Tatworth is a village south of

Chard Chard or Swiss chard (; ''Beta vulgaris'' subsp. ''vulgaris'', Cicla Group and Flavescens Group) is a green leafy vegetable. In the cultivars of the Flavescens Group, the leaf stalks are large and often prepared separately from the leaf blade; ...

in the South Somerset district of the county of Somerset, England. It is within Tatworth and Forton civil parish, and the

electoral ward A ward is a local authority area, typically used for electoral purposes. In some countries, wards are usually named after neighbourhoods, thoroughfares, parishes, landmarks, geographical features and in some cases historical figures connected to t ...

of the same name. Tatworth is a large village, consisting of a number of smaller villages including South Chard, Perry Street and

Chard Junction Chard Junction railway station was situated on the London and South Western Railway’s West of England Main Line about southeast of the village of Tatworth in Somerset, England. It was the junction of a short branch line to Chard. It was ope ...

which are close together. The hamlet of Forton lies to the north, towards Chard.

History

A white lias limestone Roman tessera measuring x x and regularly cut on two faces was found in the area, and may be connected with the remains of a Roman villa or farmhouse by St Margaret's Lane. Part of this building was excavated in 1967 and pottery and paving found there are displayed in the Chard Museum. The name of the village comes from the

Old English Old English (, ), or Anglo-Saxon, is the earliest recorded form of the English language, spoken in England and southern and eastern Scotland in the early Middle Ages. It was brought to Great Britain by Anglo-Saxon settlement of Britain, Anglo ...

''tat'' and ''worp'' meaning 'A cheerful farm'. In 1254, the spelling was Tattewurthe and was a sub-manor of Chard. In 1554 Thatteworh was granted to William Petre as the 'manor and park of Tatworthy' and remained in the family until 1790. Tatworth in the 1850s extended to and had a population of 852.

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 watch 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 parish was known as Chard parish (distinct from the town of

) until 1985 when boundary changes were made, and it was reduced in size. The village falls within the non-metropolitan district of South Somerset, which was formed on 1 April 1974 under the

Local Government Act 1972 The Local Government Act 1972 (c. 70) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales on 1 April 1974. It was one of the most significant Acts of Parliament to be passed by the Heath Gov ...

, having previously been part of Chard Rural District. The district council is responsible for local planning and building control, local roads,

council housing Public housing in the United Kingdom, also known as council estates, council housing, or social housing, provided the majority of rented accommodation until 2011 when the number of households in private rental housing surpassed the number in so ...

, environmental health, markets and fairs,

refuse collection Waste collection is a part of the process of waste management. It is the transfer of solid waste from the point of use and disposal to the point of treatment or landfill. Waste collection also includes the curbside collection of recyclable m ...

and recycling,

cemeteries A cemetery, burial ground, gravesite or graveyard is a place where the remains of dead people are buried or otherwise interred. The word ''cemetery'' (from Greek , "sleeping place") implies that the land is specifically designated as a buri ...

and crematoria, leisure services, parks, and tourism. Somerset County Council is responsible for running the most expensive local services such as Local Education Authority, education, social services, library, libraries, main roads, public transport, police, policing and fire services, Trading Standards, trading standards, waste disposal and strategic planning. It is also part of the Yeovil (UK Parliament constituency), Yeovil county constituency, represented in the British House of Commons, House of Commons.

Amenities

Church of St John the Evangelist, Tatworth, St John's Church, which dates from 1851, is designated by English Heritage as a Grade II listed building. Tatworth has a primary school, two Public houses, pubs – ''Ye Olde Poppe Inn'' and the ''Golden Fleece'' – and the Perry Street Club, a members-only club. It also has a McColl's shop which is also a post office. Tatworth has a number of local sports clubs. The Perry Street and District League, Perry Street & District Football League was formed in Tatworth in 1903 by Charles Edward Small, the owner of the Perry Street Lace Works. Perry Street Football Club still play in the league today. There is also a cricket club and local skittles league based at Perry Street Club. Stowell Meadow is a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest.

References

External links

{{South Somerset Villages in South Somerset Civil parishes in Somerset