Wincanton

Wincanton is a Market town overlooking the Blackmore Vale. Numerous elegant Georgian houses and coaching inns record its former importance as a staging post on the main road from to London to Plymouth.

As part of her Millennium project Pauline researched the history of Wincanton and the surrounding area, the results are below.

‘PLEASANT TOWN ON THE CALE’

3000 BC - Our oldest inhabitant -Bronze age remains - Grants Lane off Bayford Hill. “The Great Ice Age”.

AD 871 - 899 King Alfred fought some of his battles in this area - hence Alfred’s Mill, the (Town Mill) bears his name - one of the greatest Kings.

AD 1000 - Saxon period origins of an early church where St. Peter & St. Paul now stands, commemorated in North porch by the legend of Eloy Bishop of Noyan

AD 1066 - Doomsday book records - (King Edward the Confessor died) - pleasant town on the River Cale), as but a village, (but larger than a small Village or Hamlet).

AD 1085 - Doomsday Book; King Harold of England reigns & holder of Crown lands for Wincalton & collector of Tithes etc; Walter (de Dowai)

AD 1300 - Earliest Parish Church masonry dated. S.S. Peter & Paul - favourite church of INE Saxon King of Wessex (later to have a total of 8 bells)

1327 - King Edward III reigns - Wheat in the area cost three shillings and eleven pence a quarter. Shows the purchasing power of Four pounds, nine shillings and four pence contributed by the Parish towards the Kings wars.

1327 - Lattiford Manor House belonged to De Hammindo Filio Richardi - stood much earlier than this date, as ruins of an old Chapel prove. The Lotter feeds the ancient mill, the stream had to be forded.

1345 - More likely c1000AD, ‘Suddon Grange’ manor has stood in part - more history connected with it, than any other in the Parish

1552 - Great Plague in Wincanton. - “Sweating Sickness” - buried wholesale with clothes on. In 1818 West Wall of Parish church built and fragments of clothing and signs of disorderly burials were found. ( Dr’s. wore masks filled with spices to avoid breathing in germs from patients with the plague.)

1556 - 17th March Wincanton Charter granted for two Annual Fairs & a Market every other Wednesday.

1558 - Queen Elizabeth I, first year of her reign - copy document bearing King George I watermark & naming families of the time, place names - mostly unchanged, but few actual places which can be clearly identified.. This document would normally show the Burgesses and Feoffees of that period.

1558 - Thornwell - (ancient footpath from The Common to the ‘Church Path’), Thornwell has a strong spring which feeds it, & rises in ‘Rachael’s Pond, in the ‘First Balsam’. A very important sorce of water in that area. I’ts name probably came from a thorn tree growing there.’ Rachael’s Pond ‘so called - after a woman drowned herself in it.

c1558 - Shatterwell Shoots - and earlier than this first recorded date -was here under various names over the centuries. The Spring Water was the purest in town but hard, said to be medicinal, and this Spring held out the longest in town. After spinning the bleached spun Flax in town, the Flax was washed here and spread out on the grass at Shatterwell to dry, then sent around the parish to weaving factories.

1581 - Lord Chief Justice of England - Sir James Dier died - -one of Wincanton’s greatest son’s.

1605 onwards - November 5th. Party - from Bayford through Wincanton - led by a sailor carrying a Union Jack followed by a band - then Guy Fawkes in chains - followed by townsfolk in fancy dress - collecting for carnival. Flaming torches illuminated the town with previously bundles of sacking etc; soaked in paraffin several days before.

1631 - “Pilgrim Fathers” 7 persons from Wincanton left on ‘The Angel Gabriel’ from Bristol for New York. mostly Puritans, Nonconformist, Royalists and Episcopalians.

1636 - 1721 - 162 members of the Puritan Vining families from Wincanton emigrated to Michigan and Weymouth Massachusetts USA.

1638 - 7th March Portsmouth, Rhode Island, USA founded by William Dyer and 18 others from Wincanton.

1639 - Newport, Rhode Island, USA founded by William Dyer and others from Wincanton.

1652 - Hugh Joanes of Wincanton emigrated on ‘Mr. Stratton’s ship’ from Weymouth, England - resided in Salem, in the County of Essex New England, USA. He swore oaths in court for Historical Register of Salem in 1682.

1652 - David Meade native of Wincanton - Captain of Cavalry in Oliver Cromwell’s Army emigrated in ‘Mr. Stratton’s ship’ for USA. Cromwell ruled 1653-58.

1649 - 1660 - England was a Republic. The Monarchy, House of Lords & Anglican Church all abolished.

1655 - White Horse - -oldest hostelry, Brewhouse, Malthouse, Stables & Candleshop.

1660 - Mary Dyer from Wincanton - -in USA was an uncompromising Quaker - saved from gaol several times - eventually accused of Witchcraft and was hanged on a tree at Boston. The Dyers were Royalists and Herodias Longe - sister of Mary Dyer - -married at 14 years went to New England, herhusband robbed & deserted her. Later married George Gardiner from Wincanton divorced again in 1665 and married for the third time a John Porter.

c1662 - The Reverend John Sacheverell was said “to overdose his Parishioners with a medicine that did not agree with them” - He had three wives - No peace in the community - -commotion all round,ignorance and superstition were rampant. Was said never such a time was known in this world before – Famine – tempest - frost - plague & earthquake, all prevailed and all came together. Marriage was purely a civil contract, J.P. performed the ceremony either in Church or the Market Place.

1664 – 23rd. January. Witchcraft - -Elizabeth Styles of Stoke Trister bewitched a 13 year old girl & others. Along with other witches Alice Duke Ann Bishop & Mary Penny. They met a man in black, they said was their master the devil, on the Common near Trister Gate and also in Wincanton churchyard. Elizabeth was sent for trial from Wincanton to Taunton. Was to be executed, but died before this was carried out.

1665 - William Strode of Wincanton – gent - one of 136 prisoners tried at Exeter after Royalist rising.

1665 - The Reverend Robert Gutch of Wincanton, was the first settler in Bath, Maine, USA. August 1885 a clergyman from Bath, Maine wrote to Wincanton for information on this man who was their first settler.

1678 - ‘The Dogs’ - house at Tout Hill, was originally the Manor House & visited by Prince William of Orange on 1st. Dec.1688- room still called Orange Room.

1678 - “Burrough of Wincalton” rents to the Burgesses & Feoffees - for those whose goods were ten shillings or more. People objected to the many Public Houses now being called ‘Tied houses’.

1686 - Nathaniel Ireson delftware maker and Master Mason/Architect, latterly potter - many buildings show his talents both in architecture and as a mason. For the collector - his pottery too, portrays his talents.

1688 - Towns place in history records - Civil War - 1626-50, Wincanton - First skirmish between army of James II & invading forces of Prince William of Orange on Lawrence Hill - William married James II daughter Mary 1677

c.1688 - Balsam House built in the Jacobean style, later Carriage Making was done here.

1689 - William III - Grandson of King Charles I. became King of England - jointly with his wife Mary II.

1690 - William Dyer Jr. son of William and Mary died in Sussex County, Pennsylvania, USA.

c 1700 - First Roman Catholic services held in a room given by Thomas Clementina.

c1700 - Dolphin Inn originally ‘Rainbow Inn’ - Malting & Brewing here even prior 1837

1705 - Great Fire in Wincanton. (There were several of these recorded in various books through the following years), - devasting to a community in those times meaning ruin and destitution for many folk.

1707 - 13th May Another record showing this as the first great fire - very dry from 12th. March to 22nd. May - recorded as hot by day and cold nights, but parched winds. Majority of property was thatch, water was scarce. Only two public wells, one at Common Rd; Turnpike & one at Post Office - lots of private wells, Mill St; Station Rd; Market Place and High St; all severely destroyed. - No Insurance or fire engines at that time. Made worse by all town’s refuse flowed into large drain in Mill St; at the ‘Millhead’.

1710 - Wincanton already had a Fire Engine. Water always a shortage even though several wells/springs - water calcareous and some were impure .St. Andrews Well by the town mill, one conduit in Market Place, and another at Turnpike. Conduit Hill was an old spring ;thr old well in 1751 unreliable & a reservoir had to be built. Old door in side of wall still visible at Bayford.

c1712 - Borough of Wincanton - elected Board of Guardians on 31st. December 1835

1722 - 10th April Big Fires in South St; Wincanton - “ Beere for Dragoons for very active and exemplary and painful duties”1722 - First Quaker meeting.

1723 - 128 years were to follow of heavy window tax until abolished. over two windows had to pay tax. Sometimes a loose brick was left in the stopped up windows to remove when special light & air was required.

1724 - Stukeley’s Bank was opened. - also known as ‘Stuckey’s Bank -this was a prestigious bank - only National Provincial Bank of England had a bank note with a little higher circulation.

1730 – August 19^th Wednesday – “Jack White Gibbet” – Jack lived in Wincanton, drunk too much in Sun Public House – Robert Sutton arrived with urgent message for gentleman, stopped to rest etc. Drank too much, remembered urgent letter, unsure of direction & coaxed Jack to show him, (even though they had serious disagreement in Sun over latest news of footpads, attacks on Mail and new Judge at Taunton Assizes. Someone remarked Judge could test Jack for his misdeeds – Jack retorted bitterly, the liquor making it worse.) Jack worse for drink and heat, fell under a hedge and slept. Bob carried on, soon lost his way, returned to Jack aroused him, showed him a gold coin & reaching cross-roads of Holton, Bratton & Castle Cary came across two Ladies – incident occurred, Ladies left. Bob collapsed, Jack in a rage for various reasons took lump of wood and gouged out one of Bobs eyes before sticking wood through Bob’s mouth & out through his neck before mangling him. Jack was incarcerated in Ilchester gaol where his devoted Wife visited him. Trial held at Taunton – Judgement – Jack to be hung in chains at site of murder, a rare judgement in England. If Jack was hung and died before being put in the Gibbet or was hung on the gibbet until he starved is not known. ( Many hauntings at site rumoured & that it was Jacks brother returned from Sea – both names changed, also hung on tree that Jack’s grandfather planted)

1741 - 13th August John Hacker killed in Ireson’s Quarry by a stone from a falling wagon.

1741 - ‘South Bank House’ Earlier than this a building was here, highest point in town at 395 feet.above sea level. The hill was called’ Sunnyhill’, then ‘Conduit Hill’ & ‘Bayford Hill’. Field at East of house was called ‘Dove’s Close’ then ‘Webb’ s Ground’- John Webb lived there in 1741, made a pond in ‘Dove’s Close’, to the detriment to the towns water supply

1743 - ‘The Greyhound & Posting House’- Long before this recorded date, was a principal Inn of the town, with ‘posting boys’, & carriages at the ready to carry on, urgent news from the arriving coaches . It had The Royal Coat of Arms as the body of the Duke of Sussex, once lay there.. (Market Sq; was the converging point for Exeter, Bristol & the West).

1772 - Shatterwell Bridge was built; along from Shatterwell House with it’s waterfall in the garden, this water use to work the Mill

1798 - 1stJanuary Richard Messiter a moving spirit for reform in Wincanton promoted a bill which passed in Parliament - bill headed ‘Anno Tricesimo Octavo’ -“George III Regis.Cap.46”- Bill passed by Parliament for local government here.

1800 - Weaving shops/ Church St;/Silver St;/Mill St; Over 200 looms & Spinning Wheels - Flax spun by women and children - woven into Dowlas cloth, bed/ ticking & Cheesecloth etc; - last spinning shuttle was in Bayford.

1800 - Corner of Mill St. & Silver St. called ‘Rope Walk’ - Hemp was grown in area for cordage - during Napoleonic Wars - massive orders from Royal Navy for ropes and sails, came flooding in to Wincanton. (1805 - 1812).

1800 - Great distress here gardens un-dug and no seed potatoes to plant, great poverty, even the seed potatoes had to be eaten to stay alive. Waiting the handout from the ‘Poor Tax’.(either in monies or food or both).

1805 - 1812 - Napoleonic War - French, Spanish, Portuguese & Italian Prisoner’s of War captured from French vessels and Colonies and brought here -they were said to come from respected families. They had a Silk Factory here. 297 P.O.W’s including boys of ten years. and women with infants. At times there were more than 500 of them, many housed at Bayford, - they brought a new wealth to Wincanton which was suffering great poverty then.

1806 - Horwood Waters discovered - (known as Psychic Well House), a Spa established.

1808 - Violent Hailstorms in Wincanton - some Hailstones were nine & three quarter inches in circumference.

1811 - Smuggler sent to Ilchester jail’ for helping the escape of French captives from Wincanton to the Dorset coast - this was very lucrative.

c1813 - 1902 - Longevity in the Parish between these years was very good -80-102 years, even in the Workhouse in their 90’s.

1821 - “Captain Messiter of the Yeomanry Cavalry, held a field day at King George IV’s Coronation, in Wincanton. The principal inhabitants partook of an excellent dinner given by their loyal Captain. Later several hogsheads of strong beer and a plentiful supply of bread and cheese was distributed to the multitude assembled at the Town Hall to drink the King’s health”.

1825 - Princess Victoria at 7 years old stayed at The Greyhound Hotel in Wincanton.

1827 - Donkey stone of Patron Saint of Blacksmiths - St. Eligivis -mediaeval carving Found in north porch of St. Peter & St.Paul.

c 1837 - Wincanton had a Town Crier/Bellman - wore great coat with crimson facings & a cocked hat.

c1840 - National Board School built - prior to this time no education for the poor.

1847 – 14th July King of the Gypsies died in the Workhouse aged 94 - his name was Harry Burton.

1861 - Uncle Tom’s Cabin - Public House, Story was publicised in anti slavery paper in USA - did much to create USA Civil War. When news arrived here of Civil War - Uncle Tom’s Cabin was about to be opened and was so named .Opened by one of Wincanton’s old families named Mr.Green.

1869 - Cannonball (marks) fired from Cannon, in ‘Mogg’s’ Copse, by the troops of Oliver Cromwell, found in a house that a veterinary surgeon lived in Angel Lane.

1871 – 1st January George Sweetman’s Journal first published on History of Wincanton (and to whom we owe a great deal).

1874 - Tariffs abolished at Turnpike cottage & gates at main road & Common Road 3d. for horse & carriage, 1d. for every horse, ass, or any other beasts.

c 1874 Our house built on The Common.100 acres Common, pigs and geese farmed here, supplying bacon for food in Wincanton & feathers for beds & warmth. Cavalry & Volunteers exercised here.- Daily 17 carriages & vans cross The Common, were up to hubs in mud through great ruts Cudgels & Singlestick and othr games were played here..

Butcher’s, Miller’s, Cider Maker’s & Boot / Shoe Maker’s sometimes had to travel to Bristol on horseback to sell their goods, or the latter to buy leather. They always set forth in numbers, never alone as ‘Foot-pads’ or Highwaymen laid in wait for lonely mens gold. On the route to Bristol there was a notorious public house where these masked men lay in wait.

1881 - New R.C. Mission on the Feast of St. Luke, the Prior from Downside Abbey officiated with their choir from Benedictine Monastery.- within one year they undertook the Pastorate with the Franciscans of Clevedon.

1882 - The Discalced Carmelites of Kensington took over St. Luke’s Carmelite Priory adding one chapel & new wing - only the second Priory in England, after the Reformation. It became a Red Cross Hospital during World War -898 sick & wounded were nursed there..

1884 - 1900 First Roman Catholic School/Mission - handed over to Ursuline Nuns from Swansea.

1886 - Ebenezer Carrington an eccentric Chemist - extensive knowledge of drugs - celebrated pill maker - well known by farming fraternity for his renowned cattle drugs. He could make anything anyone required, and called on and distributed to the poor of the town. He was a strict Baptist a teetotaller, and a true disciple of Martin Luther .

1887 - 25th June Queen Victoria’s Jubilee - great rejoicings held in Balsam Paddock

1889 - 18th August Foundation Stone laid of the new Carmelite Monastery, at this time insufficient funds for new Roman Catholic Church

1890 - Brass Band formed. achieved very high standards - invited to play at the Crystal Palace Invitation Contest - a highlight in the South of England.

1896 - 17th December Wincanton Primary School was opened by Lord Edmond Fitzmaurice, and built by ‘old’ local family of Green’s the builders.

c1897 - Isolation and Fever Hospital at Verrington was opened - Sanitorium for TB., & Isolation for Fever, built far away from town - as not a desirable place. 1948 it became a Geriatric hospital with 32 beds when the NHS came into being. The central & new block was opened in 1973 by Lord Aberdare the then Minister for National Health. (Mr.Farquarharson owned the land prior to this)..

Earlier – 1900 - 1972 Wincanton always had it’s own Miller and Grain Merchants, & Waterwheel - Kings Mill/King Alfred’s Mill. The waterhead held back by weir/waterfall at Shatterwell.

1902 - 12th December The Priory establishment was ordered to be made a training place for Novitiates only the second training place in England.

1902 - King Edward VII festivities held in Wincanton - sums of moneys were raised.

1908 - 19th November St. Luke & St. Teresa - the new R.C.Church opened, & consecrated in 1913.

1913 - Taunton’s Milk Factory - Semley & Gillingham Milk factory. 1927 Wincanton Garages/Transport an offshoot of Unigate Dairies.

1927 - Wincanton HorseRacing began on Easter Monday on the present site, though racing was held at Hatherleigh between 1922 - 25 till lease ran out.

1923 - 19^th July Wincanton visited by the Prince of Wales - future short term King Edward VIII early 30’s.

Mid -1930’s & earlier Blackmore Vale Hunt - photographed outside the ‘now’ Post Office.

1932 - Alice Countess of Athlone opened the third hospital to be built in the town ‘Memorial Hospital’ on July 16th.

1940 – 1945 - American Airmen on board ‘Old Faithful’ crashed on Snag Farm - to avoid the town - with their crippled plane killing all the crew-memorial plaque on ‘Highlands’ wall at Bayford.

1944 - Bomb on National Westminster Bank, killing the Bank Manager’s daughter another bomb fell in South St; the third at Brains Farm in Moor Lane

1945 - Carnival on a grand scale for funds to build the Memorial Hall, last Carnival was 1930. Memorial Hall was opened on 9th. January 1959

1958 - King Arthur’s Community School was opened, by Field Marshall. The Rt. Hon: Lord Harding of Petherton, also present, The Rt. Reverend Bishop Fabian Jackson, and County Alderman Mrs. E. Miller-Barstow Chairman of Somerset Education Committee. – The first Headmaster was Mr. Edmond Murray, who still resides locally.

1962 - March Last Cattle Market - (Wednesday Market Day), was very important to the town. Recorded as far back as 1799 when a well known seedsman use to visit market. The past twenty years, all local farmers came with pigs and cattle etc; & buyers from the Midlands, Derby & Sheffiield;- whole train loads of cattle were sold.

1970 - November Unigate bulk milk reloading station opened, after the amalgamattion with Cow & Gate Baby Milk & United Dairies - (Old Cow & Gate chimney ,-known as “Farmer’s Monument”).

1972 - Carrington Way - opening made by demolishing houses & the butcher’s shop, Medical Centre, Police Station, Library & Higher View for the elderly were built, the latter stands where the slaughter house stood.

1975 - Our Lady of Mount Carmel -Roman Catholic Primarary School was taken over by Somerset County Council, but it was a private school prior to this.

1986 - Wincanton had a Town Council and it’s first Mayor was Mr Anthony Tucker. – Since 1894 we had a Parish Council and a Chairman .

1995 - May The sad withdrawal of the Carmelite Community from Wincanton, after more than 100 years, to serve in a Carmelite Mission in Nigeria.

We had a Windmill at Windmill Farm at Bayford, much earlier than the 17^th. Century. In Somerset their were windmills in the 12^th Century, through the years, as many as 17 windmills around the parishes were working at any one time. Wheat was usually carried on horseback to the miller. Between 1866-1901, 56 percent loss of acreage in Somerset for wheat growing. The South West underwent terrible depression in those years and cornland was laid to grass, cottage industries vanished, and people emigrated to larger towns and abroad. Wincanton’s windmill was probably a Post Mill – timber box structure, carrying the sails (made of canvas). Machinery & pivots on a massive vertical post, the sails can be turned to face the wind, and turn anti clockwise. Post is supported by four diagonal quarterbars, fixed to two horizontal timbers at right angles – the crosstrees. Thought to be similar to Mediaeval windmills elsewhere. - - - (Old Miller’s signalling code – if sails set in St.Andrew’s position – all’s well, but if sails set in the St. George position – trouble/danger).

Blacksmiths prior to Bayford Builder’s. - Additional land now belonging to Bayford Builder’s - was a Skating Rink and before that was Cow & Gate Co.

Bear’s Grease - the real MCoy was made here by a local hairdresser, (used with herbs

Good Knights Templar – from Templecombe – helped finance one of the church’s / lands.

Wincanton nestles in beautiful countryside, with the A303 - easy access to anywhere. Covers most needs in trade and retail, social organisations, educationally, religion, medical centre, hospital, public houses/hotels, and transport, too numerous to mention, but all very necessary ,one only has to ask.

My indebtedness to George Sweetman’s books, Puffy Bowden’s book, The Oxford History of Britain, ‘Old Wincanton’ book by Barry Cousins & Rodney Legg , and numerous other reference books. Last but not least my friend Jacky Powell who has diligently searched for books on my behalf in the Library.

Whilst I have found conflicting dates, I have tried to be as accurate as is possible.


Stoke Trister church, not far from Wincanton.	A badger in our garden.	Slightly closer - he did not seem to be too bothered by camera flash.	Grasshopper!

Autumn brings many of these indoors, this specimen was fortunately in the garden.

This is a really great web site with links to all manner of useful information to do with Wincanton, tourism, businesses, government, history, clubs.......in fact all manner of useful points of reference. www.dlowther.demon.co.uk/local.htm