Pitcombe
| Pitcombe | |
|---|---|
 St Leonards Church | |
 Railway Viaduct | |
  Pitcombe Location withinSomerset | |
| Population | 532 (2011)[1] |
| OS grid reference | ST675335 |
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Bruton |
| Postcode district | BA10 |
| Police | Avon and Somerset |
| Fire | Devon and Somerset |
| Ambulance | South Western |
| UK Parliament | |
Pitcombeis a village andcivil parish1 mile (2 km) south-west ofBrutonand 5 miles (8 km) fromWincantoninSomerset,England. It has a population of 532.[1]The parish includes the hamlets ofColeandGodminster.
The village lies on theRiver Pittand other streams that flow into theRiver Brue.
Godminster Lane Quarry and Railway Cuttingis ageological Site of Special Scientific Interestimportant for study of the InferiorOolitelimestonesofMiddle Jurassicage. The rocks do contain the rich assemblage offossilammonitestypical of the northDorset/south Somerset area. It is also important as a reference site for three sub-divisions (zones) of the Inferior Oolite — thelaeviscula,discitesandconcavumZones.[2]
History
[edit]The name Pitcombe means "the marshy valley".[3]
Evidence of prehistoric activity has been found near Godminster Farm, where aRomancoin hoard was also discovered.[4]
In theDomesday Bookof 1086 the manor was held byTurstin FitzRolfand already had twowatermills.[3]
Pitcombe was part of thehundredofBruton.[5]
It was on theSomerset and Dorset Joint Railway,now disused.
Governance
[edit]Theparish councilhas responsibility for local issues, including setting an annual precept (local rate) to cover the council's operating costs and producing annual accounts for public scrutiny. The parish council evaluates local planning applications and works with the local police, district council officers, andneighbourhood watchgroups on matters of crime, security, and traffic. The parish council's role also includes initiating projects for the maintenance and repair of parish facilities, as well as consulting with the district council on the maintenance, repair, and improvement of highways, drainage, footpaths, public transport, and street cleaning. Conservation matters (including trees and listed buildings) and environmental issues are also the responsibility of the council.
The village falls within theNon-metropolitan districtofSouth Somerset,which was formed on 1 April 1974 under theLocal Government Act 1972,having previously been part ofWincanton Rural District.[6]The district council is responsible forlocal planningandbuilding control,local roads,council housing,environmental health,marketsand fairs,refuse collectionandrecycling,cemeteriesandcrematoria,leisure services, parks, andtourism.
Somerset County Councilis responsible for running the largest and most expensive local services such aseducation,social services,libraries,main roads,public transport,policingandfire services,trading standards,waste disposaland strategic planning.
It is also part of acounty constituencyrepresented in theHouse of Commonsof theParliament of the United Kingdom.It elects oneMember of Parliament(MP) by thefirst past the postsystem of election.
Landmarks
[edit]Hadspen house and gardenis within the parish. The house was built forWilliam Playerin the late 17th century, but has undergone several major restorations. It is built of Cary stone ashlar, with a hipped Welsh slate roof behindparapetsand stone chimney stacks. It has been designated byEnglish Heritageas a grade II*listed building.[7]
There is still a working quarry within the parish of Pitcombe, notablyHadspen Quarry Ltdlocated in Higher Hadspen. They provide the stone to the locality which gives this area in South Somerset its local unique characteristics of honey coloured buildings.
Gants Millis an 18th-centurywatermillwith 13th-century origins. It is a Grade II*listed building[8]and now has a turbine producinghydroelectricity.
Godminster Manor is a 15th-century manor house which underwent extensive restoration following a fire in 1924.[9]
Cole Manor dates from the 17th century.[10]
The dismantledSomerset and Dorset Joint Railwaypasses through the village over a viaduct. At the north of the village is the oldCole Railway Station.
The village is the home ofBruton School for Girls.
The Newt Estate is a working estate that producescider.[11][12]
Religious sites
[edit]The church, dedicated to St Leonard, has a 15th-century tower at the west end containing six bells.[13][14]The church was rebuilt, with the exception of its tower, in 1858. It has been designated byEnglish Heritageas a Grade IIlisted building.[15]
Notable residents
[edit]- Herbert John "Bert" PitmanMBE(1877–1961), Third Officer on board theTitanic
- Henry Hobhouse(1854–1937)Justice of the PeaceandLiberalMember of Parliamentin theHouse of Commonsfrom1885until1906[16]
References
[edit]- ^ab"Statistics for Wards, LSOAs and Parishes — SUMMARY Profiles"(Excel).Somerset Intelligence.Retrieved4 January2014.
- ^English Nature citation sheet for the site(accessed 10 August 2006)
- ^abBush, Robin(1994).Somerset: The Complete Guide.Dovecote Press. pp.168.ISBN1-874336-26-1.
- ^"Pitcombe".British History Online.Retrieved24 November2007.
- ^"Bruton Hundred".A History of Britain.Retrieved23 September2011.
- ^"Wincanton RD".A vision of Britain Through Time.University of Portsmouth.Retrieved4 January2014.
- ^Historic England."Hadspen House (1251809)".National Heritage List for England.Retrieved24 November2007.
- ^Historic England."Gants Mill (1251831)".National Heritage List for England.Retrieved31 October2008.
- ^Historic England."Godminster Manor (1251806)".National Heritage List for England.Retrieved3 January2009.
- ^Historic England."Cole Manor (1251802)".National Heritage List for England.Retrieved3 January2009.
- ^"Newt | The Newt in Somerset".thenewtinsomerset.com.
- ^"The Newt in Somerset".The Telegraph.17 September 2019.
- ^"Pitcombe, Somerset, St Leonard".Keltek Trust.Retrieved7 November2015.
- ^"Churches".Bruton.Retrieved7 November2015.
- ^Historic England."Church of St Leonard (1251821)".National Heritage List for England.Retrieved24 November2007.
- ^C R J Currie, R W Dunning (Editors), A P Baggs, M C Siraut (1999)."Pitcombe".A History of the County of Somerset: Volume 7: Bruton, Horethorne and Norton Ferris Hundreds.Institute of Historical Research.Retrieved18 June2013.
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External links
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