Penselwood

infobox UK place
country = England
latitude= 51.0822
longitude= -2.3511
official_name= Penselwood
population =
shire_district= South Somerset
shire_county = Somerset
region= South West England
constituency_westminster=
post_town=
postcode_district = BA9
postcode_area= BA
dial_code=
os_grid_reference= ST755315

Penselwood is a village and civil parish in the English county of Somerset. It is located four miles north east of Wincanton, four miles south east of Bruton, four miles west of Mere, and 5 miles north west of Gillingham. The south east of the parish borders Zeals and Stourhead in Wiltshire, and Bourton in Dorset. In 1991 the parish occupied 523 hectares (1,292 acres) [cite web
url = http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=18752
title = 'Penselwood', A History of the County of Somerset: Volume 7: Bruton, Horethorne and Norton Ferris Hundreds.
pages = 184-192
accessdate = 2006-08-16
author = British History Online
year = 1999] .

In the village is Kenwalch's Castle, an Iron Age hill fort.

Just outside the village is the site of the medieval motte and bailey castle known as Ballards Castle. [cite book |last=Adkins |first=Lesley and Roy |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=A field Guide to Somerset Archeology |year=1992 |publisher=Dovecote press |location=Stanbridge |isbn=0946159947 ]

Penselwood is the setting for James Long's book 'Ferney', which mentions many of the historical events that took place in or near the village.

Etymology

The name came from early mediaeval "Penn in Selwood": "Penn" came from Celtic "penn" = "head", likely referring to a hill; and "Selwood" referring to the Selwood Forest which once surrounded the area.

It may be the location of the Battle of Peonnum in 658, mentioned in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle.

ee also

*King Alfred's Tower

References

External links

* http://www.genuki.org.uk:8080/big/eng/SOM/Penselwood/
* [http://www.somerset3d.co.uk/logos%20&%20pictures/town%20&%20village%20pages/penselwood.htm Images of buildings in Penselwood]
*cite web
url = http://www.ccwwdaonb.org.uk/pdfs/lca/Type7_Greesand_Hills.pdf
format =
title = Cranborne Chase and West Wiltshire Downs, Land Character Assessment, Type 7: Greensand Hills, 7B Penselwood – Longleat Hills.
pages = 183-189
accessdate = 2006-08-16
author = Cranborne Chase and West Wiltshire Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) Partnership
month = June
year = 2003