West Camel

infobox UK place
country = England
official_name= West Camel
latitude= 51.0220
longitude= -2.6019
civil_parish=
population = 400
shire_district= South Somerset
shire_county = Somerset
region= South West England
constituency_westminster=Somerton and Frome
post_town=Yeovil
postcode_district = BA22
postcode_area= BA
dial_code= 01963
os_grid_reference= ST578249

West Camel is a village in south Somerset, England, about seven miles north of the town of Yeovil. Situated either side of the River Cam (Somerset) it lies just south of the A303 and has a population of approximately 400.

The name "Camel" derives not from the animal but from the word "cantmeel", by which name West Camel was formerly known. "Cantmeel" itself derives from the words "cant-ridge" and "mael-bare."

The Leland Trail runs through the village.

Neighbouring villages include Queen Camel, Urgashay and Bridgehampton (Somerset)

History and Folklore

The earliest evidence of a settlement on the site dates to the 10th century in the form of the remains of a Saxon Preaching cross dated to before 940 AD. The earliest written reference is dated 995 AD and takes the form of a grant by Aethelred II of the village of Cantmeel (West Camel) to the monks of Muchelney Abbey.

It is one of many sites in England identified as a possible setting of The Strife of Camlann, the final battle of King Arthur.

External links

* [http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=west++camel&ie=UTF8&ll=51.021638,-2.601786&spn=0.024187,0.086517&om=1 Google map]
*http://www.westcamel.org.uk/
* [http://www.somerset.gov.uk/somerset/ Somerset County Council]
* [http://www.earlybritishkingdoms.com/arthur/kabattles.html King Arthur's Battles]
* [http://www.a2a.org.uk/search/records.asp?cat=168-ddsas_2-2&cid=1-1-490 www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ - archive reference Anglo-Saxon charter: Aethelred II to Muchelney Abbey:]