Farrington Gurney

infobox UK place
country = England
official_name= Farrington Gurney
population =
os_grid_reference = ST629556
latitude= 51.2987
longitude= -2.5327
unitary_england= Bath and North East Somerset
lieutenancy_england = Somerset
region= South West England
post_town = Bath
postcode_district= BS39
postcode_area= BS
dial_code =
constituency_westminster = Wansdyke
constituency_westminster1= (North East Somerset
from next general election).

Farrington Gurney (gbmapping|ST629556) is an English village situated in Bath and North East Somerset unitary authority. The village lies on the junction of the A37 and A362 in Somerset.

In the Domesday book the village was known as Ferentone, [cite book | author = Mason, Edmund J. & Mason, Doreen | year 1982 | title = Avon Villages | publisher = Robert Hale Ltd | id=ISBN 0-7091-9585-0 ] the second part of the name is believed to come from the Gournays, its ancient possessors, including Robert de Gournay in 1225 of whom Sir Thomas de Gournay was concerned in the murder of Edward II at Berkeley Castle, for which his estates were confiscated, and Farrington has since been annexed to the Duchy of Cornwall.

The church is a small stone edifice dedicated to St John the Baptist, originally of Norman architecture, rebuilt in Gothic style by John Pinch the younger in 1843.cite book | author = Pevsner, Nikolaus | year = 1958 | title = The Buildings of England : North Somerset and Bristol | publisher = Penguin Books | id=ISBN 0-14-071013-2 ] The stump of the medieval cross and a carving over the door survive from an earlier building. [cite book |last=Atthill |first=Robin |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Mendip: A new study |year=1976 |publisher=David & Charles |location=Newton Abbott |isbn= 0715372971 ]

The manor house is believed to date from 1637 and the old parsonage from around 1700.

Industry included coal mining on the Somerset coalfield from about 1780 but the local pits closed in the 1920s. [cite book |last=Down |first=C.G. |authorlink= |coauthors=A. J. Warrington |title=The history of the Somerset coalfield |year=2005 |publisher=Radstock Museum |location=Radstock |id=ISBN 0-9551684-0-6 ]

There used to be an unmanned railway station or "halt" between 11 July 1927 and 2 November 1959 when the Bristol and North Somerset Railway line closed.

There is a primary school in the village.

A [http://www.farringtongolfclub.net/ golf club] is available.

It is mentioned in the song 'Somerset Born And Proud' by The Wurzels.

References

External links

* [http://www.bathnes.gov.uk/BathNES/environmentandplanning/planningservices/Landscape/rlarea8.htm BANES Rural Areas Area 8 Farrington Gurney Farmlands]
* [http://www.somerset3d.co.uk/gallery.htm#f Photos of Farrington Gurney in 3d (Anaglyphs)]
* [http://www.somerset.gov.uk/archives/Maps/OS62htm/1916.htm map of Farrington Gurney circa 1900]