station (G.W.R.). Its only present-day interest is its church. Its
popular designation preserves its early ecclesiastical associations,
though with some degree of "terminological inexactitude." It was a
settlement not of Friars but of Monks. Here was established the first
of the few Carthusian houses in England, which only number nine in all.
It was Henry II.'s gift to the church, in part payment for the murder
of Becket. Witham had as one of its earliest priors the celebrated
Burgundian, Hugh of Avalon, who afterwards became Bishop of Lincoln.
The existing church is perhaps a surviving portion of his work. It is a
plain vaulted building of severe simplicity with an apsidal E. end,
containing a good E.E. triplet. Opinions differ as to whether the
present structure was the monks' church, the choir of the monks'
church, or the church of the lay brothers (for in Carthusian houses the
clergy and the laymen worshipped in separate buildings). In recent
years the church has been extended one bay westward, and a belfry
added. Note (1) the curious recess in exterior S. wall of apse; (2)
double square piscina in chancel; (3) rood-loft stair; (4) Norm. font,
which was once built into the tower erected in 1832. There is also a
modern font, which was used before the former one was recovered. The
buttresses are copies of those constructed by St Hugh for the
chapter-house at Lincoln. The domestic buildings have disappeared; they
are supposed to have stood N. of the church. One curious relic of the
"common life" of the monks has escaped the hand of the destroyer. This
is the dovecot, on the other side of the road, now converted into a
village reading-room. The building is of unusual size; but the
existence of some of the pigeon-holes puts its original purpose beyond
doubt (cp. Hinton Charter-house).
_Withiel Florey_, a village 7 miles N.E. from Dulverton. The church is
a small Perp. building with a low W. tower, to which a partial casing
of slate scarcely adds additional beauty.
_Withycombe_, a village 2-1/2 m. S.E. of Dunster. It has an aisleless
church, which contains a few objects of interest: (1) a screen; (2) a
font with cable moulding; (3) two effigies, both of females (one with
curious turret-like ornaments at the head and foot); (4) a large stoup
on the L. hand of the S. door.
_Withypool_, a village on the Barle, 8 m. N.W. from Dulverton. It is
one of the lonely outposts of civilisation on Exmoor. Though
picturesquely situated itself, it is best known as a sort of
halting-place on the way to the still more romantic neighbourhood of
Simonsbath. The church is E.E., but not interesting. The local farmers
are said to enjoy four harvests in a year--turf, whortleberries, hay
and corn.
WIVELISCOMBE, a market town 6 m. N.W. of Wellington, with a station on
the G.W.R. branch to Barnstaple. Population, 1417. It is a dull and
uninteresting, but clean and comely little place. Of antiquities it has
none, except traces, to the S. of the church, of a bishop's palace,
built by John Drokensford in the 14th cent., some windows of which have
found their way into neighbouring houses. The church is a tasteless
building, erected in 1829, with a showy semi-Italian interior. It has
an odd-looking S. aisle, containing a somewhat dilapidated monument,
with recumbent effigies of Humphrey Wyndham and wife, 1622-70. In the
churchyard is a time-worn cross, with an almost defaced effigy (cp.
Fitzhead). In the main street is a modern town hall and market house.
The town lies pleasantly in the lap of the surrounding hills, which
furnish many a pleasant ramble. A mile from the station, on the way to
Milverton, is a British camp, and a Danish camp is said to have existed
on the site of a neighbouring mansion. _Waterrow_ is a hamlet a couple
of miles to the W. on the Bampton road, lying at the bottom of a
picturesque combe, through which flow the beginnings of the Tone.
_Woodspring Priory_ (formerly _Worspring_, and perhaps containing the
same element as _Worle_) is about 5 m. N. of Weston, and is best
reached from Kewstoke, either by the shore as far as Sand Point, or by
a lane that leaves (L.) the road to Worle. It was a priory of Austin
canons, who were established here in 1210 by William Courtenay, whose
mother was the daughter of Reginald Fitzurse, one of the murderers of
Thomas à Becker, whose death the foundation was originally meant to
expiate. The remains, now used as farm buildings, consist of a church,
a chantry, a court-room, and a barn. The church, dedicated to the
Trinity, St Mary and St Thomas the Martyr, is approached through a Dec.
arch (14th cent.), which leads to an outer court at the W. of the
building. On the W. wall, flanked by angle turrets, will be seen the
outline of a Perp. window, and three niches with nearly obliterated
figures. From this outer court an inner court is reached, having on the
N. of it the S. wall of the church (with two large windows), at right
angles to which the dormitories extended (the mark of the gable is
still visible on the wall). Beyond the E. wall of the court are
supposed to have been the chapter-house and the prior's residence. At
the E. of the nave of the church is the tower, which was originally
central, the chancel having been destroyed. It is 15th-cent. work, but
is believed to case an earlier 13th-cent. core. The vault has fan
tracery. N. of the church are the remains of the chantry (now a cider
cellar), originally founded by Robert Courtenay, father of William,
showing on the outside three Perp. windows and buttresses, and
containing the shrine of St Thomas of Canterbury, with a ruined piscina
on the pier of one of the pillars. S.E. of the church is the court-room
(now a cow-house), which is sometimes styled the refectory, but
erroneously, since there is no fireplace. It is assigned to the early
part of the 15th cent. The barn (14th cent.) has Dec. doorways, rounded
buttresses on either side of the main entrance, and remains of finials.
_Wookey_, a village 2 m. W. from Wells, with a station on the G.W.R.
Cheddar branch. The church--chiefly Perp., with a blend of E.E.--is
interesting. The tower stair turret carries a lofty spirelet. Note
within (1) E.E. columns in N. aisle; (2) squints, especially the one on
N., combined with piscina. On the S. side of the sanctuary is a small
Perp. chapel decorated with modern frescoes, containing a plain
altar-tomb to Thos. Clarke and wife, 1689. In the churchyard is the
base of a cross. Near the church is Mellifont Abbey, built on the site
of the old rectory, and ornamented with fragments of the original
building. The Court, a farm-house in the fields, was once a manorial
residence of the Bishops of Bath and Wells. It has an E.E. doorway.
_Wookey Hole_ is a cavern (1-1/2 m. away) which gives its name (said to
be a corruption of _ogof_, Celtic for "cavern") to the village. It is
the oldest known cave in Great Britain, and was once inhabited (legend
asserts) by an ancient witch. It may be reached either from Wookey
Station or, just as easily, from Wells. Proceed through the hamlet to
the large paper-mill and inquire at the farm opposite for a guide (fee,
1s. 6d.; 1s. each for two or more). A pathway runs up the L. bank of
the stream which feeds the paper-mill, and ends abruptly in a
precipitous wall of rock. The stream, which is the source of the Axe,
will be seen issuing from a large natural archway at the base of the
cliff. An orifice in the rock enables the visitor to descend "Hell's
Ladder" to the "witch's kitchen"--a spacious chamber which, when
illuminated by the primitive device of igniting the scattered contents
of an oil-can, will be seen to contain some large stalagmites, the
witch and her dog on guard; and by pursuing a further series of
corridors, entry is gained to the witch's "drawing-room" and "parlour."
The three caverns are all of considerable extent, and have a strong
resemblance to Gough's caves at Cheddar, but are without the pendant
stalactites so profusely displayed at the latter. The gallery is 500
ft. long, and ends in a miniature lake. Geologically the series of
caverns is of much interest, on account of the varied assortment of
bones of extinct cave animals once contained in them. Cartloads of
these bones are said to have been thrown on the land as manure.
Recently another collection of bones has been discovered in a hitherto
unsuspected chamber near the roof of the main series. The visitor to
Wookey Hole should extend his peregrinations to _Ebbor Rocks_, which
are close by and are worth a visit.
_Woolavington_, a village 4-1/2 m. N.E. of Bridgwater (nearest stat.
Cossington, 1 m.). The church, restored in 1882, retains little of
interest. There are piscinas in the chancel and in a small N. chapel,
and a small squint in the N. chancel pier. Note the carved stone (with
sacred monogram) on the interior face of the tower.
_Woolverton_, a village 4 m. N. from Frome. The church is a small,
aisleless building with a diminutive W. tower and spire. The S. porch
has a ribbed stone roof.
_Wootton Courtney_, a small village 4 m. W. from Dunster. It is a
somewhat sequestered little place on the fringe of Exmoor, but in
summer not without a quiet charm derived from the neighbouring woods
and its proximity to the hills. The church has a plain saddle-back
tower, partly Norm. (observe corbel table), and one or two other
features of interest. The piers of the arcade have some canopied niches
on their S. face. Note (1) square columnar stoup in porch; (2) angels
on rear arches of windows within, and devils on dripstone without; (3)
rood staircase; (4) blocked squint on N. The churchyard contains some
fine yew trees and the shaft of a cross. The neighbouring hamlet of
Tivington possesses a vaulted 15th-cent. chapel, with a priest's house
attached. A fine view of Dunkery and the vale of Porlock is obtained
from here.
_Wootton, North_, a village 2 m. N. of West Pennard (S. & D.). The
church has a low W. tower, possessing one pre-Reformation bell. The
porch contains a curious stoup; the font is Norm.
_Worle_, a village 2-1/2 m. E. of Weston-super-Mare. Its church (ded.
to St Martin) has the rather rare addition of a short spire above its
W. tower. The most notable features of the building are the Norm.
remains, viz., the S. door, the octagonal font, and the little window
(cut out of a single stone), which is inserted in the later porch. Note
also (1) the carved stone pulpit (once in a different position, for
there is a piscina behind it), (2) the "Miserere" seats (only those on
the N. are ancient, one of them has the initials P.R.S., explained as
those of Richard Sprynge, Prior of Woodspring and Vicar of Worle at the
end of the 14th and beginning of the 15th cents.), (3) piscina,
sedilia, and aumbry in the chancel.
_Worlebury Camp_. See _Weston-super-Mare_.
_Wraxall_, a parish 5 m. E. from Clevedon and 2 m. from Nailsea
Station. Its church has a tower, the appearance of which is spoilt by
the windows rising above the string-courses. The pinnacles are good,
and projecting above the parapets are niches for figures (_cp._
Brislington, Tickenham). The S. porch (E.E.) originally had a chamber
over it; the door leading to it still remains. In the interior observe
(1) the roof, (2) some screen-work, partly ancient and partly modern,
(3) on the N. side of the chancel a tomb with two effigies, believed to
be those of Sir E. and Lady Gorges. In the churchyard is a fine
15th-cent. cross. The view of the church, as it is approached from
Clevedon, is particularly pretty, the woods near it seeming to embower
it; whilst from its vicinity a fine prospect is obtainable.
_Wrington_, a large and compact village 10 m. S.W. of Bristol. A light
railway connects it with Yatton. In size and arrangement it is
practically a little town, and is surrounded by some very pretty
country. The glory of Wrington is its church, which possesses one of
the finest towers in Somerset. It is a stately and harmonious
composition, with long and graceful belfry windows, and bears a strong
family likeness to the towers of Evercreech and St Cuthbert's, Wells.
The church as a whole is worthy of its tower, though the chancel is, as
usual, low and undignified. Both inside and out the design is rich
without being florid, and the workmanship good. The beauty of the
interior is much enhanced by the insertion of "vaulting shafts" beneath
the corbels of both nave and aisles. It contains few curiosities. Note
(1) aumbry in N. wall of sanctuary, (2) richly carved font. Externally
should be observed (1) panelled W. door, (2) canopied niches in
buttresses at E. end, (3) sanctus bell-cot. John Locke, the
philosopher, was born here, as his mother was at the moment staying in
the village. A tablet once fixed to his actual birthplace is built into
the churchyard wall. There is also a tablet in the church to Hannah
More, who resided at _Barley Wood_, a large house on the Redhill road.
_Writhlington_, a small colliery village on a hill 1 m. E. of Radstock.
The church, rebuilt in 1874, lies in a valley at the bottom of a steep
lane, half a mile from the village. Near the church is an old manor
house, at which Cromwell is said to have stopped on his march into
Somerset.
_Wyke Champflower_ (or _Wyke Chapel_), a hamlet 1-1/2 m. W. of Bruton.
The little chapel, said to have been built in 1482, was rebuilt in
1623. It contains a stone pulpit, and the ceiling is ornamented with
nine escutcheons, including those of the Tudor sovereigns. There is an
old black-letter Bible of 1623.
_Yarlington_, a village 3 m. S.E. from Castle Cary. The church, which
has been much altered and enlarged, contains a finely carved font. In
the wall of the churchyard is an old stone coffin, found during the
restoration of the building.
_Yatton_, a large village (with a station), 12 m. S.W. of Bristol. The
first syllable is perhaps the same as the second part of _Symond's
Yat_. The place has an interesting church, with a central tower which
is rendered conspicuous by being surmounted by a truncated spire, and
by having its stair-case attached to a diagonal buttress (instead of
replacing it, as is usual). The plan of the church is cruciform, the
transepts and chancel being short, and the latter very low. The oldest
part is the base of the tower, which belongs to the E.E. or Dec.
period; and there is a very good Dec. window in the S. transept; the
remainder of the building is Perp. Externally, the most impressive
feature is the W. front, with turrets at the corners (as at Crewkerne),
a recessed and richly carved doorway, and above the window a
representation of the Father holding the crucified Son (cp. S. Brent).
The S. door has a groined and panelled porch, and the N. door an ogee
moulding. Within, the nave is lofty, with slender pilasters ascending
to the roof. In the N. transept is the alabaster tomb of Sir Richard
Newton (d. 1448) and his wife; and under foliated recesses a male and
female effigy (attributed to the 13th cent.). Attached to this transept
is a chapel which is noticeable for being loftier than the adjoining
chancel, and has a fine turret at its N.E. angle. It contains a
pillar-piscina, and the tomb of Sir John Newton (son of Sir Richard)
and his lady, above which is a relief of the Annunciation. S.E. of the
church is the Rectory, dating from the 15th cent., whilst on the N. are
some old alms-houses.
YEOVIL, a town of some importance on the river Yeo, in the S.E. corner
of the county, doing a considerable trade in the manufacture of leather
and kid gloves. Its population in 1901 was 9838. It lies chiefly on a
slope which shelves down towards the little stream from which it takes
its name. The G.W.R. and L. and S.W.R. have a joint station in the
town, and another G.W.R. station is at Pen Mill just outside. Yeovil
seems to have outgrown its original intentions and is still rapidly
increasing. The older streets have the usual congested appearance of a
small country town, but more spacious thoroughfares are now spreading
outwards in every direction. The chief glory of the place is its fine
church, remarkable alike for architecture and situation. It is a
cruciform Perp. building, said to date from 1376, with a severe-looking
W. tower. The interior is of great impressiveness owing to the size of
its windows and the loftiness of its arches. The most noteworthy
feature of the church is its 13th-cent. crypt, now used as a vestry. A
groined roof rises from a central pillar, and the entrance to the
communicating stairway is groined also. Otherwise the church, though
noble as a whole, is somewhat devoid of objects of interest. Note,
however (1) the fine roof, (2) old brass lectern with ungrammatical
inscription, (3) 16th-cent. brass on floor of chancel, (4) 15th-cent.
brass to an ecclesiastic. Yeovil contains few old houses, as it was
burnt out in the 15th cent., but in Middle Street two buildings deserve
attention: (_a_) an old chantry house, now transformed into the
"Castle" Inn, (_b_) almost immediately opposite, the "George," a good
specimen of an old half-timbered hostelry. Some alms-houses in Bond
Street, called Woborne's alms-houses, go back, as a foundation, to the
reign of Edward IV. (1476). A good view of the low lying alluvial plain
which stretches around the foot of Glastonbury Tor may be obtained by
following for a short distance the road to Mudford. But this is only
one of the many interesting walks in the neighbourhood: Yeovil is a
good centre for excursions, and Windmill and Summerhouse Hills should
both be climbed.
_Yeovilton_, a parish 2 m. E. of Ilchester. Its church retains but few
features of interest, but notice should be taken of (1) the remains of
the stoups in the N. porch and at the W. door; (2) the two piscinas
(that in the chancel has a quaint carving below it); (3) the bracket in
the S. wall of the nave, and the old corbels built into the walls of
the chancel; (4) the fragments of ancient glass in the W. and E.
windows, the former displaying the arms of Bishop Beckington, and the
latter having the letters R.S. and the figure of a swan, the initials
and rebus of Richard Swan (one of Bishop Beckington's executors), who
was rector here. There is also an incised slab to the memory of Sir
John Hunt of Speckington (d. 1626). One of the bells dates from 1435.
[Illustration: NINE SPRINGS, YEOVIL]
APPENDIX
Places of interest mentioned in the text, but not entered under
separate headings in the alphabetical list. The figures refer to
pages.
Alfoxden 156
Allerford 209
Barlynch Priory 122
Blackmoor Farm 75
Bower Farm 127
Brymore House 77
Cockercombe 213
Combwich 201
Creech Hill 130
Danesborough 214
Devil's Punch Bowl 80, 182
Dundon Beacon 107
Ebbor Rocks 283
Gaulden Farm 246
Goblin Combe 98
Gothelney Hall 83
Gurney Street Farm 78
Halsway 56
Halswell House 146
Hanging Chapel 169
Hare Knap 156
Hautville's Quoit 224
Hestercombe 167
Higher Wadeford 106
Holwell Cavern 32
King Ina's Palace 205
Lamb's Lair 80, 149
Lytes Cary House 84
Malmesmead 199
Marshwood Farm 78
Mouncey Castle 122
Mynchin Buckland 127
Naish Priory 105
Parkfield Monument 117
Richmont Castle 149
Sedgemoor 18, 88, 273
Seven Wells Combe 213
Sexey's Hospital 68
Small Down 90
Stantonbury 225
Stoney Littleton 254
Sutton Court 234
Tarr Steps 122
Walton Castle 103
Wansdyke 11, 52, 129
Weary All Hill 145
INDEX OF PERSONS
A
Aethelm, Bp.
Aldhelm, Bp.
Alfred, King
Allen, Ralph
Alphege, Archbp.
Arthur, King
Asser, Bp.
Audley, Lord
Austen, Jane
B
Bacon, Roger
Bagehot, Walter
Barbara, Saint
Barlow, Bp.
Barnes, Bartholomew
Beaufort, Cardinal
Beckford, William
Beckington, Bp.
Bennett, Rev. W.J.
Bere, Abbot
Berkeley family
Berkley, Sir M.
Bird, Prior
Bisse, George
Blake, Robert
Blanchard, William
Botreaux, Sir W.
Bradney, Joel de
Bray, Sir R.
Brett, John
Bridport, Visct.
Brito (Brett)
Briewere, William de
Bubwith, Bp.
Buckingham, Duke of
Buckland, Walter
Burgess, Dean
Burnell, Bp.
Burne-Jones
Butler, Bp.
Byam, Rector
Bytton, Bp.
C
Cantlow, Prior
Carent, William
Carew, family
Ceawlin
Cenwealh
Chard, Col.
Chard, Prior
Charles I.
Charles II.
Charlotte, Queen
Chatham, Lord
Cheddar, Sir T. de
Choke, Sir R.
Church, Dean
Clarke, Thomas
Clarkes of Chipley
Cole, Richard
Coleridge, Hartley
Coleridge, S.T.
Coles, Humphrey
Colthurst, Edmund
Coryate, Thomas
Courtenay, William and Robert
Coutances, Bp. Geoffrey of
Cromwell, Oliver
Cromwell, Thomas
Cudworth, Ralph
Cuffe, Robert
D
Dampier, William
Danbery, Henry
Danbery, Sir Giles
Daniell, Samuel
David, St
De Courcy family
Decuman, St
De la Mere, Sir J.
Denham, Sir J.
Douay, Walter de
Dovell, Abbot
Drokensford, Bp.
Dubricius, St
Dummer, Sir J.
Dummer, Sir W.
Dunstan, St
Dyves, Sir Lewis
E
Edgar, King
Edmund Ironside, King
Edmund, King
Ela, Countess
Ethelgar, Archbp.
Eveleigh, J. de
Everard family
Evercy, Sir Peter d'
F
Fairfax, Sir T.
Farewell, J.
Feversham, Lord
Fielding, Henry
Fitz-James, Bp.
Fitz-Odo, Serlo
Fitz-Roger, Sir H.
Fitz-Roger, Simon
Fitzurse, Reginald
Fitzurse, Robert
Fitzwalter family,
G
Gainsborough, Thomas
Gates, Sir J.
Gorges, Sir E.
Goring, Lord
Gray, Robert
Grenville, Sir B.
Grobham, Nicholas
Gunthorpe, Dean
Guthrum,
Gyvernay, Sir G. and Sir R.
H
Hallam, Arthur
Hallam, Henry
Halswell, Sir Nicholas
Hammet, Sir B.
Harewell, Bp.
Harington, Baron
Hautville, Sir J.
Henry VII.
Henry of Blois
Herlewinus, Abbot
Hertford, Marquis of
Hext, Sir R.
Hine, Henry
Hodges family
Hood, Viscount
Hooper, Bp.
Hopton, Sir R.
Horne, Bp.
Horner, Sir G.
Hubba
Hugh of Avalon
Hungerford family
Hunt, Sir J.
Husee, Treasurer
I
Ina, King
Irving, Sir H.
J
Jeffreys, Judge
Jennings, Robert
Jennings, Sarah
Joceline, Bp.
Jones, Inigo
Joseph of Arimathea
K
Kemble, Rev. C.
Ken, Bp.
Keyne, St
King, Bp. Oliver
Kinglake, A.W.
Kinglake, W.
Kingsmill, Sir F.
Kirke, Col.
Knight, Bp.
L
Lake, Bp.
Landor, W.S.
Langton, Bp.
Lawrence Sir T.
Leversedge family
Lightfoot P.
Locke, John
Lovel, R.
Luttrell family
M
Magee, Archbp.
Mallet family
Marchia, Bp. de
Marlborough, Duke of
Martok, John
Matilda, Queen
Maurice, Prince
Merriet family
Misiers, Louis de
Mohun, William de
Monington, Abbot
Monmouth, Duke of
Montague, Bp.
Monteagle, Lord
More, Hannah
Mowbray, Robert de
N
Nash, Richard
Nelson, Viscount
Nelson, Rev. Earl
Newton, Sir J.
Newton, Sir R.
Norris, Edwin
O
Odda, Earl
Oldmixon, John
Orange, Prince of
Osric
P
Palmer, John
Parry, Sir J.
Patrick, St
Penruddock, Col.
Percival, R.
Phelips family
Poole, Anthony
Poole, Thomas
Popham, Chief-Justice
Portman family
Poulett (Powlett)
Prowse, William and Ann
Prynne, William
Pym, John
Q
Queckett, J.T.
Quin, James
R
Raleigh, Sir W.
Raleigh family
Ralph, Bp.
Reginald, Bp.
Robert, Bp.
Robert of Normandy
Rodney family
S
Savaric, Bp.
Selwood, Abbot
Servington, Sir O. de
Sexey, Hugh
Shaa, Mrs
Sherborne, Prior
Sheridan, R.B.
Smith, Sydney
Sodbury, Abbot
Somerset, Protector
Southey, Robert
Speke family
Sprynge, Richard
Staling, Nicholas
Stawel (Stawell) family
Stephen, King
St Maur, John
Stone, John
Strode family
Sugar, Dean
Swan, Richard
Sydenham family
T
Tennyson, Lord
Thackeray, W.M.
Thomas à Becket
Thurstan, Abbot
Toplady, A.M.
Trevelyan, John
Turberville, Bp.
V
Vernais, De
Verney, Sir J.
Verney, Sir R.
Villula, Bp. John de
W
Wadham family
Wagstaff, Sir J.
Wake family
Waller, Lady
Waller, Sir W.
Walshe family
Walrond, Humfrey
Warbeck, Perkin
Warr, Lord de La
Warre family
Wellington, Duke of
Whiting, Abbot
William of Gloucester
Winter family
Wolfe, General
Wolsey, Cardinal
Wood (father and son)
Wordsworth, W.
Worman, Simon
Wulfric, St
Wyndham (Windham) family
Y
Young, Thomas