Ash, South Somerset
| Ash | |
|---|---|
 Holy Trinity Church, Ash | |
  Ash Location withinSomerset | |
| Population | 626 (2011)[1] |
| OS grid reference | ST474206 |
| Unitary authority | |
| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | MARTOCK |
| Postcode district | TA12 |
| Dialling code | 01935 |
| Police | Avon and Somerset |
| Fire | Devon and Somerset |
| Ambulance | South Western |
| UK Parliament | |
Ashis a village andparishinSomerset,England, situated 1 mile (1.6 km) fromMartockand 6 miles (9.7 km) north-west ofYeovil.The parish has apopulationof 626.[1]The parish includes thehamletsof Milton and Witcombe.
History
[edit]The name Ash, from theOld Englishaescmeans "place with/nearash tree(s). "[2]It was first mentioned in 1086 as 'Aisse', it next appears, in 1225 as 'Esse'. Probably derived fromOld English'aesc' the ash tree. Hence, (place at) the ash tree/s.[3]
Milton was first mentioned in 1284-6 as 'Milton Fauconberg' or 'Falcenbridge'. There appear to be two possible derivations: The gentle enclosure from Old English 'milde' and 'tun' (cf Upper and Lower Milton, near Wells) or the middle enclosure from the Old English 'middel' and 'tun' Since Milton lies between the tithings ofLong Loadand Witcombe.[3]
Witcombe means the white valley from the Old English 'hwit' and 'cumb'. It occurs as 'Whythicumbe' in 1243, in which case cf Withycombe (near Carhampton), the willow valley from the Old English 'wippe' and 'cumb'. It may also be 'wide valley' from Old English.[3]
The medieval settlement seems to have included two separate hamlets on the two adjacent parallel lanes. These were the centres of the two medieval manors: Ash Boulogne to the west, and Pykesash to the east. Both nuclei are characterised by an irregular group of working farms.
The parish was created in 1895 from the north eastern quarter ofMartock.
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 districtofSouth Somerset,which was formed on 1 April 1974 under theLocal Government Act 1972,having previously been part ofYeovil Rural District.[4]
It is also part of theGlastonbury and Somertoncounty 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.
References
[edit]- ^ab"Statistics for Wards, LSOAs and Parishes — SUMMARY Profiles"(Excel).Somerset Intelligence.Retrieved4 January2014.
- ^Mills, A.D. (1991).Dictionary of English Place Names.Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- ^abcRobinson, Stephen (1992).Somerset Place Names.Wimborne, Dorset: The Dovecote Press Ltd. p. 21.ISBN1-874336-03-2.
- ^"Yeovil RD".A vision of Britain Through Time.University of Portsmouth.Retrieved4 January2014.
External links
[edit]
Media related toAsh, South Somersetat Wikimedia Commons
