The ''Somerset Victoria County History'' is an encyclopaedic history of the

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposes Chambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

Somerset ( en, All The People of Somerset) , locator_map = , coordinates = , region = South West England , established_date = Ancient , established_by = , preceded_by = , origin = , lord_lieutenant_office =Lord Lieutenant of Somerset , lord_ ...

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

, forming part of the overall Victoria County History of England founded in 1899 in honour of

Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 216 days was longer than that of any previo ...

. With ten volumes published in the series ''A History of the County of Somerset'', the Somerset VCH is among the most substantial of the Victoria County Histories.

Volumes published

General volumes

* Volume I (1906), ed. William Page: the Natural History of the county, with some archaeological material and a chapter on Romano-British Somerset, especially Bath; the Somerset Domesday and the Geld InquestVictoria County History: Somerset
at british-history.ac.uk, accessed 28 October 2011Somerset Publications
at victoriacountyhistory.ac.uk, accessed 28 October 2011 * Volume II (1911), ed. William Page: Religious houses, including

Wells Cathedral Wells Cathedral is an Anglican cathedral in Wells, Somerset, England, dedicated to St Andrew the Apostle. It is the seat of the Bishop of Bath and Wells, whose cathedra it holds as mother church of the Diocese of Bath and Wells. Built as a ...

, Bath Abbey and

Glastonbury Abbey Glastonbury Abbey was a monastery in Glastonbury, Somerset, England. Its ruins, a grade I listed building and scheduled ancient monument, are open as a visitor attraction. The abbey was founded in the 8th century and enlarged in the 10th. It w ...

Topographical volumes

* Volume III (1974), ed. R. W. Dunning: Kingsbury (East),

Pitney Pitney is a village and parish in Somerset, England, located east of Langport and west of Somerton in the South Somerset district. In 2011, the village had a population of 374. Pitney is home to St John the Baptist Church, the Pitney Farm ...

Somerton Somerton may refer to: Places Australia * Somerton, New South Wales * Somerton Park, South Australia, a seaside Adelaide suburb ** Somerton Man, unsolved case of an unidentified man found dead in 1948 on the Somerton Park beach * Somerton, Victoria ...

and Tintinhull hundreds:

Huish Episcopi Huish Episcopi is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated on the outskirts of Langport, south west of Somerton in the South Somerset district. The parish has a population of 2,095, and includes the hamlets of Bowdens, Combe, P ...

, Langport,

Muchelney Muchelney () is a clustered village and civil parish in Somerset, England, extending for from the south bank of the River Parrett and that has a clustered centre. This is south of Huish and Langport and south west of Somerton in the South ...

; Aller,

West Camel West Camel is a village and civil parish in south Somerset, England, about north of the town of Yeovil. It lies either side of the River Cam, just south of the A303, and has a population of 459. The parish includes the hamlet of Urgashay. Neig ...

Charlton Adam Charlton Mackrell is a village in civil parish of The Charltons, in the county of Somerset, England, situated east of Somerton, Somerset, Somerton in the South Somerset district. The village has a population of 1,020. The parish consists of tw ...

Charlton Mackrell Charlton Mackrell is a village in civil parish of The Charltons, in the county of Somerset, England, situated east of Somerton in the South Somerset district. The village has a population of 1,020. The parish consists of two villages, Charlton ...

, Kingsdon, East Lydford,

, Long Sutton,

Yeovilton Yeovilton is a village and former civil parish, now in the parish of Yeovilton and District, in Somerset, England, east of Ilchester and north of Yeovil, in South Somerset district. The parish had a population of 1,226 in the 2011 census, es ...

;

Ilchester Ilchester is a village and civil parish, situated on the River Yeo or Ivel, five miles north of Yeovil, in the English county of Somerset. Originally a Roman town, and later a market town, Ilchester has a rich medieval history and was a nota ...

, Kingstone, Montacute, Northover,

Sock Dennis Sock Dennis is an historic manor in the parish of Ilchester in Somerset, England. History In the Domesday Book of 1086 the manor of Sock Dennis was in the possession of Robert, Count of Mortain. From the mid-13th century it was described as a ma ...

, Stoke sub Hamdon, Thorne, Tintinhull * Volume IV (1978), ed. R. W. Dunning:

Crewkerne Crewkerne ( ) is a town and electoral ward in Somerset, England, southwest of Yeovil and east of Chard all in the South Somerset district. The civil parish of West Crewkerne includes the hamlets of Coombe, Woolminstone and Henley – and b ...

and

South Petherton South Petherton is a village and civil parish in the South Somerset district of Somerset, England, located east of Ilminster and north of Crewkerne. The parish had a population of 3,367 in 2011 and includes the smaller village of Over Stra ...

hundreds and Martock hundred (part):

Hinton St George Hinton St George is a village and parish in Somerset, England, situated outside Crewkerne, south west of Yeovil in the South Somerset district. The village has a population of 442. It has a wide main street lined with hamstone cottages, some t ...

Merriott Merriott is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, near the town of Crewkerne and west of Yeovil in the South Somerset district. The village has a population of 1,979. On Church Street, there is a well-preserved tithe barn, which is ...

, Misterton,

Wayford Wayford is a village and civil parish on the River Axe, south-west of Crewkerne, in the South Somerset district of Somerset, England. History The parish was part of the hundred of Crewkerne. Wayford Manor House was rebuilt around 1600 by Cha ...

; Martock; Barrington, Chaffcombe, Chillington,

Cricket St Thomas Cricket St Thomas is a parish in Somerset, England, situated in a valley between Chard and Crewkerne within the South Somerset administrative district. The A30 road passes nearby. The parish has a population of 50. It is noted for the historic ...

, Cudworth, Dinnington, Dowlish Wake, Knowle St Giles, Lopen,

, Seavington St Mary,

Seavington St Michael Seavington St Michael is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England. It is situated next to the village of Seavington St Mary, about east of Ilminster, within the South Somerset district. It lies in a hollow within a larger area of low-lyin ...

, Shepton Beauchamp,

Wambrook Wambrook is a village and civil parish in the Blackdown Hills, Somerset, England. The village lies about southwest of the town of Chard. The parish includes the hamlets of Higher Wambrook and Lower Wambrook which is sometimes known as Haselcombe. ...

, Whitestaunton * Volume V (1985), ed. R. W. Dunning: Williton and Freemanors hundred (part), and Whitley hundred (part):

Holford Holford is a village and civil parish in West Somerset within the Quantock Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It is located about west of Bridgwater and east of Williton, with a population of 392. The village is on the Quantock Greenway ...

; Bicknoller, Brompton Ralph, Chipstable, Clatworthy,

Old Cleeve Old Cleeve (https://www.oldcleeveparishcouncil.org/) is a village south east of Minehead in the Somerset West and Taunton district of Somerset, England, and also a civil parish. The civil parish of Old Cleeve covers an area of and includes t ...

Crowcombe Crowcombe is a village and civil parish under the Quantock Hills in Somerset, England, southeast of Watchet, and from Taunton. The village has a population of 489. The parish covers the hamlets of Crowcombe Heathfield, Flaxpool, Halsway, Law ...

, Dodington, Elworthy, Halse,

Huish Champflower Huish Champflower is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, three miles north-west of Wiveliscombe and ten miles north of Wellington, Somerset, Wellington. It has a population of 301 (Census 2011). History The name comes from the ''hiw ...

, Kilton, Kilve, Lilstock, Monksilver, Nettlecombe, East Quantoxhead, West Quantoxhead, Raddington, St Decumans (including

Watchet Watchet is a harbour town, civil parish and electoral ward in the county of Somerset, England, with a population in 2011 of 3,785. It is situated west of Bridgwater, north-west of Taunton, and east of Minehead. The town lies at the mouth of ...

and

Williton Williton is a large village and civil parish in Somerset, England, at the junction of the A39, A358 and B3191 roads, on the coast south of Watchet between Minehead, Bridgwater and Taunton in the Somerset West and Taunton district. Williton sta ...

Sampford Brett Sampford Brett is a village and civil parish situated at the south-western edge of the Quantock Hills, Somerset, England, less than south of Williton, just off the A358 road to Taunton. Geography It lies in a shallow valley cut by the Sampford ...

, Stogumber, Nether Stowey * Volume VI (1992), ed. R. W. Dunning and C. R. Elrington: Andersfield, Cannington, and

North Petherton North Petherton is a small town and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated on the edge of the eastern foothills of the Quantocks, and close to the edge of the Somerset Levels. The town has a population of 6,730 as of 2014. The parish includ ...

hundreds: Broomfield,

Creech St Michael Creech St Michael is a village and civil parish in Somerset, three miles east of Taunton in the Somerset West and Taunton district. The parish straddles the M5 motorway and includes several scattered settlements. The village of Creech St Michael ...

, Durleigh, Enmore,

Goathurst Goathurst is a small village and civil parish in the English county of Somerset, around 3 miles from the town of Bridgwater. The parish includes the hamlets of Andersfield and Huntstile. The village is on the route of the Samaritans Way South Wes ...

, Lyng; Aisholt, Cannington, Charlinch, Fiddington, Otterhampton,

Spaxton Spaxton is a small village and civil parish on the Quantocks in the Sedgemoor district of Somerset, South West England. History Spaxton was part of the hundred of Cannington. The modern parish includes the ancient parishes of Aisholt and Charl ...

, Stockland Bristol, Stogursey, Over Stowey,

Stringston Stringston is a village and civil parish on the northern edge of the Quantock Hills in the English county of Somerset. The village is west of Bridgwater, and close to the villages of Holford, Kilve and Stogursey. In 2002, the parish was estima ...

; Bawdrip, Bridgwater, Chedzoy,

Chilton Trinity Chilton Trinity is a village and civil parish on the River Parrett, north of Bridgwater in the Sedgemoor district of Somerset, England. History Iron Age and Roman pottery have been found at Chilton village. The name Chilton implies a settlement ...

Durston Durston is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated on the A361 road north east of Taunton and south of Bridgwater in the Somerset West and Taunton district. The parish lies on undulating ground between the lowest slopes of th ...

, Pawlett,

, St Michaelchurch, Thurloxton,

Wembdon Wembdon is a semi-rural village near Bridgwater, in Somerset, England. Wembdon is now home to an Anglican church, a small shop (combined with the post office), a pub and a small garage. History Wembdon was listed in the Domesday Book of 1086 a ...

* Volume VII (1999), ed. C. R. J. Currie and R. W. Dunning:

Bruton Bruton ( ) is a market town, electoral ward, and civil parish in Somerset, England, on the River Brue and the A359 between Frome and Yeovil. It is 7 miles (11 km) south-east of Shepton Mallet, just south of Snakelake Hill and Coombe Hill, 10 ...

, Horethorne and Norton Ferris hundreds, part of Taunton Dean hundred, part of Whitley hundred: Brewham, Brewham Lodge, Eastrip and Four Towers,

, Milton Clevedon, Pitcombe, Upton Noble, and Yarlington; Abbas and Temple Combe, Charlton Horethorne, North Cheriton, Corton Denham, Henstridge, Horsington, Marston Magna,

Milborne Port Milborne Port is a village, electoral ward and civil parish in Somerset, England, east of Sherborne, and in the South Somerset district. It has a population of 2,802. The parish includes the hamlets of Milborne Wick and Kingsbury Regis. The vil ...

, Stowell; Bratton Seymour,

Charlton Musgrove Charlton Musgrove is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated north east of Wincanton in the South Somerset district. The village has a population of 398. The parish includes the hamlets of Barrow, Holbrook, Southmarsh, and par ...

, Cucklington,

Penselwood Penselwood is a village and civil parish in the English county of Somerset. It is located north east of Wincanton, south east of Bruton, west of Mere, and north west of Gillingham. The south-east of the parish borders Zeals and Stourhead in ...

Shepton Montague Shepton Montague is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, United Kingdom. It is situated on the River Pitt in the South Somerset district midway between Wincanton, Bruton and Castle Cary. It is known for its dairy farming and one of ...

, Stoke Trister,

Wincanton Wincanton ( or ) is a small town and electoral ward in South Somerset, southwest England. The town lies off the A303 road, a main route between London and South West England, and has some light industry. The town and electoral ward has a populati ...

, Rimpton;

Blackford Blackford might refer to: People with the surname *Charles Minor Blackford (1833–1903), an American lawyer *Hosea Blackford, a fictional character in books by Harry Turtledove *Ian Blackford, a Scottish politician *Isaac Blackford (1786–1859), ...

, Holton * Volume VIII (2004), ed. R. W. Dunning: The Poldens and the Levels: Huntspill and Puritan hundred:

Ashcott Ashcott is a small village and civil parish located in the Sedgemoor area of Somerset in the south-west of England. The village has a population of 1,186. The parish includes the hamlets of Ashcott Corner, Berhill, Buscott, Nythe and Pedwell. ...

, Catcott,

Chilton Polden Chilton Polden is a rural village and civil parish, situated close to Edington on the Somerset Levels to the north of the Polden Hills in the Sedgemoor district of Somerset, England. History The name of the village is thought to derive from ...

, Cossington, Edington, Greinton, High Ham,

Huntspill Huntspill is a village on the Huntspill Level in Somerset, England. It lies on the A38 road, south of Highbridge. The village is the principal settlement in the civil parish of West Huntspill. In 2019 it had an estimated population of 1102. H ...

, Middlezoy, Moorlinch, Othery, Puriton, Shapwick, Stawell, Sutton Mallet,

Westonzoyland Westonzoyland is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England. It is situated on the Somerset Levels, south east of Bridgwater. History The name of the parish derives from its location on the "island" of Sowy, an area of slightly higher groun ...

, and Woolavington * Volume IX (2006), ed. R. W. Dunning: Glastonbury Twelve Hides hundred, including

Glastonbury Glastonbury (, ) is a town and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated at a dry point on the low-lying Somerset Levels, south of Bristol. The town, which is in the Mendip district, had a population of 8,932 in the 2011 census. Glastonbur ...

and Street,

Baltonsborough Baltonsborough is a village and civil parish in the Mendip district of Somerset, England. According to the 2011 census the parish had a population of 864. As well as Baltonsborough village, the parish contains the hamlets of Ham Street, Catsham ...

, Butleigh, Compton Dundon,

Meare Meare is a village and civil parish north west of Glastonbury on the Somerset Levels, in the Mendip district of Somerset, England. The parish includes the village of Westhay. History Meare is a marshland village in typical Somerset " rhyne" c ...

, North Wootton, Podimore Milton,

Walton Walton may refer to: People * Walton (given name) * Walton (surname) * Susana, Lady Walton (1926–2010), Argentine writer Places Canada * Walton, Nova Scotia, a community ** Walton River (Nova Scotia) *Walton, Ontario, a hamlet United Kingdo ...

West Bradley West Bradley is a village and civil parish 4 miles south-east of Glastonbury in the Mendip district of Somerset, England. The parish includes the hamlets of Hornblotton and Lottisham. Hornblotton Green is a traditional English community with a ...

, and

West Pennard West Pennard (or West Pennard Manor) is a village and civil parish east of Glastonbury, situated at the foot of Pennard Hill, in the Mendip District, Mendip district of Somerset, England. The parish includes the hamlet (place), hamlets of Coxbridg ...

* Volume X (2010), ed. Mary C. Siraut: Castle Cary and the

Brue Brue ( gd, Brù) is a village on the Isle of Lewis in the West Side district, in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland. It is a crofting township and it is composed of two areas: Am Baile Staigh, which is nearer the coast, and Pàirc Bhrù, which runs ...

Cary Cary may refer to: Places ;United States * Cary, Illinois, part of the Chicago metropolitan area * Cary, Indiana, part of the Indianapolis metropolitan area * Cary, Miami County, Indiana * Cary, Maine * Cary, Mississippi * Cary, North Carolina ...

Watershed (part of Catsash hundred)

County Editors

* William Page * C. R. J. Currie * 1971–2006: Robert W. Dunning * 2006– : Mary C. SirautAbout VCH Somerset
at victoriacountyhistory.ac.uk, accessed 28 October 2011 The present county editor, Mary C. Siraut, served as deputy editor from 1978 to 2006 and was a full-time VCH employee until March 2011, when because of a funding shortfall she took early retirement. She is continuing work on the project on a part-time basis and is based at the new Somerset Heritage Centre in

Norton Fitzwarren Norton Fitzwarren is a village, electoral ward, and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated north west of Taunton in the Somerset West and Taunton district. The village has a population of 3,046. History The village is on the southern slope ...

.Elizabeth Williamson,
HARD TIMES AND GREEN SHOOTS
' (2011) at balh.co.uk, accessed 28 October 2011

Deputy County Editors

* 1970–1978:

Robin Bush Robin James Edwin Bush (12 March 1943 – 22 June 2010) was the resident historian for the first nine series of Channel 4's archaeology series ''Time Team'', appearing in 39 episodes between 1994 and 2003. He also presented eight episodes of ...

* 1978–2006: Mary C. Siraut

References

External links

Somerset volumes
at victoriacountyhistory.ac.uk
Somerset Victoria County History
at British History Online – full text of volumes I to IX {{Somerset History of Somerset Organisations based in Somerset Victoria County History