Sarah
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Kelly's
Directory
Kelly's Directory 1939
FIVEHEAD is a parish and village, on the river Ile, and near the road from Langport to Taunton, 5 miles south-west from Langport station on the Bristol and Exeter section of the Great Western railway, 6½ north from Ilminster, and 8½ east from Taunton, in the Yeovil parliamentary division, hundred of Abdick and Bulstone, petty sessional division of Somerton and Langport, rural district and county court district of Langport, rural deanery of Crewkerne (Ilminster district), archdeaconry of Taunton and diocese of Bath and Wells. Water is supplied from Taunton; electricity is available. The church of St. Martin is an ancient edifice of stone in the Perpendicular style, consisting of chancel, nave of four bays, south aisle, south porch and an embattled western tower, restored in 1910, and containing 6 bells: the oak altar is in memory of Robert de Mowbray Matterson, d. 1912: there are memorials to the family of Elyott, 1729-49; Caroline, daughter of Sir Edmund Wyndham, of Kentsford, 1721; Hugh Pine, of Cathanger esq. and Mabella, his wife, 1618-28; and Robert Fairhill, minister of Fivehead, 1666: here also are buried John Walshe, justice of the Common Pleas, 1563-72, in which latter year he died, and his wife Jane (Broke): there is a piscina in the south aisle and also fragments of the Beauchamp arms, and there is an aumbry in the north wall of the chancel, and in the south aisle is a brass (restored and replaced in 1907) to Jane, daughter of Sir John Walshe, of Cathanger, and wife of Sir Edward Seymour, eldest son of Edward, Duke of Somerset, Lord Protector, who died about 1565; a memorial window was erected in 1901 by the Alford family, to William Norman, surgeon, born in this parish 26th March, 1778, died at Ashfield, Taunton, May, 1855: there is also a window erected in 1931 to Mrs. Jessie De Mowbray Matterson, of Langford Manor, by the members of her family; the church seats 235. The register dates from 1654, but is imperfect. The living is a vicarage, with the rectory of Swell annexed, joint net yearly value £300, including 28 acres of glebe at Swell, with residence, in the gift of the Dean and Chapter of Bristol, and held since 1938 by the Rev. George Cecil Fry M.Sc. of Leeds University. A vicarage house was erected in 1905 at a cost of £1,600. The Baptist chapel here, erected in 1828, has sittings for 220 persons. The land is now much subdivided. The Manor House of CATHANGER, a venerable edifice, retains its great hall, and over the porch is the inscription, cut in stone, "John Walsh, Anno Dni. 1559, Sarjant at Lawe." The family of Walshe held the Manor from 12 Hen. VII. (1496-7) until the death of the John Walshe just mentioned, whose daughter and heiress married Sir Edward Seymour, eldest son of the first Duke of Somerset. Langford Manor, the seat of William Arthur Key Matterson esq. B.A., J.P. is in the Early Elizabethan style and was restored in 1904; in the grounds are the remains of an old manorial dove-cote. William Arthur Key Matterson esq. B.A, J.P. and J.B.H. Torrens esq. are the principal landowners. The soil is clay and blue lias. The chief crops are wheat, beans, root crops and teazels. The acreage is 3,266; the population in 1931 was 349 in the civil and 359 in the ecclesiastical parish.
By the Somerset Review Order, 1933, the civil parish of Swell was amalgamated with this parish.
CATHANGER, 1 mile west, and MOORTOWN, 2 miles east, are tithings in this parish.
Post & T. Office. Letters through Taunton. Curry Rivel nearest M. O. office
Clerk to the Parish Council, William Henry Woodman, Bank chambers, Langport
SWELL is on the road from Taunton to Langport, 4 miles west-south-west from Langport station on the Durston and Yeovil branch of the Great Western railway and 10 east from Taunton. The church of St. Catherine is an ancient building of stone, consisting of chancel, nave and south porch: there are sittings for 108 persons. The register dates from the year 1559. The living is an endowed rectory, annexed to the vicarage of Fivehead. Swell Court, an ancient residence, is now a farm-house. Adml. Hon. Sir R. A. R. Plunkett-Ernle-Erle-Drax K.C.B., D.S.O. is lord of the manor and principal land-owner. The soil is chiefly sandy loam; subsoil, clay. The chief crops are wheat, beans and oats.
West Sedgmoor, formerly extra-parochial, was annexed to the parish of Swell by Local Government Board Order 17,648, March 25, 1885, and by Order 17,645, March 25, 1886, a part of Oath hamlet was transferred from Swell to Aller.
By the Somerset Review Order, 1933, this civil parish was amalgamated with that of Fivehead.
Letters through Taunton. Curry Rivel nearest M. O. & T. office
FIVEHEAD.
PRIVATE RESIDENTS.
Budgett Francis, Tudor cottage
Fraser-Simson Gilbert, The Pent ho
Fry Rev. George Cecil M.Sc. (vicar), Vicarage
Humphry Mrs. G. M. Windyridge
Matterson Capt. Cuthbert Alban Key, Standerwick
Matterson William Arthur Key B.A., J.P. Langford manor
Torrens John B. H. Cathanger
Ward Rev. Sidney Rupert (Baptist)
COMMERCIAL.
Marked thus ° farm 150 acres or over
Adams Herbt. Jas. shopkpr. & post office. Ile Brewers 239
Bellamy Fras. Wm. shopkpr
Brunt Percy, farmer, Stowey rd
Brunt Thos. farmer, Newhouse farm, Stowey
°Chedzoy Howard, farmer, Stowey fm
Crown Inn (Thos. Fox). Ile Brewers 220
Downing Thomas, pig breeder, Stillbrook farm
Durham Hy. Alfd. & Marjorie Mary (Mrs.) F.R.H.S. market gardeners
Fox. Fras. farmer
Foxhound Inn (Mrs. Mary Dare)
Garland Wilfred, poultry farmer, Stonehill
Hillard Robert William, grocer
Male Hugh, farmer, Tanyard. Ile Brewers 233
Miller Frank, farmer
Miller Sydney, haulage contrctr. Old Vicarage. Ile Brewers 215
Milton Edgar, farmer, Smith's farm
Murray Arth. Frank, motor engnr. Ile Brewers 230
Salway Samel, thatcher
Sartin Hy. farmer, Hill view
Slack Ethel L. (Miss) S.R.N., S.C.N. district nurse, Manor farm
Troutt Arthur Edward, farmer, Manor farm
Vickery Fras. farmer, Lower Listock farm
White Cottage Road House (Richard C. Lamb, proprietor), refreshments, bed & breakfast & garage. Ile Brewers 234
Yarde Francis, farmer, Hill farm
Yarde Herbt. farmer, Higher Langford
SWELL
PRIVATE RESIDENT.
Adams Bernard G. The Old Rectory
COMMERCIAL.
Marked thus ° farm 150 acres or over.
Cornall Rd. cowkeeper
°Limm Josias, farmer, Swell court
Lock Thomas, farmer, Moortown. T N. Curry Rivel 35
Luxton Mary Jane (Mrs.) & Son, frmrs