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Handwritten Notes.

{as originally written except when enclosed by "{}" which were written by Michael Tutton}

1898 Oct. 20. I voided the living of Wedmore
1898 Oct. 16. I preached my farewell sermon there.
1898 Nov. 8. I left Wedmore for ever.
1898 Nov. 19. I lay at my lodging at Bury St. Edmunds.

Wedmore Traditions

No. 1.-Edward Clarke, born 1801, says that his father, John Clarke, took care of John Ward, who was kept in the church, being at times out of his mind. He did not remember it himself, but had heard his father tell of it. Edward Clarke's grandfather was Edward Sweet, sexton and clerk

No. 2.-Mrs. Sellick Williams, born 1800, says that she remembers crazy Mary (she could not mind her surname), who was kept in the old vestry night and day. Children used to give her food, pushing it in between the iron bars. She says there was an old chest in the vestry with a skull in it.

No. 3.-Mathew Wall, born 1817, says that he had never heard of mad people being kept in the vestry; but he remembers as a boy just looking in at the window and then running away in fear.

No. 4.-The Rev. John Warren, rector of Bawdrip, told my mother that there was an old man in his parish who said that mad people used to be kept in Wedmore church.

No. 5.-Old Miss Banwell, living next door to the Vicarage, says that her father went to school at the Vicarage kept by Mr. Rees, and that the playground was where she lives now.

No. 6.-Jane Hale of Cocklake, aged 72 in 1885, says that she used to go to the church of Free school. Newton was the master's name. Dr. Glanvile and Mrs. Savidge used after to come in. They said that poor children did not need to be taught writing, so writing was not taught. The Miss. Bowmans of Blackford also used to come in. She believed they were maiden ladies.

No. 7.-Joanne Counsell of Kyton hill, born 18{??}, says that her father built the house where she now lives, and it was the first of the Kyton hill houses built. She had heard him say that all the land behind those houses was arable and in open field; and when it was enclosed he bought the bit on which he built his house. Her father was John Counsell, who died Sept. 1852, aged 80. Her mother, Joanna Counsell, died, Feb. 1870 aged 89.

No. 8.-Mr. Tonkin says that his father took on Abraham Dyer's business in 1814 (?). There was an old Sally Leigh used to wash for his mother. Her husband was a very old man, and his (Leigh's) father or grandfather remembered seeing two men hung up on the same bough of an elm tree at Comb Batch for taking part in Monmouth's rebellion. Also a man hid in a gout near Theale Great House. Also Judge Jefferies held a court in the Market house, i.e. Mrs. Phippen's house in the Boro', now occupied by Farmer Godfray. Mr. Tonkin had always heard that there was a mill in Benpool.

No. 9.-Mr. Arthur Wall, churchwarden, says that Butcher Wall, Mathew Wall's brother, bought the premises now (1886) owned and occupied by Richard Morgan, baker: and when digging in the garden he found a skeleton. Old Fanny Hardwick, mother in law to Elizabeth Hardwick in the Heath, confessed on her death bed to having helped to murder a packman there and bury him in the garden. The house was then owned by Long Tucker, a champion single stick player, father tow Tailor Tucker whom I buried in 1877 aged 81. Long Tucker kept a sort of lodging house, and queer things were done there. Fanny Hardwick was buried July 12, 1872, aged 80 years.

No. 10.-Mrs. Sellick Williams says that she heard her father say that there used to be a market at Wedmore, and that the Boro' cross stood nearer the Lurban. She says that Mrs. Curl bought Miss. More's school, and that her (Sellick's) eldest sister succeeded her. Sellick's husband, James Williams whom she married in 1818, built the house at the end of Quab Lane where Sellick is now (1886) living, 65 years ago. At that time (1812) the only house in the lane was the old one now uninhabited near Charles Day's. It belonged to her father, who sold it to Charles Days' grandfather.

No. 11.-Mr. Stott says that the madwomen from whom the madwoman's lane gets its name lived in a tree, but when he knows not. The house in that lane of which some remains can still be seen was built within the recollection of Sellick Williams by ----- Higgs, father of Mrs. George Wall.

No. 12.-Mr. Stott says that old ------ Martin used to say that they had intended building the church on Comb Batch.

No. 13.-Mrs. Simon Day was the daughter of Richard Stone, who was the son of Edward Stone, butcher. She says that Edward Stone lived on the site of the house in the Boro' where Miss Hancock now lives. He used to go to Somerset Court and they gave him money there to satisfy him, because they had cut off the entail. He was a stout man. His sons ruined him and at last he was on the parish. His sons were great single stick players.

No. 14.-Charlotte Richards Day, widow of Simon Day, showed me in Dec. 1894 a bible given to her when a girl at Sunday school in 1831. She said that the Sunday School was held in the old Poorhouse upstairs; afterwards in a barn opposite the kitchen door of the Vicarage; at Mrs. Sprake's in the Boro'. She said that her father, Richard Stone, was a butcher, and lived where Creed the blacksmith now lives. He Built the house close by where Mary Ann Stone now lives. She (Charlotte) was born in a little house, Stone property, close to Farmer Sperrin's. She once went with her mother, as a little girl, to Brent Knoll. Old Edward after went and received money.

No. 15.-James Dando's father used to live where James Dando, butcher, now (1887) lives. He used to sell cider. Sandy Crease told me that when a boy he had often been ther with his father, who was a drinking man. His (Sandy's) father used to spit on the floor, just as he would in a public house. Old Dando did not like it, and used to call out, "Mide, Mide, fetch the map", i.e. "Maid, Maid, fetch the mop."

No. 16.-Farmer Durston, of Theale Great House, told me that he had heard people say that used to be a bull-baiting in Hope. He could not make out whether the mounds in Hope were natural or artificial.

No. 17.-Maria Wall, aged 77 at Xmas 1887, widow of Edward Wall, told me that her father, John Veale, built the house where she now lives. She had heard that all the land thereabouts was arable and in open field. Her mother, Hannah daughter of -------- Parker, used often to speak about Hannah More, whose school she attended. Maria Wall went to the free school. Newton was the master, a very good and converted man; he used to read an expound sermons to the children. The free school had been the Wesleyan Chapel, and when she went to school the pulpit and seats were still there. Rebecca, widow of her uncle John Parker and still (1887) living, came from Devonshire with Mr. Joseph Richards, in whoser service she lived. She went back there after Mr. Richards' death, but had made John Parkers' acquaintance, whom she eventually married. Edward Wall , husband of Maria Wall, was son of Solomon Wall of Sand.

No. 18.-Clement Champeney of Theale, who died in 1885 aged 73, told me that his mother used to ride to Wedmore church on a pillion. Mrs. Savage of Blackford, grandmother of Mrs. Luttrell of Badgworth Court, also used to ride in from Blackford on a pillion bebind a servant. That was before Theale and Blackford chapels were built. The motor bike of today represents the pillion of that day.

No. 19.-Walter Willis, shoemaker, told me that his grandmother, Mary Tyley, who died in 1880 aged 93, aften used the expression "Go to Hanover", meaning "Get along with you." That expression must have come down from the days of King George I.

No. 20.-Sandy Crease and Mary Vowles both told me of the number of people who used to go to Dunnick's well to be healed. Sandy said that quite lately (1887) he had seen Mathew Brice going there one morning before sunrise. He had not heard whether he was the better for it. The time to go was before sunrise.

No. 21.-Sandy Crease and single stick, see

No. 22.-John Banwell, aged 79 years, Dec. 1888, told me that his father used to say that when Wells Cathedral was built no carts were used for bringing the stone from Doulting, but that there was a string of men from Doulting to Wells who passed the stone on from one to another. The men had 1 penny a day. He also said that formerly milk was never brought home in carts but always carried. For those who came with milk from Wedmore Moor there was a resting place by the Lurban, where 30 or 40 might sometimes be seen at a time.

No 23.-John Banwell told me (March 1891) that he was born where he lives now. But his father and all his father's brothers and sisters were born in Porch House next door. John Banwell's father was William Banwell, who died in --------aged ------- years; and his grandfather was John Banwell, who died in 1786 aged 45 years. John Banwell had never hear any tradition connecting Porch House with Monmouth's rebellion or Judge Jefferies. He recollected that there was a trap door in the Madhouse through which food could be passed to the mad people. The house where John Banwell now lives was built by his mother's father, Joseph Duckett. The date 1777 was in the chimney till quite lately, when the stone crumbled away and had to be replaced. Joseph Ducket married one of his daughters to young William Banwell who lived 10 yards off on the one side of him, and another daughter to young Joseph Wollen who was then a clerk in Mr. Tyley's office, 10 yards off on the other side. One of John Banwell's father's siter was Harry Green's mother.

No. 24.-In Feb. 1891 Henry Hawkins of Porch House told me that he had been looking into the Wedmore Registers, which I had just printed. He saw Adam Bussell's name in them. He said that if any of the Ducketts begin to talk rather big, people say something about Adam Bussell, and they don't like it. Adam Bussell's supposed to have made them. Henry Hawkins also told me that some of the rebels are said to have taken refuge after Sedgemoor in the Porch room of his house, and some ladies in the house tried to conceal them, but they were taken and killed and their heads were fastened up outside.

No. 25.-Peter Evans of Clewer, who died in 1791, had two daughters. One of them, Anne, had an illegitimate son by Thomas Stephens of Charterhouse, farmer. The child, Thomas, was baptised in June 1772. It was brought up by its grandparents at Clewer, and eventually their property came to him. He married Mary Hole on Jan. 1 1807, and had no children. Their nephew, Edmund Hole, succeeded to the estate. Thomas Stephens was in the militia. Mr. Stott told me that he had Peter Evans' walking stick. Peter Eveans was churchwarden when Bilbie cast the tenor bell. Bilbie put up a jack or something of the sort in Peter Evans' house at Clewer, which is still ther but altered. Edmund Hole showed it to me.

No. 26.- -------- Baker of Meare, farmer, called on me one day to ask for the certificate of burial of his grandfather, William Pople of Cocklake, who died in 1869 aged 91. He told me (March 1891) that he had in his house an old fashioned rocking horse, which had belonged to Sir Richard Paget's grandfather. I told Sir Richard, and he was interested in it.

No. 27.-John Tutton, aged 8-- years in 1891, told me that he was the son of John Tutton, who was the son of George Tutton. His mother was Jane Binning, daughter of Jeremiah Binning of Theale Great House. (The Register shows that they were married at Wedmore in April 1798.) The Great House Binnings were no kin to the Crickham and Cocklake Binnings. (So said John Tutton, but I suspect they were.) John Tutton said that his father, John Tutton, built the house near the river at Cocklake where John Binning now (1891) lives. John's grandfather, George Tutton, lived at the bottom of the dungeon, opposite Pople's, in a house now (1891) pulled down. When John was a boy he went to Wells to Davis the undertaker, who lived in High St. where the bank is now. He had £5 a year. He took the goods up to the Palace when the lady died. After 3 years with Davis he went to Bath to the Bank in Union St.

No. 28.-John Tutton told me that old George Davey lived where Geroge Puddy now (1889) lives, and built the house where James Pople now lives. He bought one or two cottages close by, on from -----Amesbury. He left them to his son John Davey. They were mortgaged, and Parker of Axbridge foreclosed. William Pople bought part. Thomas Toogood bought where George Puddy now lives. He married a daughter of Farmer Counsell, who lived where John Hole now lives. (The register shows that Thomas Toogood and Johanna Counsell were married in March 1818).
Registers: July 19, 1834. Thomas Toogood of Cocklake, 43 years. Buried.
March 20, 1832. Joanna Toogood of Cocklake, 38 years. Buried
Joanna was dau. of Edward Counsell of Cocklake, who died in May 1825 aged 71. Buried.
Edward was son of James Counsell of Cocklake, who died April 1762.
James, bapt. Dec. 1726, was son of James Counsell of Cocklake.

No. 29.-Ann Dolling, in the Wells Union in 1892, wanted to know when she was born. Her maiden name was Anne Tutton, daughter of John and Jane Tutton. She had a brother John at Wedmore, and two sisters there, viz. Jane at Miss Banwell's, and Sarah wife of Farmer Banwell. She said that her brother in law at Westbury had destroyed the will, and so she and her eldest brother had been done out of their property. She told this to my sister at Wells, who to me. I found her baptism on Sept. 30, 1810.

No. 30.-William Wyatt, son of Samuel Wyatt, told me that if he lived till next Xmas he would be 90. He was born the year of the hard winter, the day he was born his father gave 4 shillings for a 2 quartern loaf. Old Mrs. Wyatt told me that she had had two little girls. One of them had died aged 8 months. Some woman told her that the child would not live because it was so cunning. I find in the registers that the above William Wyatt was baptized on Xmas day, 1800.

No. 31.-Mrs. Sellick Williams told me that Mr. Warren, Vicar of Wedmore, lived in Wells; he came to Wedmore for one month in the summer with his wife and sister. He had no family. He was a very nice man and a very fine gentleman. Sellick went to Wells once with her father, when she was about 8 years old. He went to be sworn in as clerk, but he had been acting as clerk for some time before he was sworn in. It was in the time of Mr. Warren. She would know his house in Wells if she went there.

No. 32.-Sellick Sweet, as she then was, went to Hannah More's school. She remembers Miss Hannah and Miss Patsy very well. Some of the Wedmore children went to the Cheddar school. Her sister lived with Mrs. Curl who kept the Wedmore and Cheddar schools. See supra, no. 10.

No. 33.-Sellick said that the Vestry Meetings used to be held at the George. The school was kept by Mr. Richard at the Poorhouse. Tucker Coles, who found the coins in the churchyard, went to America. Sellick had heard that he was killed in the American war.

No. 34.-Joseph Norris told me in April 1891 that many years ago his brother found an ivory ladle and a helmet when he was diggin turf in Cocklake delvings. He put the ladle down on a heap of turves, and soon afterwards when he went to get it he found it had all gone to dust. He gave the helmet to some one in Wells, who gave him some article in exchange for it. These were found some 7 feet down. Joseph Norris had himself found lots of gun flints in Cocklake delvings. Cocklake delvings is on the right hand side of Blakeway as you go towards Meare, and was so called because some Cocklake men rented it, two men named Bishop among others. Joseph Norris' brother also found a small silver coin under a tree in Court Garden. It had sails like a florin.

No 35.-On Dec. 14 1894, I paid a visit to Charlotte Richards Day, widow of Simon Day. She showed me a Bible given to her in 1831 when a girl at Sunday School. She said that the Sunday School was held upstairs in the old Poorhouse. Afterwards it was held in a barn opposite my kitchen door, wher Mr. J.C. Smith, solicitor, now lodges. Afterwards at Mrs. Sprake's in the Borough. She told me that her father, Richard Stone, was a butcher, and lived where Creed the blacksmith now lives, which he had bought. He built the house close by where Mary Ann Stone now lives. He was a drinking man and a great single stick player. Her grandfather, Edward Stone, was the father of Stephen, blacksmith; and Geroge; and Richard, her father; and Gabriel, a Bristol butcher, a great single stick player, he married a Bristol woman, had a family and died young; and Simon a great single stick player, who went up to London and died there, some gentleman having kept him ther to play. Edwin Wheeler's mother was a daughter of Edward Stone. Her husband, William Wheeler, treated her bad.

 

Miscellanea

No. 1.-On May 18, 1255, was granted to Giles de Bridport, dean of Wells, and his successors, a weekly market on Tuesday at Wedmor, and a yearly fair there on the vigil, feast and morrow of St. Mary Magdalene, Cal. Charter Rolls.

No. 2.-This is in the Cal. State Papers, 1655. p. 61, 68:--
March 1, 1654/5. Petition of the Church of Christ in Wedmore, Somerset, to the Protector for an order allowing them liberty of meeting for worship in the middle room or second story of the house commonly called the Church House in Wedmore, they having no convenient place. The Church House is employed to no use but the keeping of a court once in 3 weeks. 1 page, 23 signatures.
Order them on for a letter to the Magistrates of Wedmore to grant the parishioners the room when not employed for public uses.
March 5, 1654/5 Whitehall, President Lawrence to the Magistrates and inhabitants of Wedore. A petition in the name of the Church at Wedmore has represented to his Highness that they want a convenient place to worship in, and that the middle room on the second story of the Church House may well be spared, being only used for keeping a Court once in 3 weeks. This being referred to Council they think that all fit accommodation should be given to persons that truly fear God, and manifest the same by a humble and peaceable conservation (sic), and therefore wish the petitioners to have the said room when it is not wanted for the public services. Ca. State. Papers.

No. 3.-Rev. C.E. Pizey writes from Hinton Blewett Rectory on Oct. 18, 1890, and sends me this entry from Hinton Blewett register:
"1772. Sept. 21, James Wiseman of the Parish of Wedmore was buried."

No. 4.-Rev. W.B. de Meleyns {I'm not sure of the spelling. M.T.} writes from Burrington Vicarage on Nov. 18, 1880 and says "I have all the deeds relating to the Wedmore charity; they are very old and in bad order, having before my time been kept in the church tower, which was very damp. They go back to 1669. I cannot find mention of Burrington Folly. The land is at Ruschill or something like it, and the parties conveying the land are Humphrey and Henry Sydenham of Chelworthy on the one side and John Hancock yeoman on the other for 2000 years. The rent of the land, about £ 6, is still given yearly to our poor by the churchwardens with the consent of the Minister and others of the chief inhabitants of the said parish."

No. 5.-Rev. C. Grant writes from Glastonbury on Jan. 8 1892. He says that he sees in Wedmore Chron. II, 123, a reference to Capt. Thomas Silver. He lived at Shapwick and died in 1707. A tombstone to his memory was formerly in the aisle of Shapwick church, but in 1861 was moved to the porch, where it now is. He also says that Stolle at p. 124 is Stowell in Moorlinch.

No. 6.-Writing again on May 24, 1893, Mr. Grant says with regard to the Worme or Oram family, that Stephen Worme married Joanna (?) Hutchins at Shapwick in 1619, and that the name appears several times in the Shapwick registers from that date.

No. 7.-Rev. I. Singleton writes from Theale Vicarage that "Old Mrs. Burrow remembers a little about the coffin and used to hear her father speak of it. It was ploughted up in Tanaeres {I'm not sure of this word. M.T.}, a field on the top of the hill adjoining the lane at Redman's house. It was very thick, freestone, but very rotten; it was ploughed up broken"

Odd notes about Wedmore Chronicles Vol II

-William Eyre, curate P. 270. On Aug. 22 1902, Mr. J. B. Millard wrote to me (then living at Bury St. Edmunds) to tell me that Mr. John Larder having bought the old house next to the old Vicarage was making some alterations in it, and that very morning had found a paper enlosed in a glass bottle and deposited in a stone in the backwall of the house. On the paper was this inscription:

1801. April 15. My dear fellow mortal, if any of my family, I mean my children, shou'd settle here - show them this paper - Be good, Be good, my dear children. In goodness is happiness. How oft has my heart ble for your little wants and misfortunes. I pray God grant you grace and gratitude to think of me, & how I have toil'd for you. I am dead & rotten - tho' now only 38 years. My children are registered in this p'sh.
Wm. Eyre.

1801. April 15. This wall was built at the expence of the Revd. William Eyre by the Tilly's (masons of Allerton). The great scarcity of bread is likely to bring on troubles. The quarter loaf sells for one shilling and ten pence-peas at 6/6d per peck & everything in proportion. Potatoes even exceed this ration - they have sold at from one guinea to thirty shillings per sack. I write this in full strength of body and perhaps it may fall into hands yet unborn. O think! - think!! - think!!! of eternity.
Adieu. Adieu. Adieu.
Wm. Eyre.

There was also found on the premises an old pair of hand cuffs. Also an arch under the wall against the Vicarage premises. This was not explored, but certainly should be.

 

P. 257. John Lewin Warren. The Rev. F. E. Warren, rector of Bardwell in Suffolk, writes to me in 1902 that "John Lewin Warren was my first cousin twice removed. He was great grandson of Rev. John Warren, rector of Boxford in Suffolk 1687-1722. His grandfather was John Warren, a solicitor of Long Melford."
In 1907 he writes, "I had a great great uncle, Archdeacon John Warren, died 1787. He had 19 children. One of his sons was John Warren, Vicar of Wedmore."

 

 

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