregational church was open between 1847 and 1938.
During the Second World War, two small radio direction-finding stations were located in Steart. They were part of a secret MI6 organisation called The Radio Security Service listening to and locating the communications of German spies and their handlers. These stations intercepted the messages of the Abwehr, the German Secret Intelligence Service, and provided a large volume of high level intelligence throughout the war. In December 1945, in the nearby village of Combwich. The Freedom of Steart was conferred upon Captain Louis Varney, the officer in command of the DF Stations.[3]
The West Somerset Coast Path and River Parrett Trail both start at Steart.
Outside links
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("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Steart) |
References
- ↑ Watts, Victor, ed. (2010), "Steart", The Cambridge Dictionary of English Place-Names, Cambridge University Press
- ↑ A History of the County of Somerset - Volume 6 pp 129-131: Stockland Bristol: Churches (Victoria County History)
- ↑ "Radio amateur G5RV honoured by villagers". Southgate Amateur Radio News. http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2017/july/radio-amateur-g5rv-honoured-by-villagers.htm.