Stanton Prior
Encyclopedia
Stanton Prior is a small village, within the civil parish
of Marksbury
, set in Duchy of Cornwall
countryside, 6 miles (9.7 km) south west from the UK city of Bath, Somerset.
Stanton Prior derives its name from the Old English 'Stantona' (meaning Stone Town) and is reputed to be one of the smallest village
s in Somerset, consisting of two farms, 21 houses and the Church of St Lawrence
, which has its origins in the 12th century but is mainly 15th century and underwent heavy restoration
in 1860. The church has been designated by English Heritage
as a Grade II* listed building.
The village was the property of Saxon Kings who gave it to Bath Abbey
before the Norman Conquest and it was help by the Prior until the dissolution of the monasteries
. It was then granted to Thomas Horner, who sold it to General Erington in 1544. The parish of Stanton Prior was part of the Keynsham
Hundred,
Close by, on Stantonbury Hill, are the remains of an Iron Age
hill fort
known as Stantonbury Camp
, which lies on the line of Wansdyke
.
The village is one of Somerset's eight Thankful Villages
(from a total of 32 villages in England), in which all the men who served in World War I
came home. The other seven were Aisholt, Chantry, Chelwood
, Rodney Stoke
, Stocklinch, Tellisford
and Woolley.
Church Farm in Stanton Prior is farmed organically, using crop rotation
, and was awarded the 2005 Silver certificate in the Habitat Award Scheme run by the Duchy of Cornwall
. The lack of herbicide
s has allowed considerable plant diversity with a range of Countryside Stewardship options. A target is to establish a covey of grey partridge
on the farm.
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
of Marksbury
Marksbury
Marksbury is a small village and civil parish in Somerset about from Keynsham and from Bath on the A39 where it meets the A368. The parish, which includes the villages of Hunstrete and Stanton Prior, has a population of 399.- History :...
, set in Duchy of Cornwall
Duchy of Cornwall
The Duchy of Cornwall is one of two royal duchies in England, the other being the Duchy of Lancaster. The eldest son of the reigning British monarch inherits the duchy and title of Duke of Cornwall at the time of his birth, or of his parent's succession to the throne. If the monarch has no son, the...
countryside, 6 miles (9.7 km) south west from the UK city of Bath, Somerset.
Stanton Prior derives its name from the Old English 'Stantona' (meaning Stone Town) and is reputed to be one of the smallest village
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
s in Somerset, consisting of two farms, 21 houses and the Church of St Lawrence
Church of St Lawrence, Stanton Prior
The Anglican Church of St Lawrence in Stanton Prior, Somerset, England has its origins in the 12th century but is mainly 15th century. The church has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade II* listed building....
, which has its origins in the 12th century but is mainly 15th century and underwent heavy restoration
Victorian restoration
Victorian restoration is the term commonly used to refer to the widespread and extensive refurbishment and rebuilding of Church of England churches and cathedrals that took place in England and Wales during the 19th-century reign of Queen Victoria...
in 1860. The church has been designated by English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
as a Grade II* listed building.
The village was the property of Saxon Kings who gave it to Bath Abbey
Bath Abbey
The Abbey Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, Bath, commonly known as Bath Abbey, is an Anglican parish church and a former Benedictine monastery in Bath, Somerset, England...
before the Norman Conquest and it was help by the Prior until the dissolution of the monasteries
Dissolution of the Monasteries
The Dissolution of the Monasteries, sometimes referred to as the Suppression of the Monasteries, was the set of administrative and legal processes between 1536 and 1541 by which Henry VIII disbanded monasteries, priories, convents and friaries in England, Wales and Ireland; appropriated their...
. It was then granted to Thomas Horner, who sold it to General Erington in 1544. The parish of Stanton Prior was part of the Keynsham
Keynsham (hundred)
The Hundred of Keynsham 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 which was...
Hundred,
Close by, on Stantonbury Hill, are the remains of an Iron Age
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
hill fort
Hill fort
A hill fort is a type of earthworks used as a fortified refuge or defended settlement, located to exploit a rise in elevation for defensive advantage. They are typically European and of the Bronze and Iron Ages. Some were used in the post-Roman period...
known as Stantonbury Camp
Stantonbury Camp
Stantonbury Camp is the site of an Iron Age hillfort near Stanton Prior within the parish of Marksbury in Somerset, England. It is a Scheduled Ancient Monument.-Background:...
, which lies on the line of Wansdyke
Wansdyke (earthwork)
Wansdyke is a series of early medieval defensive linear earthworks in the West Country of England, consisting of a ditch and a running embankment from the ditch spoil, with the ditching facing north. It runs at least from Maes Knoll in historic Somerset, a hillfort at the east end of Dundry Hill...
.
The village is one of Somerset's eight Thankful Villages
Thankful Villages
Thankful Villages are settlements in both England and Wales from which all their then members of the armed forces survived World War I. The term Thankful Village was popularised by the writer Arthur Mee in the 1930s...
(from a total of 32 villages in England), in which all the men who served in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
came home. The other seven were Aisholt, Chantry, Chelwood
Chelwood
Chelwood is a small village and civil parish within the Chew Valley in North Somerset about from Bristol and Bath. The parish has a population of 153.- History :...
, Rodney Stoke
Rodney Stoke
Rodney Stoke is a small village and civil parish, located at , 5 miles north-west of Wells, in the English county of Somerset. The village is on the A371 between Draycott and Westbury-sub-Mendip....
, Stocklinch, Tellisford
Tellisford
Tellisford is a village and civil parish north-east of Frome in the Mendip district of Somerset, England. The parish includes the village of Woolverton.-History:...
and Woolley.
Church Farm in Stanton Prior is farmed organically, using crop rotation
Crop rotation
Crop rotation is the practice of growing a series of dissimilar types of crops in the same area in sequential seasons.Crop rotation confers various benefits to the soil. A traditional element of crop rotation is the replenishment of nitrogen through the use of green manure in sequence with cereals...
, and was awarded the 2005 Silver certificate in the Habitat Award Scheme run by the Duchy of Cornwall
Duchy of Cornwall
The Duchy of Cornwall is one of two royal duchies in England, the other being the Duchy of Lancaster. The eldest son of the reigning British monarch inherits the duchy and title of Duke of Cornwall at the time of his birth, or of his parent's succession to the throne. If the monarch has no son, the...
. The lack of herbicide
Herbicide
Herbicides, also commonly known as weedkillers, are pesticides used to kill unwanted plants. Selective herbicides kill specific targets while leaving the desired crop relatively unharmed. Some of these act by interfering with the growth of the weed and are often synthetic "imitations" of plant...
s has allowed considerable plant diversity with a range of Countryside Stewardship options. A target is to establish a covey of grey partridge
Grey Partridge
The Grey Partridge, Perdix perdix, also known as the English Partridge, Hungarian Partridge, or Hun, is a gamebird in the pheasant family Phasianidae of the order Galliformes, gallinaceous birds...
on the farm.