EXTRACT
FROM KELLY'S DIRECTORY
1883 THEALE
Theale is a village and an ecclesiastical parish, formed in 1844 from the Civil parish of Wedmore, 4 miles north from Shapwick station, 6 miles west from Wells, 6 from Glastonbury and Cheddar, in the Mid division of the County, eastern division of Bempstone Hundred, Axbridge Union, Axbridge rural deanery, Wells Archdeaconry, diocese of Bath and Wells and situated on the Wells and Highbridge turnpike road.
The Church named Christ Church is a modern building with chancel, nave and bell cot at West end, containing 1 bell. The register dates from the year 1826. The living is a vicarage, gross yearly value £277 with residence, in the gift of the Vicar of Wedmore and held since 1879 by the Reverend James Sydenham Fowke Singleton TAKCL. The charities are of £5 yearly value.
T T Knyfton esq of Uphill Castle is the chief landowner. The soil is a rich loam: there is much lias around. The chief crops are grass. The area is 3000 acres. The population in 1881 was 769.
Bagley half a mile west is a small hamlet: New Town is a hamlet a quarter of a mile north: Panborough is 1 mile east. Mudgley is about 1 mile west of Theale belonging ecclesiastically thereto: it is an interesting hamlet much visited in consequence of its antiquarian interest. Within it is a field belonging to Mr Hill's farm called 'Palace Garden' where stood once the summer palace of Alfred the Great where the monarch entertained the celebrated Guthrum after that king's baptism: it has been demolished although its foundations may still be discovered: a silver spoon was found amongst its ruins, which the Reverend J Williamson purchased and has placed in the Bodleian library Oxford together with the brooch once belonging to that king.
Sexton,
Benjamin Pimm.
Post Office, Theale, John Davis, receiver. Letters arrive from Cheddar
R.S.O. at 9 am, dispatched at 4.45 pm. The nearest Money Order and Telegraph
Office is at Wedmore. Pillar box Mudgley cleared at 4.30 pm weekdays
only. All letters to New Town and Panborough should be addressed via
Wells.
Theale is a portion of the Wedmore School Board district, Board School erected 1865 for 108 children, average attendance 80. Thomas Ryman (Master).
RESIDENTS
CHAMPENEY
Mrs
CHURCHES Mrs
SINGLETON Reverend J S F
ADAMS George, Farmer
BALL Thomas, Farmer
BROOM George, Shoe Maker
BURNETT William, Farmer
BURROW Benjamin, Farmer
BURROW Sarah Mrs, Farmer
CARVER Richard, Farmer
CHAPMAN George, Farmer
CHAMPENEY Clement, Farmer
CLARKE James, Farmer
COOK George, Stone Mason
COOK Edward, Farmer
DAVIS John, Grocer etc. & Post Office
FIELD James, Farmer
FROST, Elizabeth Mrs, Farmer
MILLARD George, Farmer
NORMAN John, Farmer Northload
SMITH George, Blacksmith
STALLARD James John, Farmer
TOOGOOD William, Farmer
BAGLEY
MAPSTONE
Samuel, Shopkeeper
TURNER Robert, Engraver
WALL Elizabeth Mrs, Farmer
WALL George, Shopkeeper
NEW TOWN
BUNN
James, Beer Retailer
BUNN John, Stone Mason
WATTS George, Farmer
MUDGLEY
BETHELL
Edward, Farmer
BROWN Edward, Farmer
BROWN James, Farmer
BROWN Joseph, Farmer
CLARKE John, Farmer
COCK James, Farmer
FORD Alfred, Farmer
FROST Michael, Farmer
FROST Abraham, Farmer
HILL William, Farmer, Mudgley Farm
PORTER Robert, Farmer
TOOGOOD John, Farmer
TUCKER Joseph, Farmer
PANBOROUGH
CHAMPENEY
Charles
GREEN Mrs.
BURROW William, Farmer, Barrow House
BURROW Messrs, Farmers, Panborough Farm
CHAMPENEY Charles Jun, Farmer
COOK George, Farmer
DAVIS James, Carpenter & Wheelwright
DAVIS Joseph, Carpenter & Wheelwright
HELLIER John, New Inn
STONE William, Shopkeeper
TINCKNELL Simon, Panborough Inn
WILLIAMS Joel, Shopkeeper