Huish Champflower

infobox UK place
country = England
latitude= 51.0568
longitude= -3.3640
official_name= Huish Champflower
population = 240 (Census 2001)cite web |url=http://www.westsomersetonline.gov.uk/main_parishsingle1.asp?id=3&area=1 |title=Huish Champflower (HCPC) |accessdate=2007-10-18 |format= |work=West Somerset Council ]
shire_district= West Somerset
shire_county = Somerset
region= South West England
constituency_westminster=
post_town=
postcode_district = TA4
postcode_area= TA
dial_code=
os_grid_reference= ST045295

Huish Champflower is a village and parish in Somerset, England, three miles north west of Wiveliscombe and ten north of Wellington. It has a population of 240 (Census 2001).

The name comes from the "hiwisc", the Saxon for homestead, and it was recorded in the Domesday book as Hiwis, [cite book |last=Robinson |first= Stephen |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Somerset Place Names |year=1992 |publisher=Dovecote Press |location= |isbn=1874336032 ] with the suffix marking its ownership by the family of Thomas de Champflower, who was lord of the manor by 1166.cite book |last=Bush |first=Robin |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Somerset: The complete guide |year=1994 |publisher=Dovecote press |location=Wimbourne |isbn=187433627X ]

Just outside the village on the road to the Brendon Hills and Clatworthy Reservoir is Huish Champflower Round barrow. [cite web |url=http://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=12279 |title=Huish Champflower Barrow |accessdate=2007-10-18 |format= |work=Megalithic portal ]

A house called Washbottle which stands on the River Tone as it flows through the village represents the watermill which ground the corn for the village from 1086 until World War I.

Church

St Peter's Church dates from the 15th century, with the north isle being built in 1534. The tower arch dates from 1703, and the building was restored in 1875-80 when the chancel arch rebuilt. It includes a tower with five bells, one of which was made in 1790 by Thomas Bilbie of the Bilbie family in Cullompton. [cite book |last=Moore |first=James |authorlink= |coauthors=Roy Rice & Ernest Hucker |title=Bilbie and the Chew Valley clock makers |year=1995 |publisher=The authors |location= |isbn=0952670208 ] It has been designated by English Heritage as a grade I listed building. [cite web | title=St Peter's Church | work=Images of England | url=http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/search/details.aspx?id=429522 | accessdate=2007-09-05] The church includes stained glass claimed to be from the remains of a Jesse window from Barlynch Priory near Dulverton, and a 15th century lecturn.

References