Staple Fitzpaine

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Staple Fitzpaine
Staple Fitzpaine (Somerset)
Staple Fitzpaine

Staple Fitzpaine shown within Somerset
Population 151[1]
OS grid reference ST262183
District Taunton Deane
Shire county Somerset
Region South West
Constituent country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town TAUNTON
Postcode district TA3
Dialling code 01823
Police Avon and Somerset
Fire Devon and Somerset
Ambulance South Western
European Parliament South West England
UK Parliament Taunton
List of places: UK • England • Somerset

Coordinates: 50°57′36″N 3°03′07″W / 50.9599, -3.052

Staple Fitzpaine is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated five miles south of Taunton in the Taunton Deane district. The village has a population of 151[1] and is within the Blackdown Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The parish includes the hamlet of Badger Street.

Around the crossroads at Staple Fitzpaine there are several large sandstone boulders. They are called devilstones and are said to have been thrown by the Devil from Castle Neroche (some went over Staple to land in the Witch Lodge area, another he tossed back over his shoulder into West Buckland). According to legend if you prick them with a pin they draw blood. English word 'Stapol' means pillar or post and it is thought likely that this gave the village the first part of its name.[2] The second part of the name comes from the Fitzpaine family who owned the manor between 1233 and 1393.[3]

The parish stretches south to Castle Neroche, east to Whitty Cross, west to Staple Hill and north to just past Smokey Bottom. The main part of the village is centred around the crossroads by the Greyhound Inn,[4] on the Taunton-Chard road. Curland and Bickenhall, two smaller villages close by to the east, are socially and culturally one with Staple Fitzpaine. They have a combined population of almost 200.

The Church of St Peter is Norman in origin, and has a Norman doorway reset in the south aisle. The chancel dates from the 14th century. The north aisle was added and the church refenestrated in the 15th century. The tower dates from about 1500, however the south porch and vestry are much more recent dating form 1841. The crenellated 3-stage tower, has merlons pierced with trefoil headed arches set on a quatrefoil pierced parapet. The church has been designated by English Heritage as a grade I listed building.[5]

St. Peter's has six bells. The oldest dates from 1480. There are four more original bells.[6]. In 1803 one of the bells was made by Thomas Castleman Bilbie of Cullompton, one of the Bilbie family of bell founders and clock makers.[7]

The almshouses in the village date from 1643, and were restored 1970. They were originally donated by Sir William Portman.[8] The Portman family from nearby Orchard Portman purchased the village in 1600 and dominated it until 1944.[3]

The Manor was built in 1840 as the Rectory for the Rev. Fitzhardinge Berkeley Portman.[9]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b 2002 population estimates. Somerset County Council. Retrieved on 2007-09-30.
  2. ^ The villages of Staple Fitzpaine, Curland and Bickenhall,. Stoke St Mary.net. Retrieved on 2007-09-30.
  3. ^ a b Bush, Robin (1994). Somerset: The complete guide. Wimbourne: Dovecote press. ISBN 187433627X. 
  4. ^ Greyhound Inn. Images of England. Retrieved on 2007-09-29.
  5. ^ Church of St Peter. Images of England. Retrieved on 2007-09-29.
  6. ^ Tower and Bells. Staple Fitzpaine Ringers. Retrieved on 2007-09-30.
  7. ^ Moore, James; Roy Rice and Ernest Hucker (1995). Bilbie and the Chew Valley clock makers. The authors. ISBN 0952670208. 
  8. ^ Almshouses. Images of England. Retrieved on 2007-09-29.
  9. ^ The Manor. Images of England. Retrieved on 2007-09-29.