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| Ilchester | |
  Ilchester shown within Somerset |
|
| Population | 2,021 1 |
|---|---|
| OS grid reference | |
| District | South Somerset |
| Shire county | Somerset |
| Region | South West |
| Constituent country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | YEOVIL |
| Postcode district | BA22 |
| Dialling code | 01935 |
| Police | Avon and Somerset |
| Fire | Devon and Somerset |
| Ambulance | South Western |
| European Parliament | South West England |
| UK Parliament | Yeovil |
| List of places: UK • England • Somerset | |
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. The village has a population of 2,021.2
It is perhaps best known for the Ilchester Cheese Company.
Contents |
History
Roman times
In the Roman period, the village was named Lindinis and was the site of a fort and then a town on the Fosse Way. It eventually served as one of two regional capitals for the Durotriges tribe.3
Medieval times
Around 1000 AD there was a mint at Ilchester, which was moved to South Cadbury following attacks by the Danes,3 and prior to the Siege of Ilchester in 1088.
The town was a base for Henry III of England for a short period in 1250.3
During the 11th and 12th century it was the county town of Somerset.3
The town has a 13th-century mace with three kings and an angel on it, and is the oldest staff of office in England.4
Georgian times
Ilchester was the parliamentary seat of Sir William Manners (later Lord Huntingtower) in 1802, 1812 and 1818; however it is said that he maintained his position by demolishing the houses of his opponents and putting them in the workhouse which meant they did not have the vote. This was defeated by Lord Darlington who built houses for his supporters and thereby became the Member of Parliament.3
Churches
Ilchester had at least eight churches in medieval times of which two remain. The church of St Mary Major dates from the 13th century and is a Grade II* listed building,5 as is the Church of St Andrew which is slightly more recent,6 although it may stand on the site of an earlier Roman building and associated cemetery.7
Notable people from Ilchester
- Richard of Ilchester, also called Richard of Toclyve or Richard of Toclive (d. December 22, 1188) was a medieval English statesman and prelate.
- Roger Bacon, who was a notable medieval scientist, is said to have been born in or near Ilchester.4 He was known as "Doctor Mirabilis" and was one of the first to insist on the use of experimentation to back theory.
References
- ^ "Population estimates 2002". Somerset County Council. Retrieved on 2006-11-11.
- ^ "Population estimates 2002". Somerset County Council. Retrieved on 2006-11-11.
- ^ a b c d e Dunning, Robert (1983). A History of Somerset. Chichester: Phillimore & Co. ISBN 0-85033-461-6.
- ^ a b Leete-Hodge, Lornie (1985). Curiosities of Somerset. Bodmin: Bossiney Books. pp. 73. ISBN 0906456983.
- ^ "church of St Mary Major". Images of England. Retrieved on 2006-11-11.
- ^ "church of St Andrew". Images of England. Retrieved on 2006-11-11.
- ^ Havinden, Michael. The Somerset Landscape. The making of the English landscape. London: Hodder and Stoughton. pp. 69. ISBN 0340201169.
External links
- The Somerset Urban Archaeological Survey: Ilchester, by Miranda Richardson
- Photos of Ilchester in 3d (Anaglyphs)
Wikipedia content modification information:
- This page was last modified on 2 January 2009, at 19:27.
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