Abbots Leigh

Abbots Leigh

infobox UK place

country = England
official_name= Abbots Leigh
latitude= 51.4607

longitude= -2.6564

civil_parish=
population =
unitary_england= North Somerset
lieutenancy_england= Somerset
region= South West England

constituency_westminster= Woodspring to become North Somerset at next general election
post_town=
postcode_district=
postcode_area=
dial_code=
os_grid_reference= ST545735

Abbots Leigh is a village located in North Somerset, United Kingdom.

Holy Trinity Church dates from the 15th century but was restored and partially rebuilt after a fire in 1847-48. The tower contains three bells dating from 1781 and made by William Bilbie of the Bilbie family. [cite book |last=Moore |first=James |coauthors=Roy Rice & Ernest Hucker |title=Bilbie and the Chew Valley clock makers |year=1995 |publisher=The authors |isbn=0952670208 ] It has been designated by English Heritage as a grade II* listed building. [cite web | title=Holy Trinity Church | work=Images of England | url=http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/search/details.aspx?id=33399 | accessdate=2007-10-05]

The manor house there, also named Abbot's Leigh or Leigh Court, was a resting place of Charles II during his escape to France in 1651. He arrived on the evening of 12 September, staying at the home of Mr and Mrs George Norton, who were friends of the Kings's travelling companion, Jane Lane. The Nortons were unaware of the King's identity during his three-day stay.

A description of the house appears in the book "The Escape of Charles II, After the Battle of Worcester" by Richard Ollard:

"Abbots Leigh was the most magnificent of all the houses in which Charles was sheltered during his escape. A drawing made in 1788, only twenty years before it was pulled down, shows a main front of twelve gables, surmounting three storeys of cowled windows; a comfortable, solid west country Elizabethan house."

While staying at Abbots Leigh, Charles deflected suspicion by asking a trooper, who had been in the King's personal guard, to describe the King's appearance and clothing at the Battle of Worcester. The man looked at Charles and said, "The King was at least three inches taller than you."

The kings escape route is commemorated in the Monarch's Way long distance footpath which passes through the village.

The name "Abbot's Leigh" is also given to a hymn tune written by Cyril Vincent Taylor (1907 - 1991). The tune fits with a number of different hymns, and is commonly sung to "Glorious things of Thee are Spoken" and "Father Lord of All Creation".

References

External links

* [http://www.abbotsleigh.org.uk/ Official Abbots Leigh Website]
* [http://www.google.com/local?hl=en&lr=&c2coff=1&safe=off&client=safari&rls=en&q=abbots+leigh&near=Bristol,+UK&sa=X&oi=localr Abbots Leigh on Google Local]


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