West Buckland

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is about the Somerset village. For the village in Devon, see West Buckland, Devon. For other uses, see West Buckland (disambiguation).

West Buckland
West Buckland shown within Somerset
Population	999^[1]
OS grid reference	ST175205
District	Taunton Deane
Shire county	Somerset
Region	South West
Constituent country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	WELLINGTON
Postcode district	TA21
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°58′40″N 3°10′35″W / 50.9779, -3.1765

West Buckland is a village and parish in Somerset, England, situated five miles south west of Taunton in the Taunton Deane district. The village has a population of 999^[2].In 710 AD, on the hills above West Buckland, a major battle was fought, with the victor the Saxon King Ine, whose castle was in Taunton. [See ‘The Battle of Buckland Hill’].

In 904, certain lands were the basis of a charter to Asser, Bishop of Sherborne, later confirmed in 908; [see Boundary web page]. It is thought that Buckland, was perhaps known then as Bocland; the name for ‘chartered land’. Following on this charter, or even earlier, the name West Buckland was established. But why West was added is unknown – perhaps to distinguish it from Buckland St. Mary to the east? Or did it lie to the west of Buckland Abbey in Durston, near Taunton. This author once saw an old map showing a Buckland Nunnery somewhere between Heatherton and Rumwell, while he has come across a reference on the Internet to ‘Buckland (Minchin Buckland) Preceptory and nunnery (Order of St John of Jerusalem or Knight Hospitallers), West Buckland, Somerset.’ Does this have a bearing on the name of West Buckland?