Witham Friary

infobox UK place
country = England
official_name= Witham Friary
latitude= 51.167491
longitude= -2.365589
civil_parish=
population = 405 [cite web | title= Mendip Parish Population Estimates 2002 | work=Somerset County Council | url=http://www.somerset.gov.uk/media/030F1/mendip_02mye.pdf | accessdate=2006-11-25]
shire_district= Mendip
shire_county = Somerset
region= South West England

constituency_westminster= Somerton and Frome
post_town=
postcode_district= BA11
postcode_area=BA
dial_code=
os_grid_reference= ST745409

Witham Friary is a small village and civil parish located between the Somerset (England) towns of Frome and Bruton. It is in the Cranborne Chase and West Wiltshire Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the ancient Forest of Selwood.

History

The village takes its name from the Witham charterhouse, a Carthusian Priory founded in 1182 by Henry II, [cite web |url=http://vision.edina.ac.uk:8698/place/place_page.jsp;jsessionid=8601E9AFB6B18E3BB3E6CC0004D0147E?p_id=13415 |title=Witham Friary Somerset |accessdate=2007-09-02 |format= |work=A Vision of Britain through time ] which had peripheral settlements including one at Charterhouse and possibly another at Green Ore. [cite book |last=Reid |first= Robert Douglas |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Some buildings of Mendip |year=1979 |publisher=The Mendip Society |location= |isbn=0905459164 ] It is reputed to be the first Carthusian house in England. [cite web |url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=51418#s11 |title=Witham-Friary (St. Mary) |accessdate=2007-09-02 |format= |work=British History Online ] One of only 9 Carthusian Houses, the priory did not survive the Dissolution of the Monasteries.cite web |url=http://www.contextone.co.uk/online_reports/downloads/EVA_WFS_report.pdf |title=Land adjoining Gramarye, Witham Friary, Somerset. |accessdate=2007-09-02 |format=PDF |work=Context One Archaeological Services ] At the dissolution it was worth £227; the equivalent of £52,000 today (2006). [cite web |url=http://www.measuringworth.com/calculators/ppoweruk/result.php?use%5B%5D=CPI&year_early=1550&pound71=227&shilling71=&pence71=&amount=227&year_source=1550&year_result=2006] |title=Purchasing Power of British Pounds from 1264 to 2006 |accessdate=2007-09-02 |format= |work=Measuring worth.com ] Excavations in 1921 revealed buttressed wall foundations and building ruble including glazed roof and floor tiles. It is a scheduled ancient monument.cite book |last=Reid |first= Robert Douglas |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Some buildings of Mendip |year=1979 |publisher=The Mendip Society |location= |isbn=0905459164 ]

Part of the priory now serves as St. Mary's Parish Church. [cite web |url=http://www.somersetlarders.com/localhistory/historypages.php?page=Witham%20Friary |title=Local History - Witham Friary |accessdate=2007-09-02 |format= |work=Somerset Larders.com ] Although the original building dates from around 1200 it was altered in a transitional style in 1828, and then rebuilt and extended 1875 by William White in "Muscular Gothic" style. It has a 3-bay nave and continuous one bay apsidal chancel, built of local limestone rubble, supported on each side by 4 massive flying buttresses. The plastered interior is entered through a Norman style doorway. Inside the church is scraped octagonal font dating from around 1450. The Jacobean pulpit contains medieval work and there is a royal arms of 1660 at West end. The stained glass windows contain fragments of medieval glass, with those in the south being made by Sir Ninian Comper. It has been designated by English Heritage as a grade I listed building. [cite web | title=Church of St Mary | work=Images of England | url=http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/search/details.aspx?id=266932 | accessdate=2007-09-02]

The village has older roots. A wealth of nearby tumuli is indicative of ancient human settlement. An archaelogical dig in 1985 discovered a neolithic axe and a Roman road. The village is mentioned in the Domesday Book when the village supported 11 villagers.

The former railway station at Witham was the end of a branch line through Shepton Mallet, Wells and Cheddar. The station closed in 1963 although the main line to Exeter remains open. The nearest railway station is Bruton. Part of the redundant line that ran to Shepton Mallet now forms the East Somerset Railway. [cite web |url=http://www.eastsomersetrailway.com/about/timeline.php |title=History of the ESR |accessdate=2007-09-02 |format= |work=East Somerset Railway ]

Public House

. The pub is noted by CAMRA because of its beautifully preserved interior, included in their National Inventory of Historic Pubs. [cite web |url=http://www.heritagepubs.org.uk/pubs/pubguide-print-region.asp?SelectRegion=South%20West%20England |title=South West England |accessdate=2007-09-02 |format= |work=CAMRA National Inventory of Heritage Pubs ]

Water Dispute

Since the 19th century, the village water supply has come from the estate of the Duke of Somerset rather than from a commercial water company. The estate's decision to terminate the supply is a cause for local concern. [cite news |first=Steven |last=Morris |authorlink= |coauthors= |title= Village left high and dry by lord of manor |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/water/story/0,,1786430,00.html |work=The Guardian |publisher= |date=31 May 2006 |accessdate=2007-09-02 ] [cite web |url=http://www.mendip.gov.uk/NewsArticle.asp?id=SX9452-A7817B48 |title=Water Supply to the village of Witham Friary |accessdate=2007-09-02 |format= |work=Mendip District Council ]

Geography and Geology

The village lies near the source of the River Frome and at 96 metres above sea level. There is a risk of flooding. [cite web |url=http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/subjects/flood/floodwarning/3G4c?time=1133685000 |title=Somerset Frome from Witham Friary to Frome |accessdate=2007-09-02 |format= |work= Environment Agency Flood Warning] The underlying solid geology is Middle Jurassic Cornbrash.

Building the Dream

In 2004 the village hosted a reality television programme broadcast on Channel 4 called "Building the Dream". Hosted by Linda Barker, couples competed to win a "dream" home in the village [cite web | author= | title="UK Game Shows" | work= | url=http://www.ukgameshows.com/page/index.php/Building_the_Dream | accessdaymonth=28 August | accessyear=2007 ] . A local production company, Zeal, was responsible [cite web | author= | title=Zeal TV| work= | url=http://www.zealtv.net/|accessdaymonth=28 August | accessyear=2007 ] .

External links

* [http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/SOM/WithamFriary/index.html GENUKI page]
* [http://www.somerset3d.co.uk/logos%20&%20pictures/town%20&%20village%20pages/withamfriary.htm Photos of Witham Friary in 3d (Anaglyphs)]
* [http://www.gomezsmart.free-online.co.uk/places/witham/wfmenu.htm Genealogy records and transcripts]
*

References