Staple Fitzpaine

infobox UK place
country = England
latitude= 50.9599
longitude= -3.0520
official_name= Staple Fitzpaine
population = 151cite web |url=http://www.somerset.gov.uk/somerset/statistics/contents/population/estimates/2002mye/ |title=2002 population estimates |accessdate=2007-09-30 |format= |work=Somerset County Council ]
shire_district= Taunton Deane
shire_county = Somerset
region= South West England
Ambulance= South Western
constituency_westminster= Taunton
post_town= TAUNTON|postcode_district = TA3
postcode_area= TA |dial_code= 01823
os_grid_reference= ST262183

Staple Fitzpaine is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated five miles south of Taunton in the Taunton Deane district. The village has a population of 151 and is within the Blackdown Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The parish includes the hamlet of Badger Street.

Around the crossroads at Staple Fitzpaine there are several large sandstone boulders. They are called devilstones and are said to have been thrown by the Devil from Castle Neroche (some went over Staple to land in the Witch Lodge area, another he tossed back over his shoulder into West Buckland). According to legend if you prick them with a pin they draw blood. English word 'Stapol' means pillar or post and it is thought likely that this gave the village the first part of its name. [cite web |url=http://www.stokestmary.net/NEROCHE/historystaple.htm |title=The villages of Staple Fitzpaine, Curland and Bickenhall, |accessdate=2007-09-30 |format= |work=Stoke St Mary.net ] The second part of the name comes from the Fitzpaine family who owned the manor between 1233 and 1393.cite book |last=Bush |first=Robin |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Somerset: The complete guide |year=1994 |publisher=Dovecote press |location=Wimbourne |isbn=187433627X ]

The parish stretches south to Castle Neroche, east to Whitty Cross, west to Staple Hill and north to just past Smokey Bottom. The main part of the village is centred around the crossroads by the Greyhound Inn, [cite web | title= Greyhound Inn | work=Images of England | url=http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/search/details.aspx?id=271113 | accessdate=2007-09-29] on the Taunton-Chard road. Curland and Bickenhall, two smaller villages close by to the east, are socially and culturally one with Staple Fitzpaine. They have a combined population of almost 200.

The Church of St Peter is Norman in origin, and has a Norman doorway reset in the south aisle. The chancel dates from the 14th century. The north aisle was added and the church refenestrated in the 15th century. The tower dates from about 1500, however the south porch and vestry are much more recent dating form 1841. The crenellated 3-stage tower, has merlons pierced with trefoil headed arches set on a quatrefoil pierced parapet. The church has been designated by English Heritage as a grade I listed building. [cite web | title=Church of St Peter | work=Images of England | url=http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/search/details.aspx?id=271106 | accessdate=2007-09-29]

St. Peter's has six bells. The oldest dates from 1480. There are four more original bells. [cite web |url=http://www.freewebs.com/staple_ringing/towerandbells.htm |title=Tower and Bells |accessdate=2007-09-30 |format= |work=Staple Fitzpaine Ringers ] . In 1803 one of the bells was made by Thomas Castleman Bilbie of Cullompton, one of the Bilbie family of bell founders and clock makers. [cite book |last=Moore |first=James |authorlink= |coauthors=Roy Rice and Ernest Hucker |title=Bilbie and the Chew Valley clock makers |year=1995 |publisher=The authors |location= |isbn=0952670208 ]

The almshouses in the village date from 1643, and were restored 1970. They were originally donated by Sir William Portman. [cite web | title= Almshouses | work=Images of England | url=http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/search/details.aspx?id=271105 | accessdate=2007-09-29] The Portman family from nearby Orchard Portman purchased the village in 1600 and dominated it until 1944.

The Manor was built in 1840 as the Rectory for the Rev. Fitzhardinge Berkeley Portman. [cite web | title=The Manor | work=Images of England | url=http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/search/details.aspx?id=271114 | accessdate=2007-09-29]

References

External links

* [http://www.somerset3d.co.uk/logos%20&%20pictures/town%20&%20village%20pages/staplefitzpaine.html Photos of Staple Fitzpaine in 3d (Anaglyphs)]