North Wootton, Somerset

Coordinates: 51°10′16″N 2°37′17″W / 51.1710°N 2.6215°W / 51.1710; -2.6215

North Wootton
St Peters Church
North Wootton  North Wootton shown within Somerset
Population	276 [1]
OS grid reference	ST565415
District	Mendip
Shire county	Somerset
Region	South West
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	SHEPTON MALLET
Postcode district	BA4
Dialling code	01749
Police	Avon and Somerset
Fire	Devon and Somerset
Ambulance	South Western
EU Parliament	South West England
UK Parliament	Somerton and Frome
List of places: UK • England • Somerset

North Wootton is a village and civil parish, on the River Redlake, 2.5 miles (4.0 km) south east of Wells, and 3.5 miles (5.6 km) south west of Shepton Mallet in the Mendip district of Somerset, England.

The village is on the Monarch's Way long-distance footpath.

History

The name Wootton means the settlement in or by a wood. The North being added in the 20th century to distinguish it from Wootton Courtenay.^[2]

The estate was granted by King Edmund to Aethelnoth, his minister in 946, and then to Glastonbury Abbey.^[2]

The parish was part of the hundred of Glaston Twelve Hides.^[3]

Governance

The parish council has responsibility for local issues, including setting an annual precept (local rate) to cover the council’s operating costs and producing annual accounts for public scrutiny. The parish council evaluates local planning applications and works with the local police, district council officers, and neighbourhood watch groups on matters of crime, security, and traffic. The parish council's role also includes initiating projects for the maintenance and repair of parish facilities, as well as consulting with the district council on the maintenance, repair, and improvement of highways, drainage, footpaths, public transport, and street cleaning. Conservation matters (including trees and listed buildings) and environmental issues are also the responsibility of the council.

The village falls within the Non-metropolitan district of Mendip, which was formed on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, having previously been part of Wells Rural District,^[4] who are responsible for local planning and building control, local roads, council housing, environmental health, markets and fairs, refuse collection and recycling, cemeteries and crematoria, leisure services, parks, and tourism.

Somerset County Council are responsible for running the largest and most expensive local services such as education, social services, libraries, main roads, public transport, policing and fire services, trading standards, waste disposal and strategic planning.

It is also part of the Somerton and Frome county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election, and part of the South West England constituency of the European Parliament which elects seven MEPs using the d'Hondt method of party-list proportional representation.

Religious sites

The Church of St Peter dates from the 14th century and is a Grade II* listed building.^[5]

References

1. ^ "Parish Population Statistics". ONS Census 2001. Somerset County Council. http://www.webcitation.org/5lRyC5ccr. Retrieved 14 December 2009. 
2. ^ ^{a b} Bush, Robin (1994). Somerset: The complete guide. Wimborne: The Dovecote Press Ltd. p. 157. ISBN 1874336261. 
3. ^ "Somerset Hundreds". GENUKI. http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/SOM/Miscellaneous/. Retrieved 12 September 2011. 
4. ^ A Vision of Britain Through Time : Wells Rural District
5. ^ "Church of St Peter". Images of England. http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/details/default.aspx?id=267567. Retrieved 25 November 2006. 

External links

• North Wootton village web site