National Gazetteer (1868) - Kilmersdon

"KILMERSDON, a parish in the hundred of the same name, county Somerset, 10 miles from Bath, its post town, 6 N.W. of Frome railway station, and 121 from London. The parish, which is extensive, contains the hamlets of Coleford, Charlton, Kilmersdon Common, Luckington, Newberry, and Libyeate. The town, which is well built, contains some good streets, which are paved and lighted with gas. It contains a new Temperance Hall, with a lecture room, gas works, &c. Petty sessions for the division of Kilmersdon are held monthly at the Gauntlet's Inn. There are extensive coal mines. The land is chiefly in pasture and the soil various. The impropriate tithes have been commuted for a rent-charge of £376, and the vicarial for £243 178. The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Bath and Wells, value £214, in the patronage of the lord chancellor. The church, dedicated to SS. Peter and Paul, is a stone structure, with a tower containing a clock and five bells. The interior of the church is very deficient in architectural adornment. In addition to the parish church there is a district church at Coleford, the living of which is a perpetual curacy,* value £120, and in the patronage of the Vicar of Kilmersdon." From The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland (1868) Transcribed by Colin Hinson © 2003

"KILMERSDON, a parish in the hundred of the same name, county Somerset, 10 miles from Bath, its post town, 6 N.W. of Frome railway station, and 121 from London. The parish, which is extensive, contains the hamlets of Coleford, Charlton, Kilmersdon Common, Luckington, Newberry, and Libyeate. The town, which is well built, contains some good streets, which are paved and lighted with gas. It contains a new Temperance Hall, with a lecture room, gas works, &c. Petty sessions for the division of Kilmersdon are held monthly at the Gauntlet's Inn. There are extensive coal mines. The land is chiefly in pasture and the soil various. The impropriate tithes have been commuted for a rent-charge of £376, and the vicarial for £243 178. The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Bath and Wells, value £214, in the patronage of the lord chancellor. The church, dedicated to SS. Peter and Paul, is a stone structure, with a tower containing a clock and five bells. The interior of the church is very deficient in architectural adornment. In addition to the parish church there is a district church at Coleford, the living of which is a perpetual curacy,* value £120, and in the patronage of the Vicar of Kilmersdon.

There are schools endowed by different donors for the education of 40 children. There is also a Sunday-school and two places of worship for Wesleyans. Ammerdown is a modern mansion situated in an extensive park, surrounded by a wall 8 feet in height. There is a column in the park erected to the memory of Colonel Thomas Samuel Joliffe, 150 feet in height, with a central staircase. It bears inscriptions in English, French, and Latin. It is the seat of the Rev. Thomas Robert Joliffe, who is lord of the manor and principal landowner. Here is published the weekly newspaper, the East Somerset Telegraph, which has an extensive circulation."

"CHARLTON, a hamlet in the parish of Kilmersdon, in the county of Somerset, 6 miles W. of Frome."

"LUCKINGTON, a hamlet in the parish of Kilmersdon, county Somerset, 5 miles N.W. of Frome."

"LYPIATE, a hamlet in the parish and hundred of Kilmersdon, county Somerset, 6 miles N.W. of Frome."