Bickenhall
Encyclopedia
Bickenhall is a hamlet and parish
in Somerset
, England, situated 5 miles (8 km) south east of Taunton
in the Taunton Deane
district. The parish, which includes the hamlet
of Batten's Green, has a population
of 122.
Bickenhall is a widely scattered hamlet lying between the A358 and the village of Staple Fitzpaine
.
The village consists of farms, houses and smallholdings. It has no shops or pubs, barring a recently opened sculpture studio at Bickenhall Farm. Bickenhall is also home to Neroche Parish Hall, formerly St. Pauls church (though has the appearance of a Methodist type church rather than one with a tower).
in 1086. It later passed to the Portman family of Orchard Portman
, who founded the Portman Estate
.
Bickenhall was part of the hundred of Abdick and Bulstone
.
Bickenhall was a haunt of smugglers at various times in the past. Aptly named Brandy Bridge in Bickenhall was the location of the "Cat and Rags" pub, which was used as a stop-off for goods smuggled from the south Dorset coast.
The village was once larger than the neighbouring Staple Fitzpaine due to a roaring trade in Teasels that were used in the wool trade but in the 19th century this declined dramatically and as a result many homes became derelict and are now only seen as stones in many of the fields. The Portland Estate that dominated the area also accommodated a manor house within the parish that sadly went the same way as the village homes. The land is generally now owned by The Crown and cultivated by a number of farms including arable and more recently a growth in Equestrian activities taking full use of the Bridlways and droves.
and Hatch Beauchamp
. This fell into disrepair however and was pulled down in around 1843, and was replaced by the current Neroche Parish Hall. The graveyard of the old church remains and can be seen by the roadside.
A local ghost story stems from the above church changes. Sixteenth-century local landowner Rachel Portman lived nearby and is buried at the old church. She was commemorated inside the church by a large, wall-mounted relief statue which is now to be seen inside Staple Fitzpaine
church. However, it is said that the demolition of her local church angered her spirit, and that now she can be seen to ride each midnight from the site of the old church to Neroche Parish Hall, upon a horse.
groups on matters of crime, security, and traffic. The parish council's role also includes initiating projects for the maintenance and repair of parish facilities, as well as consulting with the district council on the maintenance, repair, and improvement of highways, drainage, footpaths, public transport, and street cleaning. Conservation matters (including trees and listed buildings) and environmental issues are also the responsibility of the council.
The village falls within the Non-metropolitan district
of Taunton Deane
, which was formed on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972
, having previously been part of Taunton Rural District
. The district council is responsible for local planning
and building control, local roads, council housing, environmental health
, market
s and fairs, refuse collection and recycling
, cemeteries and crematoria, leisure services, parks, and tourism
.
Somerset County Council
is responsible for running the largest and most expensive local services such as education
, social services, libraries
, main roads, public transport
, policing
and fire services, trading standards
, waste disposal and strategic planning.
It is also part of a county constituency represented in the House of Commons
of the Parliament of the United Kingdom
. It elects one Member of Parliament (MP)
by the first past the post system of election, and part of the South West England constituency
of the European Parliament
which elects seven MEPs using the d'Hondt method
of party-list proportional representation
.
biological Site of Special Scientific Interest.
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
in Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, England, situated 5 miles (8 km) south east of Taunton
Taunton
Taunton is the county town of Somerset, England. The town, including its suburbs, had an estimated population of 61,400 in 2001. It is the largest town in the shire county of Somerset....
in the Taunton Deane
Taunton Deane
Taunton Deane is a local government district with borough status in Somerset, England. Its council is based in Taunton.The district was formed on 1 April 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, by a merger of the Municipal Borough of Taunton, Wellington Urban District, Taunton Rural District,...
district. The parish, which includes the hamlet
Hamlet (place)
A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
of Batten's Green, has a population
Population
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
of 122.
Bickenhall is a widely scattered hamlet lying between the A358 and the village of Staple Fitzpaine
Staple Fitzpaine
Staple Fitzpaine is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated south of Taunton in the Taunton Deane district. The village has a population of 151 and is within the Blackdown Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty...
.
The village consists of farms, houses and smallholdings. It has no shops or pubs, barring a recently opened sculpture studio at Bickenhall Farm. Bickenhall is also home to Neroche Parish Hall, formerly St. Pauls church (though has the appearance of a Methodist type church rather than one with a tower).
History
The name of the village comes from Bica's hall or hill. The manor was held by Robert, Count of Mortain at the time of the Domesday BookDomesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
in 1086. It later passed to the Portman family of Orchard Portman
Orchard Portman
Orchard Portman is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated south of Taunton in the Taunton Deane district. The village has a population of 150....
, who founded the Portman Estate
Portman Estate
The Portman Estate is a property estate in Marylebone, Central London. It lies between Oxford Street and Edgware Road, and includes Portman Square, Manchester Square, and some parts of Baker Street and Gloucester Place....
.
Bickenhall was part of the hundred of Abdick and Bulstone
Abdick and Bulstone (hundred)
The Hundred of Abdick and Bulstone is one of the 40 historical Hundreds in the ceremonial county of Somerset, England, dating from before the Norman conquest during the Anglo-Saxon era although exact dates are unknown. Each hundred had a 'fyrd', which acted as the local defence force and a court...
.
Bickenhall was a haunt of smugglers at various times in the past. Aptly named Brandy Bridge in Bickenhall was the location of the "Cat and Rags" pub, which was used as a stop-off for goods smuggled from the south Dorset coast.
The village was once larger than the neighbouring Staple Fitzpaine due to a roaring trade in Teasels that were used in the wool trade but in the 19th century this declined dramatically and as a result many homes became derelict and are now only seen as stones in many of the fields. The Portland Estate that dominated the area also accommodated a manor house within the parish that sadly went the same way as the village homes. The land is generally now owned by The Crown and cultivated by a number of farms including arable and more recently a growth in Equestrian activities taking full use of the Bridlways and droves.
Churches
Formerly Bickenhall had its own traditional-style village church, similar to those in nearby West HatchWest Hatch
West Hatch is a hamlet and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated south east of Taunton in the Taunton Deane district. It has a population of 292.-History:The name of the hamlet indicates it lies to the west of Hatch Beauchamp....
and Hatch Beauchamp
Hatch Beauchamp
Hatch Beauchamp is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated south east of Taunton in the Taunton Deane district. The village has a population of 575.-History:...
. This fell into disrepair however and was pulled down in around 1843, and was replaced by the current Neroche Parish Hall. The graveyard of the old church remains and can be seen by the roadside.
A local ghost story stems from the above church changes. Sixteenth-century local landowner Rachel Portman lived nearby and is buried at the old church. She was commemorated inside the church by a large, wall-mounted relief statue which is now to be seen inside Staple Fitzpaine
Staple Fitzpaine
Staple Fitzpaine is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated south of Taunton in the Taunton Deane district. The village has a population of 151 and is within the Blackdown Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty...
church. However, it is said that the demolition of her local church angered her spirit, and that now she can be seen to ride each midnight from the site of the old church to Neroche Parish Hall, upon a horse.
Governance
The parish council has responsibility for local issues, including setting an annual precept (local rate) to cover the council’s operating costs and producing annual accounts for public scrutiny. The parish council evaluates local planning applications and works with the local police, district council officers, and neighbourhood watchNeighbourhood Watch (UK)
The Neighbourhood Watch scheme in the United Kingdom is a partnership where people come together to make their communities safer. It involves the Police, Community Safety departments of local authorities, other voluntary organisations and, above all, individuals and families who want to make their...
groups on matters of crime, security, and traffic. The parish council's role also includes initiating projects for the maintenance and repair of parish facilities, as well as consulting with the district council on the maintenance, repair, and improvement of highways, drainage, footpaths, public transport, and street cleaning. Conservation matters (including trees and listed buildings) and environmental issues are also the responsibility of the council.
The village falls within the Non-metropolitan district
Non-metropolitan district
Non-metropolitan districts, or colloquially shire districts, are a type of local government district in England. As created, they are sub-divisions of non-metropolitan counties in a so-called "two-tier" arrangement...
of Taunton Deane
Taunton Deane
Taunton Deane is a local government district with borough status in Somerset, England. Its council is based in Taunton.The district was formed on 1 April 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, by a merger of the Municipal Borough of Taunton, Wellington Urban District, Taunton Rural District,...
, which was formed on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972
Local Government Act 1972
The Local Government Act 1972 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales on 1 April 1974....
, having previously been part of Taunton Rural District
Taunton Rural District
Taunton was a rural district in Somerset, England, from 1894 to 1974.It was created in 1894 under the Local Government Act 1894.In 1974 it was abolished under the Local Government Act 1972 when it became part of Taunton Deane district....
. The district council is responsible for local planning
Planning permission
Planning permission or planning consent is the permission required in the United Kingdom in order to be allowed to build on land, or change the use of land or buildings. Within the UK the occupier of any land or building will need title to that land or building , but will also need "planning...
and building control, local roads, council housing, environmental health
Environmental health
Environmental health is the branch of public health that is concerned with all aspects of the natural and built environment that may affect human health...
, market
Market
A market is one of many varieties of systems, institutions, procedures, social relations and infrastructures whereby parties engage in exchange. While parties may exchange goods and services by barter, most markets rely on sellers offering their goods or services in exchange for money from buyers...
s and fairs, refuse collection and recycling
Recycling
Recycling is processing used materials into new products to prevent waste of potentially useful materials, reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials, reduce energy usage, reduce air pollution and water pollution by reducing the need for "conventional" waste disposal, and lower greenhouse...
, cemeteries and crematoria, leisure services, parks, and tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
.
Somerset County Council
Somerset County Council
Somerset County Council is the county council of Somerset in the South West of England, an elected local government authority responsible for the most significant local government services in most of the county.-Area covered:...
is responsible for running the largest and most expensive local services such as education
Local Education Authority
A local education authority is a local authority in England and Wales that has responsibility for education within its jurisdiction...
, social services, libraries
Library
In a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...
, main roads, public transport
Public transport
Public transport is a shared passenger transportation service which is available for use by the general public, as distinct from modes such as taxicab, car pooling or hired buses which are not shared by strangers without private arrangement.Public transport modes include buses, trolleybuses, trams...
, policing
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
and fire services, trading standards
Trading Standards
Trading Standards is the name given to local authority departments in the UK formerly known as Weights and Measures. These departments investigate commercial organisations that carry out trade in unethical ways or outside the scope of the law.-History:...
, waste disposal and strategic planning.
It is also part of a county constituency represented in the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
of the Parliament of the United Kingdom
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
. It elects one Member of Parliament (MP)
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
by the first past the post system of election, and part of the South West England constituency
South West England (European Parliament constituency)
South West England is a constituency of the European Parliament. For 2009 it elects 6 MEPs using the d'Hondt method of party-list proportional representation, reduced from 7 in 2004.-Boundaries:...
of the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
which elects seven MEPs using the d'Hondt method
D'Hondt method
The d'Hondt method is a highest averages method for allocating seats in party-list proportional representation. The method described is named after Belgian mathematician Victor D'Hondt who described it in 1878...
of party-list proportional representation
Party-list proportional representation
Party-list proportional representation systems are a family of voting systems emphasizing proportional representation in elections in which multiple candidates are elected...
.
Geography
Approximately 0.5 mile (0.80467 km) south east of the village is the Barrington Hill MeadowsBarrington Hill Meadows
Barrington Hill Meadows is a 16.1 hectare biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Somerset, England, notified in 1987....
biological Site of Special Scientific Interest.