Wookey

Wookey

infobox UK place
country = England
latitude= 51.2094
longitude= -2.6915
official_name= Wookey
civil_parish=
population = 1376 [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= Wells
post_town= Wells
postcode_district = BA5
postcode_area= BA
dial_code=
os_grid_reference= ST515455

Wookey is a village and civil parish 2 miles west of Wells, on the River Axe in the Mendip district of Somerset, England. It is perhaps best known today for the nearby Wookey Hole Caves. The parish includes the nearby hamlets of Yarley and Burcott.

The name Wookey is thought to come from the Old English "wocig", meaning an animal trap. [cite book |last=Robinson |first=Stephen |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Somerset Place Names |year=1992 |publisher=The Dovecote Press Ltd |location=Wimbourne |isbn=1874336032] An alternative explanation has been offered which suggests it comes from the Celtic word "ogof" meaning cave.cite book |last=Bush |first=Robin |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Somerset: The complete guide |year=1994 |publisher=Dovecote press |location=Wimbourne |isbn=187433627X ]

The now-closed Wookey Station, once lying on Cheddar Valley line branch of the Bristol and Exeter Railway, is a geological Site of Special Scientific Interest.

The village included a manor house built by Bishop Jocelin of Wells in the 13th century. It was rebuilt in the 16th century and is now a farmhouse and grade II* listed building. [cite web | title= Court Farmhouse | work=Images of England | url=http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/search/details.aspx?id=268186 | accessdate=2006-11-26]

St Matthew's church dates from the 12th century and is a grade I listed building. [cite web | title= Church of St Matthew | work=Images of England | url=http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/search/details.aspx?id=268176 | accessdate=2006-11-26] It was granted to the dean of Wells by Bishop Robert, rebuilt by Bishop Reginald and assigned to the sub dean of the cathedral in 1209. The south chancel is thought to have been built to house the memorial to Thomas Clerke in 1556. Beside the church stands the 19th century Mellifont Abbey, [cite web | title= Mellifont Abbey | work=Images of England | url=http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/search/details.aspx?id=268182 | accessdate=2007-10-12] which is named after the abbey of the same name in Ireland.

Wookey was the birthplace of the trade unonist A.J. Cook, and of Sir Arthur Pearson, the publisher and philanthropist.

The famous science fiction writer and social theorist, H. G. Wells, taught as a pupil-teacher for his uncle at the National School (a state-funded Anglican-dominated school) in Wookey between October and December 1880.

The population in 1821 was 1040, comprising 223 families, of which 147 were employed in agriculture. [cite web | title=Somersetshire delineated, by C. and J. Greenwood, 1822 | work=Google Books | url=http://books.google.com/books?id=c6sHAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA210&dq=wookey&as_brr=1 | accessdate=2007-10-25]

References

External links

* [http://www.wookeyvillage.com/ Wookey Village web site]
* [http://www.wookeyparish.co.uk/ Wookey Parish website]


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужен реферат?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Wookey — This interesting surname of English origin is a locational name from a place called Wookey in the Mendip Hills, in Somerset, deriving from the Old English pre 7th Century wocig meaning snare or trap . The placename is recorded as Woky in the… …   Surnames reference

  • Wookey railway station — was a station on the Bristol and Exeter Railway s Cheddar Valley line in Somerset. It was close to the famous cave at Wookey Hole.The station opened in August 1871 about a year after the extension of the broad gauge line from Cheddar to Wells had …   Wikipedia

  • Wookey Hole — [Wookey Hole] a group of ↑caves in south west England. In ↑prehistoric times people lived in the ↑caves, and there is a local story that a ↑witch used to live there. The caves are now a tourist attraction …   Useful english dictionary

  • Wookey Hole Caves — Infobox Cave name =Wookey Hole Caves photo =WookeyHole.jpg caption =River Axe emerging from Wookey Hole Caves location =Wookey Hole, Somerset, England depth = length = coordinates =coord|51|13|41|N|2|40|17|W|display=inline,title survey = survey… …   Wikipedia

  • Wookey Hole — infobox UK place country = England latitude= 51.2238 longitude= 2.6744 official name= Wookey Hole population = shire district= Mendip shire county = Somerset region= South West England Ambulance= South Western constituency westminster= Wells post …   Wikipedia

  • Wookey Station — Infobox SSSI name=Wookey Station aos=Somerset interest=Geological gridref=gbmappingsmall|ST531464 area=0.04 hectare notifydate=1997 http://www.natureonthemap.org.uk/map.aspx? ] Wookey Station (gbmapping|ST531464) is a 0.04 hectare geological Site …   Wikipedia

  • Wookey Hole — a group of caves in south west England. In prehistoric times people lived in the caves, and there is a local story that a witch used to live there. They are now a tourist attraction. * * * …   Universalium

  • Wookey Hole — Wook|ey Hole a place in southwest England that is popular with tourists, with a ↑cave where, according to an old story, a ↑witch (=a woman with magic powers) used to live …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • Church of St Matthew, Wookey — Church of St Matthew …   Wikipedia

  • Вуки-Хоул* — (Wookey Hole)Wookey Hole, комплекс пещер в красивых, эффектных скальных породах на возвышенности Мендип Хилс, неподалеку от г.Уэлс в графстве Сомерсет, юго зап. Англия. Здесь р.Акс течет под землей …   Страны мира. Словарь

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”