Norton Sub Hamdon

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Norton sub Hamdon
Norton sub Hamdon shown within Somerset
Population	710[1]
OS grid reference	ST470159
District	South Somerset
Shire county	Somerset
Region	South West
Constituent country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	YEOVIL
Postcode district	BA20, BA21, BA22
Dialling code	01935
Police	Avon and Somerset
Fire	Devon and Somerset
Ambulance	South Western
European Parliament	South West England
UK Parliament	Yeovil
List of places: UK • England • Somerset

Coordinates: 50°56′26″N 2°45′20″W / 50.9406, -2.7555

Norton sub Hamdon is a village in South Somerset, situated five miles west of Yeovil. The village has an approximate population of 710^[2].

The village of Chiselborough is half a mile to the south, and the village of Stoke sub Hamdon one mile to the north.

The majority of the houses and cottages in the village are made from the local stone, which is taken from the nearby Ham Hill, from whence the village gets its name.

Church of St. Mary the Virgin in Norton Sub Hamdon has 13th century origins, but was largely rebuilt between 1500 and 1510. Further restoration was undertaken by Henry Wilson in 1894 and 1904. The 5-stage tower, which rises 98.5 feet (30 m) was damaged by lightning and fire on 29 July 1894, but restored within a year preserving the original design.^[1] It has a double plinth, offset corner buttresses, dividing strings, battlemented parapet with pairs corner pinnacles extended from buttresses, and central paired pinnacles corbelled off gargoyles.^[2]

The main claim to fame of the village it that it is home to Paddy Ashdown, former local MP and ex-leader of the Liberal Democrats political party.

[edit] Sources

1. ^  Somerset County Council, 2002. Population estimates.

[edit] References

1. ^ Church Guide. Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Norton Sub Hamdon. Retrieved on 2008-03-06.
2. ^ Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Norton Sub Hamdon. Images of England. Retrieved on 2008-03-06.