West Bagborough

infobox UK place
country = England
latitude= 51.0935
longitude= -3.1849
official_name= West Bagborough
population =394cite web |url=http://www.somerset.gov.uk/somerset/statistics/contents/population/estimates/2002mye/ |title=2002 population estimates |accessdate=2007-10-07 |format= |work=Somerset County Council ]
shire_district= Taunton Deane
shire_county = Somerset
region= South West England
constituency_westminster=
post_town=
postcode_district = TA4
postcode_area= TA
dial_code=
os_grid_reference= ST171333

West Bagborough is a village and parish in Somerset, England, situated convert|5|mi|km|1 north of Taunton in the Taunton Deane district. The village has a population of 394.

The village lies on the south-west slopes of the Quantock Hills and together with the neighbouring hamlets of Shopnoller, Seven Ash and Westwood combine to form a parish, collectively covered by the name West Bagborough. The village today consists of a wide variety of properties, with a wide range of building techniques and ages. Due to its availability local red sandstone features heavily in buildings, both ancient and modern. The village includes a 16th century inn (The Rising Sun). A Village Hall, and a number of establishments offering accommodation. [cite web |url=http://www.west-bagborough.co.uk/ |title=West Bagborough pages |accessdate=2007-10-07 |format= |work=West Bagborough pages ]

History

The origin of the village name is open to some debate and is thought to either come from the name "Begas Barrow" (meaning badgers hill)cite book |last=Bush |first=Robin |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Somerset: The complete guide |year=1994 |publisher=Dovecote press |location=Wimbourne |isbn=187433627X ] or from an amalgamation of the family name "Baga" and the Old English word for hill "beorg", In either case by 1086, when the Domesday book was compiled, the name had become Bageberge.

Enclosure of lands within the parish was authorised by an act of parliament in 1806.

In October 2001 a hoard of 4th century Roman silver was discovered in the village. The 681 coins included two denarii from the early 2nd century and 8 Miliarense and 671 Siliqua all dating to the period AD 337 – 367. The majority were struck in the reigns of emperors Constantius II and Julian and derive from a range of mints including Arles and Lyons in France, Trier in Germany and Rome. [cite web |url=http://www.somerset.gov.uk/somerset/culturecommunity/museums/somersetcollection/thewestbagboroughhoardofromansilver/ |title=The West Bagborough hoard of Roman silver |accessdate=2007-10-07 |format= |work=Somerset County Museums Service Collections ]

Church

The village church, St Pancras, dates from the 15th century, with the north aisle being added in 1839, and further restoration in 1872. It has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade II* listed building. [cite web | title=Church of St. Pancras (formerly listed as Church of Holy Trinity or St Pancras) | work=Images of England | url=http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/search/details.aspx?id=270488 | accessdate=2007-10-07] Further work was undertaken in the 1920s under the guidance of Sir Ninian Comper. [cite web |url=http://www.gb42.com/church.html |title=Saint Pancras Church |accessdate=2007-10-07 |format= |work=West Bagborough pages ] The church stands high above the main village, and allegedly owes this separation to the black death which reduced the population to below one hundred souls in the fourteenth century. In an attempt to rid themselves of this plague the villagers abandoned the original settlement and re-built, away from the church. The lychgate is dedicated to the memory of Robert Brooke-Popham.cite book |title=Portrait of the Quantocks |last=Waite |first=Vincent |authorlink= |coauthors= |year=1964 |publisher=Robert Hale |location=London |isbn=0709111584 |pages= ]

The old rectory is now known as Little Court. [cite web | title=Little Court | work=Images of England | url=http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/search/details.aspx?id=270499 | accessdate=2007-10-07]

Bagborough House

Bagborough House was built in 1739 by the Popham family and now lived in by Diana and Philip Brooke-Popham, [cite web |url=http://www.bagborough-house.co.uk/ |title=Bagborough House |accessdate=2007-10-07 |format= |work=West Bagborough pages ] and enlarged in 1820 and 1900. [cite web | title=Bagborough House | work=Images of England | url=http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/search/details.aspx?id=270495 | accessdate=2007-10-07]

References