West Camel

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West Camel
West Camel shown within Somerset
Population	400
OS grid reference	ST578249
District	South Somerset
Shire county	Somerset
Region	South West
Constituent country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	Yeovil
Postcode district	BA22
Dialling code	01963
Police	Avon and Somerset
Fire	Devon and Somerset
Ambulance	South Western
European Parliament	South West England
UK Parliament	Somerton and Frome
List of places: UK • England • Somerset

Coordinates: 51°01′19″N 2°36′07″W / 51.022, -2.6019

West Camel is a village in south Somerset, England, about seven miles north of the town of Yeovil. Situated either side of the River Cam (Somerset) it lies just south of the A303 and has a population of approximately 400.

The name "Camel" derives not from the animal but from the word "cantmeel", by which name West Camel was formerly known. "Cantmeel" itself derives from the words "cant-ridge" and "mael-bare."

The Leland Trail runs through the village.

Neighbouring villages include Queen Camel, Urgashay and Bridgehampton (Somerset)

[edit] History and Folklore

The earliest evidence of a settlement on the site dates to the 10th century in the form of the remains of a Saxon Preaching cross dated to before 940 AD. The earliest written reference is dated 995 AD and takes the form of a grant by Aethelred II of the village of Cantmeel (West Camel) to the monks of Muchelney Abbey.

It is one of many sites in England identified as a possible setting of The Strife of Camlann, the final battle of King Arthur.