| Pitcombe | |
|---|---|
 St Leonard's Church | |
 Railway viaduct | |
  Pitcombe Location withinSomerset | |
| Population | 342 (in 2021)[1] |
| OS grid reference | ST675335 |
| Unitary authority | |
| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Bruton |
| Postcode district | BA10 |
| Police | Avon and Somerset |
| Fire | Devon and Somerset |
| Ambulance | South Western |
| UK Parliament | |
| Website | Parish Council |
| 51°06′00″N2°27′58″W / 51.100°N 2.466°W /51.100; -2.466 | |
Pitcombe is a village andcivil parish 1 mile (2 km) south-west ofBruton and 5 miles (8 km) fromWincanton inSomerset, England. The parish includes the hamlets ofCole,Godminster andHadspen, and had a population of 342 at the 2021 census.
The village lies on theRiver Pitt and other streams that flow into theRiver Brue.
Godminster Lane Quarry and Railway Cutting is ageological Site of Special Scientific Interest important for study of the InferiorOolitelimestones ofMiddle Jurassic age. The rocks contain a rich assemblage offossilammonites typical of the northDorset/south Somerset area. It is also important as a reference site for three sub-divisions (zones) of the Inferior Oolite – thelaeviscula,discites andconcavum zones.[2]
The name Pitcombe means "the marshy valley".[3]
Evidence of prehistoric activity has been found near Godminster Farm, where aRoman coin hoard was also discovered.[4]
In theDomesday Book of 1086 the manor was held byTurstin FitzRolf and already had twowatermills.[3]
Pitcombe was part of thehundred ofBruton.[5]
It was on theSomerset and Dorset Joint Railway, now disused.
Theparish 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, andneighbourhood 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.
Forlocal government purposes, since 1 April 2023, the parish comes under theunitary authority ofSomerset Council. Prior to this, it was part of thenon-metropolitan district ofSouth Somerset (established under theLocal Government Act 1972). It was part ofWincanton Rural District before 1974.[6]
It is also part of acounty constituency represented in theHouse of Commons of theParliament of the United Kingdom. It elects oneMember of Parliament (MP) by thefirst past the post system of election.
Hadspen house and garden is within the parish. The house was built forWilliam Player in the late 17th century, but has undergone several major restorations. It is built of Cary stone ashlar, with a hipped Welsh slate roof behindparapets and stone chimney stacks. It has been designated byEnglish Heritage as a grade II*listed building.[7]
There is still a working quarry within the parish of Pitcombe, notablyHadspen Quarry Ltd located in Higher Hadspen. They provide the stone to the locality which gives this area in South Somerset its local unique characteristics of honey coloured buildings.
Gants Mill is an 18th-centurywatermill with 13th-century origins. It is a Grade II*listed building[8] and now has a turbine producinghydroelectricity.
Godminster Manor is a 15th-century manor house which underwent extensive restoration following a fire in 1924.[9]
Cole Manor dates from the 17th century.[10]
The dismantledSomerset and Dorset Joint Railway passes through the village over a viaduct. At the north of the village is the oldCole Railway Station.
The village is the home ofBruton School for Girls.
The Newt Estate is a working estate that producescider.[11][12]
The church, dedicated to St Leonard, has a 15th-century tower at the west end containing six bells.[13][14] The church was rebuilt, with the exception of its tower, in 1858. It has been designated byEnglish Heritage as a Grade IIlisted building.[15]
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Media related toPitcombe at Wikimedia Commons