Off the Beaten Track in Somerset: January 2023

Wednesday 11 January 2023

Boundary Markers

Boundary Markers are usually made of stone, concrete or metal, so that they are durable. People have been marking borders for centuries, if not millennia. Some of Somerset's boundary stones are so old that no one knows for certain, which boundary they were originally supposed to mark.

Taunton Town Council Boundary Marker

Boundary marker between the parishes of West Anstey and Hawkridge

CBB = County Bridge Boundary, Washbattle Bridge near Huish Champflower

Naked Boy's Stone, Brendon Hills

This stone may be prehistoric or medieval and its purpose was to mark the boundary between Brompton Regis and Old Cleeve parishes

Hundred Stone, Yeovil

This stone marks the meeting place for men of the local hundred and is thought to date back to the medieval period. It was last used as a meeting place in 1843.

Hundred Stone, Yeovil

Longstone, Quantock Hills

AX = Axbridge

Blue Plaque marking Chard Borough Boundary

Taunton Trust turnpike boundary marker on the Brendon Hills

Trinity House boundary marker, Black Nore Lighthouse, Portishead

Bristol Turnpike Trust boundary marker at Chelvey Batch

This marks the boundary between Brockley and Chelvey Parishes

Beacon Hill

This boundary stone has the letters WMFM inscribed on it. These are thought to be the initial of William Melliar Foster Melliar, who bought part of the wood in Doulting Parish in 1883.

Bicknoller Post, Quantock Hills

Unusually, this boundary marker is made of wood. It is located at the point where 3 parishes meet: East Quantoxhead, West Quantoxhead and Bicknoller

Porchester's Post, Exmoor

This wooden post marks the boundary of the Carnarvon Estate. It is located between Withypool Hill and Halscombe Allotment (grid reference SS 828 334). A post was first erected here in 1796. This replacement post dates from 2002 and was erected to commemorate the Queen's Golden Jubilee and in memory of Lord Porchester, Earl of Carnarvon, the Chairman of the 1977 inquiry into the protection of moorland on Exmoor.

Brushford/Dulverton Parish Boundary Stone at New Bridge, Brushford

Venford boundary stone on Anstey Money Common

This is probably a 19th century boundary stone for Venford Farm. The word Venford is inscribed on the east face.

Sloley Stone, near Mole's Chamber, Exmoor

The Sloley Stone marks the boundary between Somerset and Devon and the boundary of Exmoor Forest. It has previously been called the Long Stone, Hore Stone and Lew Combe Stone. The south east face (shown here) is inscribed with the words William Longe Oxenham Esquire Lord of ye Manor of High Bray, 1742. The north west face is inscribed with the words Christian Slowly, Lady of the Manor of Gratton, 1742. The stone is 1.34 metres high and 0.56 metres wide.

Edgerley Stone, Bill Hill, Challacombe

This 1.7m high stone marks the border between Somerset and Devon and also the former boundary of Exmoor Forest. It is by the side of the B3358 between Challacombe and Simonsbath (grid reference SS719407) but there is nowhere to park a car, so we took the photo from the car window. It was called Longstone in a survey of 1651 but by 1675 it was called the Edgerley Stone. The names F. Bray and F. Isaac are inscribed on it.

Sunday 1 January 2023

St James' Church, Upton

St James' Church at Upton on the Brendon Hills was built in the first half of the 14th century. It had a nave, a chancel, a tower and a south porch. In 1867 a new church was built in a more convenient location on the main road through the village of Upton and St James' Church was abandoned and partially demolished in 1891, with only the tower remaining standing to any height. The three 15th and 17th century bells from St James Church were removed and taken to the new church but couldn't be hung because it has no bell tower. During the late 20th century the tower was repaired and the low walls of the nave and chancel were consolidated.

St James' Church is now in the care of the Churches Conservation Trust. There is a path to it from the Wimbleball Lake perimeter path. It can also be accessed at the end of the unclassified council maintained road that comes off the B3190 at the village of Upton but there is no car park at the church. There is also a public bridleway which runs south from Venne Cottage to the church.