| Ilchester | |
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Ilchester
Ilchester shown within Somerset |
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| Population | 2,021 [1] |
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| OS grid reference | ST522226 |
| District | South Somerset |
| Shire county | Somerset |
| Region | South West |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | YEOVIL |
| Postcode district | BA22 |
| Dialling code | 01935 |
| Police | Avon and Somerset |
| Fire | Devon and Somerset |
| Ambulance | South Western |
| EU Parliament | South West England |
| UK Parliament | Yeovil |
| List of places: UK • England • Somerset | |
Ilchester is a village and civil parish, situated on the River Yeo or Ivel, five miles north of Yeovil, in the English county of Somerset. The parish, which includes the village of Sock Dennis (also known as Stock-Dennis) and the old parish of Northover, has a population of 2,021.[1] Sock Dennis lies on the Monarch's Way long-distance footpath.
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In the Roman period, the village was named Lindinis and was the site of a fort and then a town on the Fosse Way. Finds from a large fourth century cemetery at Northover House suggest Christian worship.[2] It eventually served as one of two regional capitals for the Durotriges tribe.[3] There is evidence of continuous occupation from the Roman and Saxon eras.[4]
Around 1000 AD there was a mint at Ilchester, which was moved to South Cadbury following attacks by the Danes,[3] and prior to the Siege of Ilchester in 1088.
In the Domesday Book the village of Sock Dennis was in the possession of Robert, Count of Mortain. From the mid 13th century it was described as a manor but by the end of the 18th century was "an obliterated place". The place name derives from "Sock", probably an area of marsh or streams, and the family name of the successors of William the Dane, a 12th-century owner.[5] The parish of Ilchester was part of the Tintinhull Hundred.[6]
Ilchester Friary was founded between 1221 and 1260 as a Dominican monastery. The buildings were restored in the 13th and 14th centuries until the site occupied a 1.6 hectares (4.0 acres) site, and by the 15th century it extended beyond the town walls.[7] It is believed to be the birthplace of Roger Bacon, possibly in 1213 or 1214.[8] It was dissolved in 1538, as part of the dissolution of the monasteries,[7] but the buildings continued to be used, as a silk mill and relief prison, particularly for Quakers,[9] until it was finally demolished in the early 19th century.[7]
Ilchester Nunnery was founded around 1217-1220 originally as Whitehall Hospital (Latin: Alba Aula, French: Blanche Halle/Blanchesale) and, by 1281, had been converted into an Augustinian nunnery. The original Whitehall hospital had been created after the gift of a house and other property by William "The Dane" (Norman-French: Le Deneis etc., Latinised to Dacus (adjectival form of Dacia being mediaeval Latin for Denmark) modernised to "Dennis") of Sock Dennis.[10] From this family was probably descended the influential Denys family of Devon, (arms; 3 Danish battle axes) seated at Orleigh in the 16th c.[11] In the early 14th century concerns were raised about the management of the nunnery and the poverty of the nuns.[12] The building was expanded in 1370. In 1463 the nunnery was dissolved by 1463 and the chapel become a free chapel,[13] which itself was dissolved in 1548.[7] A ruined building still existed in 1791 but the stone was then used to build the nearby Castle Farm.[7]
Ilchester was a base for Henry III of England for a short period in 1250.[3]
During the 11th and 12th century it was the county town of Somerset.[3] The town has a 13th-century mace with three kings and an angel on it, and is the oldest staff of office in England.[14]
There is an area of well-preserved ridge and furrow earthworks over three fields to the east of Sock Dennis.[15]
There was a church in the village of Sock Dennis in 1286. It was a daughter church of Yeovil. In 1297 the church was worth £7 15s. The church had disappeared by 1575. A doorway, probably of the early 16th century, and perhaps forming part of the fabric of the church, is incorporated in one of the buildings of Sock Dennis farm,[16] which is all that now remains of the village.
In July 1645 during the English Civil War Ilchester was the scene of several skirmishes between Royalist and Parliamentary forces fighting for control of the bridges over the River Parrett and River Yeo before the Battle of Langport.[17]
Ilchester was the parliamentary seat of Sir William Manners (later Lord Huntingtower) in 1802, 1812 and 1818; however it is said that he maintained his position by demolishing the houses of his opponents and putting them in the workhouse which meant they did not have the vote. This was defeated by Lord Darlington who built houses for his supporters and thereby became the Member of Parliament.[3]
In 1861 Sock Dennis's total population was 26. In 1901 it was 22. By 1951 the population was 23.
After the church in Sock Dennis was destroyed, and the place almost depopulated, it lost its parochial rights.[18] In 1884 it was reduced, in order to enlarge the parish of Tintinhull. In 1957 the parish was abolished and 401 acres (1.62 km2) with a population of 11 people transferred to Ilchester parish and 287 acres (1.16 km2) and 12 people transferred to Tintinhull parish.[19]
In 1962 the Ilchester Cheese Company was formed.[20]
The parish council has responsibility for local issues, including setting an annual precept (local rate) to cover the council’s operating costs and producing annual accounts for public scrutiny. The parish council evaluates local planning applications and works with the local police, district council officers, and neighbourhood watch groups on matters of crime, security, and traffic. The parish council's role also includes initiating projects for the maintenance and repair of parish facilities, as well as consulting with the district council on the maintenance, repair, and improvement of highways, drainage, footpaths, public transport, and street cleaning. Conservation matters (including trees and listed buildings) and environmental issues are also the responsibility of the council.
The village falls within the Non-metropolitan district of South Somerset, which was formed on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, having previously been part of Yeovil Rural District.[21] The district council is responsible for local planning and building control, local roads, council housing, environmental health, markets and fairs, refuse collection and recycling, cemeteries and crematoria, leisure services, parks, and tourism.
Somerset County Council is responsible for running the largest and most expensive local services such as education, social services, libraries, main roads, public transport, policing and fire services, trading standards, waste disposal and strategic planning.
It is also part of the Yeovil county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election, and part of the South West England constituency of the European Parliament which elects seven MEPs using the d'Hondt method of party-list proportional representation.
Ilchester had at least eight churches in medieval times of which two remain. The church of St Mary Major dates from the 13th century and is a Grade II* listed building,[22] as is the Church of St Andrew which is slightly more recent,[23] although it may stand on the site of an earlier Roman building and associated cemetery.[4] St Andrews is in the care of the Churches Conservation Trust.[24]
Ilchester Community Primary School consists of a Junior school and a Infant school, which cover key stage 1 and key stage 2 of the national curriculum. Both parts of the school are separate, each having a deputy head of year. The school has 295 pupils enrolled.[25] The school was awarded Healthy school status in the summer of 2007.[26] Ilchester has a few Pre-schools and a Nursery. Heron Pre-School provision was rated as good by OFSTED in 2010.[27] St Mary's Pre-School, Ilchester has been in existance for around 40 years. It is located in the heart of the village, in the Church Rooms next to St Mary Major, its most recent Ofsted was in 2009 where it was rated as satisfactory with a number of goods, particularly in safeguarding and relationship with parents http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/inspection-reports/find-inspection-report/provider/CARE/143117