Yahoo Web Search

The principal and earliest route through the parish crosses both the clay belt and the Burtle Beds. The probable 'herpath' from Stretcholt in Pawlett (fn. 31) may have continued northwards along Slow Way Lane (fn. 32) to Huntspill parish church and thence to Alstone. (fn. 33) The route from Pawlett had been made more direct, probably close to the p...

In 1548 there were 506 communicants in the parish. (fn. 50) There were said to be 139 households in the 17th century (fn. 51) and c. 140 houses and c. 750 inhabitants in the 1780s. (fn. 52) In 1801 the population of the parish was 1,012. It rose in every decade until the 1840s, but the 1841 total of 1,634 was said to have been inflated by the prese...

A possible Iron-age settlement site has been identified at Alstone. Several sites on the clay ridge where the present West Huntspill village lies have yielded extensive Roman pottery scatters but no definite settlement has been found although a site at Bleak Bridge showed some evidence of stone building. Roman activity was concentrated in the easte...

A sea wall had been built alongside the Parrett by the early 14th century (fn. 68) enclosing an area known as La Harth or La Warth, in 1400 arable, (fn. 69) by 1550 under grass. (fn. 70) Its maintenance was evidently the responsibility of adjoining landowners: the rector was charged with a portion in the manor court in 1511. (fn. 71) The wall was e...

A tippler was licensed by the rectory manor court in 1515, (fn. 88) and there were three in 1620, one of whom was also described as a taverner. (fn. 89) One tippler was in business in 1630, by 1657 two innkeepers, (fn. 90) and by 1674 three. (fn. 91) In 1686 there were ten guest beds and stabling for 22 horses (fn. 92) and in 1690 there were five v...

A hide of land at 'Hunespulle' is said to have been granted to Glastonbury abbey by Aethelmund with the consent of Offa, king of Mercia (d. 796). That land may have been lost to the abbey by 1066 and have come into the hands of Walter of Douai twenty years later. A second estate, at 'Inesuuyrth iuxta Hunespulle', said to have been granted to Glasto...

Walter of Douai held two estates called Huntspill in 1086, one formerly held by Alwaker, the other by Alwin son of Goda. (fn. 118) He was succeeded there c. 1107 as in other parts of the barony of Bampton (Dev.) by his son Robert, whose estates passed in 1136 to his daughter and heir Julian. Julian married as her first husband Fulk(I) Pagnell (d. c...

In 1308 it was claimed that Walter of Bampton, presumably Walter of Douai, gave to one Geoffrey, ancestor of Herbert Marsh, a messuage and three carucates of land to hold for half fee in return for suit to his court at Huntspill. (fn. 145) Jordan Marsh was said to hold land there in Stephen's reign (fn. 146) and in 1166 Geoffrey Marsh held ½ fee of...

In 1346 Richard de la Haye held ¼ fee of Huntspill manor. (fn. 176) In 1376 his son William de la Haye died without children and after seven years the heir was declared to be his distant cousin Alice, wife of Alexander atte Sogge. (fn. 177) Alexander and his wife sold the estate in 1387 to Sir Robert Harington, Baron Harington. (fn. 178) It was pro...