Mells, Somerset
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mells is a village in Somerset, England, near the town of Frome.
Around 1500 Mells seems to have been known as Iron Burgh, as a result of the iron ore extracted in the area.[2]
During the 19th and early 20th centuries Mells and surrounding villages had several coal mines on the Somerset coalfield, much of which may have supplied the iron works of James Fussell. The Old Ironstone Works is a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest due to the population of Greater and Lesser Horseshoe Bats.
The village's most notable feature is St Andrew's Church. A grade I listed building predominantly from the late 15th century, the tower dating from the mid 16th century.[3] The churchyard is the last resting place of the poet Siegfried Sassoon and the writer Ronald Knox, among other notables. Close to the church is the grade I listed 16th century manor house,[4] now the residence of Julian Asquith, 2nd Earl of Oxford and Asquith. William Rees-Mogg is another famous resident of the village. The Talbot Inn, a former coaching inn, dates from the 15th century and is grade II* listed.[5]
Mells Church of England First School on the edge of the village green was established in the mid-nineteenth century. It serves Mells and nearby villages and has 78 children on the roll (2006).[6]
Mells Nursery School has been running morning sessions in the school hall for the last 8 years. By April 2007, a dedicated building will have been constructed adjacent to the school catering for up to 20 children during school hours.[7]
Mells holds a daffodil "fayre" on Easter Monday.
Mells manor was purportedly procured by Jack Horner upon discovering the deed in a pie given to him to carry to London by Richard Whitling, the last Abbot of Glastonbury. This act is referenced in the popular nursery rhyme Little Jack Horner.
[edit] References
- ^ Mendip Parish Population Estimates 2002. Somerset County Council. Retrieved on November 25, 2006.
- ^ Toulson, Shirley (1984). The Mendip Hills: A Threatened Landscape. London: Victor Gollancz. ISBN 057503453X.
- ^ Church of St. Andrew. Images of England. Retrieved on May 13, 2006.
- ^ Mells Manor. Images of England. Retrieved on May 13, 2006.
- ^ The Talbot Inn. Images of England. Retrieved on May 13, 2006.
- ^ Mells Church of England First School (2006). Retrieved on September 3, 2006.
- ^ Mells Nursery (2006). Retrieved on September 9, 2006.
[edit] External links
 This Somerset location article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
