Westonzoyland
| Westonzoyland | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Westonzoyland Location withinSomerset | |
| Population | 1,801 (2011)[1] |
| OS grid reference | ST352348 |
| Unitary authority | |
| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | BRIDGWATER |
| Postcode district | TA7 |
| Dialling code | 01278 |
| Police | Avon and Somerset |
| Fire | Devon and Somerset |
| Ambulance | South Western |
| UK Parliament | |
Westonzoylandis a village andcivil parishinSomerset,England. It is situated on theSomerset Levels,4 miles (6.4 km) south east ofBridgwater.
History
[edit]The name of the parish derives from its location on the "island" of Sowy, an area of slightly higher ground on the Somerset Levels between theRiver Caryand theRiver Parrett.[2]The parish of Westernzoyland was created in 1515 when the parish of Sowy was divided. Westonzoyland refers to the westernmost settlement on Sowy.[3][4]The parish of Westonzoyland was part of theWhitleyHundred.[5]
The area around Westonzoyland was farmed as common land when it was owned by theAbbey at Glastonbury,who during the 12th and 13th centuries encouraged tenants to undertake large scale reclamation of the marshland.[6]722 acres (292 ha) were enclosed in 1234.[7]With thedissolutionof the Abbey in 1539, the land was divided among owners, with the soil belonging to the Crown.Cornelius Vermuydenwas active in the region in the mid 17th century, building small-scale drainage schemes atCossington,Catcott,HuntspillandPuriton,but despite the devastation caused byextensive flooding in 1607,was unable to convince the communities of Sedgemoor of the benefits that a drainage scheme would bring, as they feared that improved pastures would prejudice their common rights.[8]A series ofActs of Parliamentwere passed between 1777 and 1801, which authorised the construction of drainage schemes in the Somerset moors and levels.
The penultimate battle in England, theBattle of Sedgemoor,was fought here on 6 July 1685,[9]near theBussexarea to the north of the village. It was the final battle of theMonmouth Rebellionand followed a series of skirmishes around south west England between the forces ofJames Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouthand the crown he was trying to take. The royalist forces prevailed and about 500 troops were captured.[10]Amuraldepicting the battle can be found on display atSedgemoor motorway serviceson the North carriageway of theM5.
Pumping Station Museum
[edit]Westonzoyland is home toSomerset's earliest steam-powered pumping station, built in 1830. Once a guardian of the Somerset Levels, it is now a small museum displaying stationarysteam enginesand exhibits of land drainage history. Pride of place goes to the station's pumping engine, the Easton and Amos. It is still in the main engine house, built in 1861 to replace an earlier engine that had been carrying out pumping work since 1831. In 1976,restorationof the site began, and in 1990 the site was bought from the owners,Wessex Water.The pump house has been Grade II*listed,[11]and is on theEnglish HeritageHeritage at Risk Register.[12]
Aviation
[edit]
To the east of the village is the formerRAF Weston Zoyland(1926–68) Airfield, which was used for a variety of duties, including air combat and the transport of airborne ground troops toFranceduringWorld War II.
Today it now houses an airstrip on the north side for theWestonzoylandMicrolightAircraft Club— the 'Zoyboyz'. Microlight aircraft fly from the base for both recreation and as part ofSky Watch,a Civil Air Patrol, whose mission is "Keeping an eye out from the air for anyone in distress either on land or sea".
Middlezoy Aerodromestarted operating in 2018 on the south side of RAF Weston Zoyland. A hangar and an originalNissen huthave been erected. Restoration of various types including the Piston Provost is ongoing byThe Somerset Aeroplane Company.A Meteor T.7 gate guard can be seen from the A372 main road.Middlezoy Aerodromehold a show every summer called TheSomerset Aerofest.
Sedgemoor Radio Control Flying Clubfly on the east side of the airfield.
The airfield is also home to local football clubMiddlezoy Rovers F.C.
Carnival
[edit]Hidden in the centre of the village are the workshops of Westonzoyland Carnival Club,[13]referred to by its members as "The Shed". Formed in 1960 this is one of the oldest village clubs on theSomerset Carnivalcircuit.
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.
Forlocal governmentpurposes, since 1 April 2023, the village comes under theunitary authorityofSomerset Council.Prior to this, it was part of thenon-metropolitan districtofSedgemoor,which was formed on 1 April 1974 under theLocal Government Act 1972,having previously been part ofBridgwater Rural District.
The village ls within the 'King's Isle'electoral ward.AlthoughWestonzoylandis the most populous area the ward stretches toOtheryin the south east andBawdripin the north. The total population of the ward as at the2011 censuswas 4,506.[14]
It is also part of theBridgwater and West Somersetcounty constituencyrepresented in theHouse of Commonsof theParliament of the United Kingdom.It elects oneMember of Parliament (MP)by thefirst past the postsystem of election, and was part of theSouth West England constituencyof theEuropean Parliamentprior toBritain leaving the European Unionin January 2020, which elected sevenMEPsusing thed'Hondt methodofparty-list proportional representation.
Geography
[edit]
The parish includes thehamletofAndersea,2 km to the south-west. Westonzoyland has a population of approximately 1,600 and is the larger of the three 'Zoys', the others being the villages ofMiddlezoyandChedzoy.There is onepublic housein the village, theSedgemoor Inn.It has medieval origins and has been the village pub since the time of the battle in 1685. It is a grade IIlisted building.[15]
The northern edge of the village isKing's Sedgemoor Drainanartificial drainage channelcompleted in 1795, which diverts theRiver Caryand is used to help drainKing's Sedgemoor.[16]A major upgrade of the drain occurred during theSecond World War,when an explosives factory,ROF Bridgwater,was built atPuriton.[17]The drain was upgraded in 1972, as part of a £1.4 million scheme to construct a flood relief channel for the River Parrett. The 7.5-mile (12.1 km) embanked channel, called theSowy River,runs from Monks Leaze Clyse belowLangportto the King's Sedgemoor Drain near Westonzoyland Airfield.
To the south of the village isLangmead and Weston Levela 168.8hectare(417.1 acre)biological Site of Special Scientific Interest.It forms part of the nationally important grazingmarshandditchsystems of theSomerset Levelsand Moors. The site is nationally important for its species-rich neutralgrasslandand theinvertebratecommunity found in the ditches and rhynes. The land lies in the flood plain of theRiver Parrettand many of the fields are poorly drained and seasonally water-logged. The terrestrial and aquatic invertebrates recorded on the site include four nationally rare species: theGreat Silver Diving Beetle(Hydrophiluspiceus), thesoldier fly(Odontomyia ornata) and two trueflies,Lonchoptera scutellataandStenomicra cogani.[18]
Climate
[edit]
Along with the rest ofSouth West England,Westonzoyland has a temperate climate which is generally wetter and milder than the rest of the country.[19]The annual mean temperature is approximately 10°C(50.0°F).Seasonal temperature variationis less extreme than most of the United Kingdom because of the adjacent sea temperatures. The summer months of July and August are the warmest with mean daily maxima of approximately 21 °C (69.8 °F). In winter mean minimum temperatures of 1 °C (33.8 °F) or 2 °C (35.6 °F) are common.[19]In the summer theAzoreshigh pressure affects the south-west of England, howeverconvectivecloud sometimes forms inland, reducing the number of hours of sunshine. Annual sunshine rates are slightly less than the regional average of 1,600 hours.[19]In December 1998 there were 20 days without sun recorded at Yeovilton. Most of the rainfall in the south-west is caused byAtlantic depressionsor byconvection.Most of the rainfall in autumn and winter is caused by the Atlantic depressions, which is when they are most active. In summer, a large proportion of the rainfall is caused by sun heating the ground leading to convection and to showers and thunderstorms. Average rainfall is around 700 mm (28 in). About 8–15 days of snowfall is typical. November to March have the highest mean wind speeds, and June to August have the lightest winds. The predominant wind direction is from the south-west.[19]
Battle of Sedgemoor
[edit]The final action of the Monmouth rebellion, the Battle of Sedgemoor took place on 6 July 1685 at Westonzoyland in Somerset.
The Monmouth Rebellion of the summer of 1685 was an attempt to seize the crown of England by James Scott, Duke of Monmouth, from his uncle the Catholic King James II. Leading a surprise night-time attack against the enemy encampment, Monmouth’s bold strategy was only discovered when a shot was fired from a passing Royalist patrol.
With the element of surprise now gone, the battle was all but lost, the farmers and peasants that made up the bulk of Monmouth’s 3,600 strong rebel forces were no match for the slightly smaller, but well equipped professional soldiers of the Royalist army.
In what would be the last pitched battle to be fought on English soil, the rebel army was totally destroyed. Monmouth himself was captured and later executed, and hundreds of his supporters suffered ferocious reprisals at the hands of the infamous Judge Jeffreys’ Bloody Assizes.
Economy
[edit]Willowhas been cut and used on the Levels since humans moved into the area. Fragments of willow basket were found near the Glastonbury Lake Village, and it was also used in the construction of severalIron Agecauseways.[20]The willow was harvested using a traditional method ofcoppicing,where a tree would be cut back to the main stem. New shoots of willow, called "withies", would grow out of the trunk and these would be cut periodically for use. During the 1930s over 9,000 acres (36 km2) of willow were being grown commercially on the Levels. Largely due to the displacement of baskets with plastic bags and cardboard boxes, the industry has severely declined since the 1950s. By the end of the 20th century only around 350 acres (1.4 km2) were grown commercially, near the villages ofBurrowbridge,Westonzoyland andNorth Curry.[7]
Transport
[edit]TheA372 roadbetweenPodimoreandBridgwaterruns through Westonzoyland.Bridgwater railway stationis the nearest station.
Religious sites
[edit]
St Mary's Parish Church,with its 15th-century carved timber roof, has a link with two conflicts. It served as a prison for around 500 troops after the Battle of Sedgemoor[21]and now contains a corner dedicated to local airmen who lost their lives in 1918 and 1919 and postWorld War IIin the early 1950s.
The four-stage tower has an embattledparapetwithquatrefoilarcading, and set-backbuttresseswhich terminate inpinnacleson the bell-chamber stage.[22]
References
[edit]- ^"Statistics for Wards, LSOAs and Parishes — SUMMARY Profiles"(Excel).Somerset Intelligence.Retrieved4 January2014.
- ^Plea Rolls of the Court of Common Pleas; National Archives; CP 40/629;http://aalt.law.uh.edu/H5/CP40no629/bCP40no629dorses/IMG_1721.htm;first entry; third line: 'Weston in Sowylond' Year: 1418
- ^"Westonzoyland — British History Online".Retrieved26 August2010.
- ^Bush, Robin (1994).Somerset: The Complete Guide.Dovecote Press. pp.229–230.ISBN1-874336-26-1.
- ^"Somerset Hundreds".GENUKI.Retrieved22 October2011.
- ^Dunning, Robert (1980).Somerset and Avon.Edinburgh: John Bartholomew and Son. pp. 151–153.ISBN0-7028-8380-8.
- ^abWilliams, Robin; Williams, Romey (1992).The Somerset Levels.Ex Libris Press. p. 72.ISBN0-948578-38-6.
- ^Robert Dunning (Editor), (2004),A History of the County of Somerset: Volume 8: The Poldens and the Levels,British History Online,accessed: 24 January 2009
- ^"Battle of Sedgemoor".UK Battlefields resource centre.Retrieved21 November2007.
- ^Whiles, John (1985).Sedgemoor 1685(2nd ed.). Chippenham: Picton Publishing.ISBN094825100X.
- ^Historic England."Grade II* (1174295)".National Heritage List for England.Retrieved26 August2010.
- ^Heritage at Risk Register:Westonzoyland
- ^Westonzoyland Carnival club
- ^"King's Isle ward 2011".Retrieved6 March2015.
- ^Historic England."Details from listed building database (1174420)".National Heritage List for England.Retrieved26 August2010.
- ^Otter, R. A. (1994).Civil Engineering Heritage: Southern England.Thomas Telford. p. 94.ISBN0-7277-1971-8.
- ^Williams, Michael.(1970).The Draining of the Somerset Levels.Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.ISBN0-521-07486-X.
- ^"Langmead and Weston Level"(PDF).English Nature.Retrieved17 August2006.
- ^abcd"South West England: climate".Met Office.Archived fromthe originalon 5 June 2011.Retrieved14 March2010.
- ^"Somerset Levels".BBC Radio 4 - Open Country.Retrieved10 June2007.
- ^Foard, Glen (2003)."Sedgemoor Battle"(PDF).Battlefields Trust.Retrieved6 August2008.
- ^Historic England."Church of St Mary the Virgin, Westonzoyland (1174351)".National Heritage List for England.Retrieved5 March2008.
External links
[edit]
- WestonzoylandatCurlie
- Video of WW2 airfield and control toweronYouTube
- http://middlezoyaerodrome.simplesite.com/
- https://somersetaero.co.uk/
