The ''Somerset Victoria County History'' is an encyclopaedic history of the

county A county () is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesL. Brookes (ed.) '' Chambers Dictionary''. Edinburgh: Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, 2005. in some nations. The term is derived from the Old French denoti ...

Somerset Somerset ( , ), Archaism, archaically Somersetshire ( , , ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by the Bristol Channel, Gloucestershire, and Bristol to the north, Wiltshire to the east ...

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

, forming part of the overall Victoria County History of England founded in 1899 in honour of

Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in January 1901. Her reign of 63 year ...

. With ten volumes published in the series ''A History of the County of Somerset'', the Somerset VCH is among the most substantial of the Victoria County Histories.

Volumes published

General volumes

* Volume I (1906), ed. William Page: the Natural History of the county, with some archaeological material and a chapter on Romano-British Somerset, especially Bath; the Somerset

Domesday Domesday Book ( ; the Middle English spelling of "Doomsday Book") is a manuscript record of the Great Survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086 at the behest of William the Conqueror. The manuscript was originally known by ...

and the Geld InquestVictoria County History: Somerset
at british-history.ac.uk, accessed 28 October 2011Somerset Publications
at victoriacountyhistory.ac.uk, accessed 28 October 2011 * Volume II (1911), ed. William Page: Religious houses, including

Wells Cathedral Wells Cathedral, formally the , is a Church of England cathedral in Wells, Somerset, England. It is the seat of the bishop of Bath and Wells and the mother church of the diocese of Bath and Wells. There are daily Church of England services in ...

Bath Abbey The Abbey Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, commonly known as Bath Abbey, is a parish church of the Church of England and former Benedictines, Benedictine monastery in Bath, Somerset, Bath, Somerset, England. Founded in the 7th century, i ...

and

Glastonbury Abbey Glastonbury Abbey was a monastery in Glastonbury, Somerset, England. Its ruins, a grade I listed building and scheduled ancient monument, are open as a visitor attraction. The abbey was founded in the 8th century and enlarged in the 10th. It wa ...

Topographical volumes

* Volume III (1974), ed. R. W. Dunning: Kingsbury (East),

Pitney Pitney is a village and parish in Somerset, England, located east of Langport and west of Somerton, Somerset, Somerton. In 2011, the village had a population of 374. Pitney is home to St John the Baptist Church, the Pitney Farm Shop, and th ...

Somerton Somerton may refer to: Places Australia * Somerton, New South Wales * Somerton Park, South Australia, a seaside Adelaide suburb ** Somerton Man, unsolved case of an unidentified man found dead in 1948 on the Somerton Park beach *Somerton, Victoria ...

and

Tintinhull Tintinhull is a village and civil parish near Yeovil, south west of Ilchester, in Somerset, England. The village is close to the A303. It is on the Fosse Way. In addition to a school of around 100 pupils, Tintinhull has a church, park, swim ...

hundreds:

Huish Episcopi Huish Episcopi is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated on the outskirts of Langport, south west of Somerton, Somerset, Somerton. The parish has a population of 2,644, and includes the hamlet (place), hamlets of Bowdens, Co ...

Langport Langport is a town and Civil parishes in England, civil parish in Somerset, England, west of Somerton, Somerset, Somerton. The parish, which covers only part of the town, has a population of 3,578. Langport is contiguous with Huish Episcopi, ...

, Muchelney,

; Aller, West Camel, Charlton Adam,

Charlton Mackrell Charlton Mackrell is a village and former civil parish, now in the parish of The Charltons, in the Somerset district, in the ceremonial county of Somerset, England, situated east of Somerton. The village has a population of 1,020. The parish ...

, Kingsdon,

East Lydford East is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from west and is the direction from which the Sun rises on the Earth. Etymology As in other languages, the word is formed from the fact that eas ...

, Long Sutton,

Yeovilton Yeovilton is a village in Somerset, England, east of Ilchester and north of Yeovil. It had a population of 1,226 in the 2011 census, estimated at 1,418 in 2019. The village is part of ''Yeovilton and District'' civil parish, which includes ...

;

Ilchester Ilchester is a village and civil parish, situated on the River Yeo or Ivel, north of Yeovil, in the English county of Somerset. Originally a Roman town, and later a market town, Ilchester has a rich medieval history and was a notable settleme ...

, Kingstone,

Montacute Montacute is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, west of Yeovil. The village has a population of 831 (2011 census). The name Montacute is thought by some to derive from the Latin "Mons Acutus", referring to the conically acute St ...

, Northover, Sock Dennis, Stoke sub Hamdon, Thorne,

* Volume IV (1978), ed. R. W. Dunning:

Crewkerne Crewkerne ( ) is a town and electoral ward in south Somerset, England, southwest of Yeovil and east of Chard. The civil parish of West Crewkerne includes the hamlets of Coombe, Woolminstone and Henley, and borders the county of Dorset to the s ...

and

South Petherton South Petherton is a large village and civil parish in Somerset, England, located east of Ilminster and north of Crewkerne. The parish had a population of 3,737 in 2021 and includes the smaller village of Over Stratton and the hamlets of C ...

hundreds and Martock hundred (part):

Hinton St George Hinton St George is a village and parish in Somerset, England, situated outside Crewkerne, south west of Yeovil. The village has a population of 442. It has a wide main street lined with hamstone cottages, some thatched. The village has a ...

, Merriott, Misterton,

Wayford Wayford is a village and civil parish on the River Axe, south-west of Crewkerne, in Somerset, England. History The parish was part of the hundred of Crewkerne. Wayford Manor House was rebuilt around 1600 by Charles Daubeney, probably with ...

;

Martock Martock is a large village and civil parishes in England, civil parish in Somerset, England. It is situated on the edge of the Somerset Levels, north-west of Yeovil in the South Somerset district. The parish includes Hurst, approximately one ...

; Barrington, Chaffcombe, Chillington, Cricket St Thomas, Cudworth, Dinnington, Dowlish Wake, Knowle St Giles, Lopen,

, Seavington St Mary,

Seavington St Michael Seavington St Michael is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England. It is situated next to the village of Seavington St Mary, about east of Ilminster. It lies in a hollow within a larger area of low-lying hills and valleys running broadly ...

, Shepton Beauchamp, Wambrook,

Whitestaunton Whitestaunton is a village and civil parish in the county of Somerset, England. The parish includes the hamlet of Northay. It was known simply as Staunton until the 14th century. History The univallate Iron Age hill fort at Horse Pool Camp is s ...

* Volume V (1985), ed. R. W. Dunning: Williton and Freemanors hundred (part), and Whitley hundred (part):

Holford Holford is a village and civil parish in Somerset within the Quantock Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It is located about west of Bridgwater and east of Williton, with a population of 392. The village is on the Quantock Greenway and ...

;

Bicknoller Bicknoller is a village and civil parish on the western slopes of the Quantock Hills in the English county of Somerset. The parish includes the hamlets of Culverhays, Halsway, Newton and Woolston. At the 2021 census, the parish had a population ...

, Brompton Ralph, Chipstable, Clatworthy,

Old Cleeve Old Cleeve is a village south east of Minehead in Somerset, England, and also a civil parish. The civil parish of Old Cleeve covers an area of and includes the villages of Old Cleeve, Roadwater and Washford as well as hamlets such as Bilbro ...

Crowcombe Crowcombe is a village and civil parish under the Quantock Hills in Somerset, England, southeast of Watchet, and from Taunton. The village has a population of 489. The parish covers the hamlets of Crowcombe Heathfield, Flaxpool, Halsway, La ...

, Dodington, Elworthy, Halse,

Huish Champflower Huish Champflower is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, three miles north-west of Wiveliscombe and ten miles north of Wellington. It has a population of 301 (Census 2011). History The name comes from the ''hiwisc'', the Saxon fo ...

, Kilton,

Kilve Kilve is a village in Somerset, England, within the Quantock Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the first AONB to be established, in 1957. It lies on the A39 road, A39 almost exactly equidistant from Bridgwater to the east and Minehead t ...

Lilstock Lilstock is a hamlet in the civil parish of Stringston in Somerset, England. It is north-west of Bridgwater, and north-east of Williton. It is on the coast of Bridgwater Bay on the Bristol Channel, near the Hinkley Point nuclear power statio ...

Monksilver Monksilver is a village west of the town of Williton in Somerset, England, on the eastern flank of the Brendon Hills and the border of the Exmoor National Park. The Coleridge Way footpath passes through the village. History The name of the vil ...

, Nettlecombe,

East Quantoxhead East Quantoxhead is a village, from West Quantoxhead, east of Williton, and west of Bridgwater, within the Quantock Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in Somerset, England. History Above the village at Black Ball Camp are an Iron Age ...

, West Quantoxhead, Raddington, St Decumans (including

Watchet Watchet is a harbour town, civil parish and electoral ward in the county of Somerset, England, with a population in 2011 of 3,785. It is situated west of Bridgwater, north-west of Taunton, and east of Minehead. The town lies at the mouth of ...

and

Williton Williton is a large village and civil parishes in England, civil parish in Somerset, England, at the junction of the A39 road, A39, A358 and B3191 roads, on the coast south of Watchet between Minehead, Bridgwater and Taunton. Williton station i ...

Sampford Brett Sampford Brett is a village and civil parish situated at the south-western edge of the Quantock Hills, Somerset, England, less than south of Williton, just off the A358 road to Taunton. Geography It lies in a shallow valley cut by the Sampford ...

Stogumber Stogumber () is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, on the eastern flank of the Brendon Hills. Besides Stogumber village itself, the parish includes the hamlets of Ashbeer, Capton, Escott, Higher Vexford, Kingswood, Lower Vellow, Lo ...

Nether Stowey Nether Stowey is a large village in Somerset, South West England. It sits in the foothills of the Quantock Hills (England's first Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty), just below Over Stowey. The parish of Nether Stowey covers approximately 4&nbs ...

* Volume VI (1992), ed. R. W. Dunning and C. R. Elrington: Andersfield, Cannington, and

North Petherton North Petherton is a town and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated on the edge of the eastern foothills of the Quantocks, and close to the edge of the Somerset Levels. The town has a population of 6,730 as of 2014. The parish includes Ha ...

hundreds: Broomfield,

Creech St Michael Creech St Michael is a village and civil parish in Somerset, three miles east of Taunton. The parish straddles the M5 motorway and includes several scattered settlements. The village of Creech St Michael and the hamlets of Charlton, Creech Heath ...

, Durleigh, Enmore, Goathurst, Lyng; Aisholt, Cannington, Charlinch, Fiddington,

Otterhampton Otterhampton is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, between Bridgwater and the Steart Peninsula. The civil parish includes the larger village of Combwich and the small village of Steart. History It was recorded in the Domesday ...

Spaxton Spaxton is a small village and civil parish on the Quantocks in Somerset, South West England. History The name of Spaxton may originate from "Spakr", a Dane who settled in the area in about the 9th century. An alternative derivation is that it ...

, Stockland Bristol,

Stogursey Stogursey is a small village and civil parish in the Quantock Hills in Somerset, England. It is situated from Nether Stowey, and west of Bridgwater. The village is situated near the Bristol Channel, which bounds the parish on the north. The ...

, Over Stowey, Stringston; Bawdrip,

Bridgwater Bridgwater is a historic market town and civil parish in Somerset, England. The town had a population of 41,276 at the 2021 census. Bridgwater is at the edge of the Somerset Levels, in level and well-wooded country. The town lies along both sid ...

, Chedzoy,

Chilton Trinity Chilton Trinity is a village and civil parish on the River Parrett, north of Bridgwater in Somerset, England. History Iron Age and Roman pottery have been found at Chilton village. The name Chilton implies a settlement for younger sons. At o ...

Durston Durston is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated on the A361 road north east of Taunton and south of Bridgwater. The parish lies on undulating ground between the lowest slopes of the Quantock Hills and the valley of the Ri ...

Pawlett Pawlett is a village and civil parish north of Bridgwater, in the English county of Somerset. The parish includes the hamlet of Stretcholt. The village has Roman or Anglo-Saxons, Saxon origins. It has a Norman architecture, Norman church and ex ...

, St Michaelchurch, Thurloxton,

Wembdon Wembdon is a semi-rural area of Bridgwater on the town’s outskirts, in Somerset, England. Wembdon is now home to an Anglican church, a small shop (combined with the post office), a pub and a small garage. History Wembdon was listed in the Dome ...

* Volume VII (1999), ed. C. R. J. Currie and R. W. Dunning:

Bruton Bruton ( ) is a small market town, and civil parish in Somerset, England, on the River Brue and the A359 between Frome and Yeovil. It is south-east of Shepton Mallet, just south of Snakelake Hill and Coombe Hill, north-west of Gillingham ...

, Horethorne and Norton Ferris hundreds, part of Taunton Dean hundred, part of Whitley hundred: Brewham, Brewham Lodge, Eastrip and Four Towers,

, Milton Clevedon,

Pitcombe Pitcombe is a village and civil parish south-west of Bruton and from Wincanton in Somerset, England. It has a population of 532. The parish includes the hamlets of Cole and Godminster. The village lies on the River Pitt and other streams that ...

Upton Noble Upton Noble is a village and civil parish on the River Frome. It is roughly north-east of Bruton, and from Frome town centre, in the Mendip district of Somerset, England. There was a 17th-century village pub called ''The Lamb Inn (''now cl ...

, and Yarlington; Abbas and Temple Combe,

Charlton Horethorne Charlton Horethorne is a village and civil parish in Somerset Somerset ( , ), Archaism, archaically Somersetshire ( , , ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by the Bristol Channel ...

, North Cheriton,

Corton Denham Corton Denham is a village and parish in Somerset, England, situated seven miles north east of Yeovil. The village has a population of 189. History The village was named ''Corfetone'' in the Domesday Book of 1086, coming from the Old English ...

Henstridge Henstridge is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated east of Sherborne in the South Somerset district, near the border with Dorset. The parish includes the hamlet of Yenston. In 2011, the village had a population of 1,814. ...

, Horsington, Marston Magna, Milborne Port, Stowell; Bratton Seymour,

Charlton Musgrove Charlton Musgrove is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated north east of Wincanton. The village has a population of 398. The parish includes the hamlets of Barrow, Holbrook, Southmarsh, and part of Shalford. History In 10 ...

Cucklington Cucklington is a village and parish in Somerset, England, situated on a hill south east of Wincanton and north west of Gillingham, near the Dorset border. The village has a population of 173. The nearest railway station is in neighbouring G ...

, Penselwood,

Shepton Montague Shepton Montague is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, United Kingdom. It is situated on the River Pitt midway between Wincanton, Bruton and Castle Cary. It is known for its dairy farming and one of the country's main centres of o ...

Stoke Trister Stoke Trister is a village and civil parish south-east of Wincanton and north-west of Gillingham close to the Dorset border in the county of Somerset, England. The parish includes the hamlet of Bayford. History The Stoke part of the name mea ...

Wincanton Wincanton ( or ) is a town and electoral ward in Somerset, southwest England. The town lies off the A303 road, a main route between London and South West England, and has some light industry. In the 2021 census the civil parish had a populatio ...

, Rimpton; Blackford, Holton * Volume VIII (2004), ed. R. W. Dunning: The Poldens and the Levels: Huntspill and Puritan hundred:

Ashcott Ashcott is a small village and civil parish located in the Sedgemoor area of Somerset in the south-west of England. The village has a population of 1,186. The parish includes the hamlets of Ashcott Corner, Berhill, Buscott, Nythe and Pedwell. ...

Catcott Catcott is a rural village and civil parish, situated close to Edington, Somerset, Edington to the east of Bridgwater on the Somerset Levels to the north of the Polden Hills in Somerset, England. History In the Domesday Book of 1086 Roger de ...

, Chilton Polden, Cossington, Edington, Greinton,

High Ham High Ham is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England. Within the parish of High Ham, there are the villages of High Ham and Low Ham and the hamlets of Bowdens, Henley, Paradise and Picts Hill. History Within the parish of High Ham, th ...

Huntspill Huntspill is a village and former civil parish on the Huntspill Level in Somerset, England. It lies on the A38 road, south of Highbridge. The village is the principal settlement in the civil parish of West Huntspill. In 2019 it had an estimat ...

Middlezoy Middlezoy is a village and civil parish on the Somerset Levels in Somerset, England. Situated between the two other villages of Westonzoyland and Othery and is about six miles from the town of Bridgwater which is on the tidal river Parret. Histo ...

Moorlinch Moorlinch is a village and civil parish where the Polden Hills meet the Somerset Levels in Somerset, England. History The village was known as ''Mirieling'' in 971 and the name is believed to come from the Saxon ''myrge'' and ''hlinc'' meaning ...

, Othery, Puriton, Shapwick, Stawell, Sutton Mallet, Westonzoyland, and Woolavington * Volume IX (2006), ed. R. W. Dunning: Glastonbury Twelve Hides hundred, including

Glastonbury Glastonbury ( , ) is a town and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated at a dry point on the low-lying Somerset Levels, south of Bristol. The town had a population of 8,932 in the 2011 census. Glastonbury is less than across the River ...

and

Street A street is a public thoroughfare in a city, town or village, typically lined with Building, buildings on one or both sides. Streets often include pavements (sidewalks), pedestrian crossings, and sometimes amenities like Street light, streetligh ...

, Baltonsborough, Butleigh, Compton Dundon, Meare, North Wootton, Podimore Milton, Walton, West Bradley, and

West Pennard West Pennard (or West Pennard Manor) is a village and civil parish east of Glastonbury Glastonbury ( , ) is a town and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated at a dry point on the low-lying Somerset Levels, south of Bristol. The town ...

* Volume X (2010), ed. Mary C. Siraut:

Castle Cary Castle Cary () is a market town and civil parish in south Somerset, England, north west of Wincanton and south of Shepton Mallet, at the foot of Lodge Hill and on the River Cary, a tributary of the Parrett. History The word Cary derives ...

and the Brue- Cary Watershed (part of Catsash hundred)

County Editors

* William Page * C. R. J. Currie * 1971–2006: Robert W. Dunning * 2006– : Mary C. SirautAbout VCH Somerset
at victoriacountyhistory.ac.uk, accessed 28 October 2011 The present county editor, Mary C. Siraut, served as deputy editor from 1978 to 2006 and was a full-time VCH employee until March 2011, when because of a funding shortfall she took early retirement. She is continuing work on the project on a part-time basis and is based at the new Somerset Heritage Centre in

Norton Fitzwarren Norton Fitzwarren is a village, electoral ward, and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated north west of Taunton. The village has a population of 3,046. History The village is on the southern slope of Norton Camp, a large hillfort that s ...

.Elizabeth Williamson,
HARD TIMES AND GREEN SHOOTS
' (2011) at balh.co.uk, accessed 28 October 2011

Deputy County Editors

* 1970–1978: Robin Bush * 1978–2006: Mary C. Siraut

References

External links

Somerset volumes
at victoriacountyhistory.ac.uk
Somerset Victoria County History
at British History Online – full text of volumes I to IX {{Somerset History of Somerset Organisations based in Somerset Victoria County History