Ilton

infobox UK place
country= England
latitude= 50.953305
longitude= -2.919634
official_name= Ilton
population= 849cite web |url=http://www.somerset.gov.uk/somerset/statistics/contents/population/estimates/2002mye/ |title=Population estimates 2002 |accessdate=2007-10-06 |format= |work=Somerset County Council, 2002 ]
shire_district= South Somerset
shire_county = Somerset
region= South West England
constituency_westminster= Yeovil
post_town= ILMINSTER
postcode_district = TA19
postcode_area= TA
dial_code= 01460
os_grid_reference= ST355175

Ilton is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated convert|8|mi|km|1 south east of Taunton, and convert|2|mi|km|1 north of Ilminster in the South Somerset district. The village has a population of 849. The parish includes the hamlets of Ilford and Cad Green with its 16th century almshouses. [cite web |url=http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/Details/Default.aspx?id=263973 |title=Whetstone's Almshouses |accessdate=2008-03-13 |format= |work=Images of England ]

"The settlement on the River Isle" was one of the possession of Athelney Abbey until the dissolution of the monasteries.

The current Hamstone Ilford Bridge probably dates from the early 18th century when it was on the Curry Rivel to Chard turnpike road. [cite web | title=Ilford Bridge (east) | work=Images of England | url=http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/search/details.aspx?id=263999 | accessdate=2007-10-06] The current A303 is just south of the village.

East of the village is a moated site which is all that remains of Merryfield (or Muryfield) which was the family seat of the Wadham family. In the 17th century it was home to Nicholas and Dorothy Wadham benefactors of Wadham College, Oxford.cite book |last=Bush |first=Robin |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Somerset: The complete guide |year=1994 |publisher=Dovecote press |location=Wimbourne |isbn=187433627X ]

The church of St Peter dates from the 14th century, and includes memorials to the Wadham family. It has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade II* listed building. [cite web | title=Church of St. Peter | work=Images of England | url=http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/search/details.aspx?id=263975 | accessdate=2007-10-06]

In the 18th century the Chard Canal was built close to the village. This had been intended as a part of a ship canal, passable by vessels of up to 200 tons, between the Bristol Channel and the English Channel, but was never completed.

North of the village is the Merryfield aerodrome which served as a bomber base in World War II and then reopened as HMS Heron II, RNAS Merryfield and was then used for helicopter training.

References

Links

* [http://www.iltontalking.ik.com/home.ikml Ilton Talking] - Online parish magazine.

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