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Wiveliscombe

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"WIVELISCOMBE, a parish and market town in the hundred of Kingsbury West, county Somerset, 15 miles S.W. of Bridgwater, 11 W. of Taunton, and 6 N. of Wellington railway station. It is situated in a comb, or valley, from which circumstance it takes its name, under the Maundown hills, and includes the chapelry of Fitzhead, the town of Wiveliscombe, and the hamlets of Croford, Ford, Langley, West Town, and Whitfield. It was a place of importance under the Saxons, and had a palace in the 15th century, belonging to the Bishops of Wells, to whom the manor was originally given by Edward the Confessor. It is a polling place for the county elections, and is governed by a bailiff, portreeve, and other officers, but is under the jurisdiction of the county magistrates, who hold petty sessions on the third Tuesday in each month. The population is close upon 3,000. The town is lighted with gas, and contains a townhall, police station, dispensary, reading-rooms, and branch bank. Here is situated the largest brewery in the W. of England." From The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland (1868) Transcribed by Colin Hinson © 2003

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Archives & Libraries

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Bibliography

References in the British Library:
  • Wiveliscombe, Somerset. Official guide, etc.. pp. 26. E. J. Burrow & Co.: Cheltenham, [1927.]
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Description & Travel

You can see pictures of Wiveliscombe which are provided by:

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Gazetteers

  • The section of The National Gazetteer (1868) relating to this parish - transcribed by Colin Hinson.

    Transcribed by Debbie Kennett:
    From the Universal British Directory of Trade, Commerce and Manufacture published by Champanye and Whitrow, London, 1791, Volume V, Appendix, p245.
    WIVELSCOMB is near the river Thone, 160 miles from London. It has a market on Tuesday; fairs, May 12 and Sept. 25. Not long since an urn was found here full of Roman coins. Here is an hospital for twelve poor people. Milverton, near Wivelscomb, on a river that runs to the Tone, was one of the boroughs of this county excused from sending members to parliament. It has three fairs, viz. on Tuesday in Easter-week, July 25, and Oct. 10.

You can see maps centred on OS grid reference ST081286 (Lat/Lon: 51.049158, -3.312678), Wiveliscombe which are provided by:

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Societies

You can also see Family History Societies covering the nearby area, plotted on a map. This facility is being developed, and is awaiting societies to enter information about the places they cover.