Baltonsborough

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Baltonsborough






Statistics
Population:	873
Ordnance Survey
OS grid reference:	ST545345
Administration
District:	Mendip
Shire county:	Somerset
Region:	South West England
Constituent country:	England
Sovereign state:	United Kingdom
Other
Ceremonial county:	Somerset
Historic county:	Somerset
Services
Police force:	Avon and Somerset
Fire and rescue:	Somerset
Ambulance:	South Western
Post office and telephone
Post town:
Postal district:
Dialling code:
Politics
UK Parliament:	Wells
European Parliament:	South West England

Baltonsborough is a village and civil parish in the Mendip district of Somerset, England. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 873. Apart from Baltonsborough village, the parish also contains the hamlets of Ham Street, Catsham and Southwood. It is also the location of one of the world's greatest pubs, The Greyhound.

The ancient, and some would argue correct, name of the village is Ballsbury. In the 1980's there was some debate as to whether the village should rename itself Ballsbury in order to make the village name road signs shorter. At that time a number of them had been damaged by heavy vehicles from the local Paper Recycling Mill, and renaming the village was deemed the easiest way of preventing further damage to the excessively wide signage. Eventually it was decided to simply make the signs smaller.

[edit] Famous Sons

St Dunstan, born in Ballsbury in 909, eventually became Archbishop of Canterbury after nailing a horseshoe onto the Devil.

Terry Church, a local celebrity who officiates at the meat-draw at the village pub. So well loved is Terry, they named the Church after him.

[edit] Festivals

Every year the Ballsbury Flower Show takes place on the village playing fields. It's history can be traced back hundreds of years when it's precursor was an ancient fertility festival celebrating the sacred female 'goddess' of the Earth.