Shepton Beauchamp

infobox UK place
country= England
latitude= 50.9525
longitude= -2.8504
official_name= Shepton Beauchamp
population=
shire_district= South Somerset
shire_county = Somerset
region= South West England
constituency_westminster= Yeovil
post_town= ILMINSTER
postcode_district = TA19
postcode_area= TA
dial_code= 01460
os_grid_reference= ST403173

Shepton Beauchamp is a village and civil parish, convert|1|mi|km|0|lk=on from Barrington and convert|4|mi|km|0 north east of Ilminster between the Blackdown Hills and the Somerset Levels in the South Somerset district of Somerset, England.

History

The first part of the name of the village has Saxon origins meaning "sheep settlement". The second part was added to honour the Beauchamp family (pronounced ‘Beecham’) who held the manor from the mid 12th century.cite web |url=http://www.sheptonbeauchamp.org.uk/doku.php?id=about:home |title=Village introduction |accessdate=2008-01-26 |format= |work=Shepton Beauchamp ]

It passed to the Seymours in 1361, and Sir John Seymour lived here when High Sheriff of Somerset 1515-16, possibly with his young daughter Jane Seymour, later third Queen of Henry VIII.

In 1791 the parish was described as having 85 houses and 'lying in a rich, flat and inclosed country'. The first census in 1801 recorded the population as 439, and the area of the parish was 836 acres. [cite web |url=http://www.somerset.gov.uk/archives/ASH/Sheptonb.htm |title=Shepton Beauchamp |accessdate=2008-01-26 |format= |work=Somerset County Archives ]

Church

The church, dedicated to St. Michael, is built of local Hamstone, and has 13th century origins, although it has been extensively changed since then, with major renovation in 1865 by George Edmund Street. It has a tall 3-stage tower with set-back buttresses ascending to the shafts of former pinnacles, set off with an embattled parapet and gargoyles. There are 2-light traceried bell-chamber windows with stone grilles, continuing as blank openings on the ringing chamber below. There are clocks with Roman numerals to the west and south faces and a higher polygonal stair-turret to the north corner. It has been designated by English Heritage as a grade I listed building. [cite web | title=Church of St. Michael | work=Images of England | url=http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/search/details.aspx?id=428473 | accessdate=2008-01-26]

The former rectory, now called Beauchamp Manor, was built in 1874 for the rector V.S.S. Coles to house his curates and visitors.cite book |title=Somerset and Avon |last=Dunning |first=Robert |authorlink= |coauthors= |year=1980 |publisher=John Batholomew & Son |location=Edinburgh |isbn=0702883808 |pages=125 ] [cite web | title= The Old Rectory and Beauchamp Manor | work=Images of England | url=http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/search/details.aspx?id=428531 | accessdate=2008-01-26]

chool

The village school caters for children aged 4 to 9 years. [cite web |url=http://www.sheptonbeauchampschool.org.uk/index.html |title=Shepton Beauchamp Church of England First School |accessdate=2008-01-26 |format= |work=Shepton Beauchamp Church of England First School ] It was built in 1856. [cite web | title= Shepton Beauchamp C. of E. (VC) Primary School | work=Images of England | url=http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/search/details.aspx?id=428524 | accessdate=2008-01-26]

References

External links

* [http://www.somerset.gov.uk/archives/ASH/P37she.htm Plan of Shepton Beauchamp c1755]
* [http://www.southsomerset.gov.uk/media/pdf/8/f/Shepton_Beauchamp_Parish_Plan.pdf Shepton Beauchamp Parish Plan]
* [http://www.sheptonbeauchamp.org.uk/ Village web site]