Crowcombe is a village andcivil parish under theQuantock Hills inSomerset, England, 5.5 miles (9 km) southeast ofWatchet, and 8 miles (13 km) fromTaunton. The village has apopulation of 489.[1]
The parish covers the hamlets ofCrowcombe Heathfield,Flaxpool,Halsway,Lawford andTriscombe.[2]
The village is on the route of theSamaritans Way South West.
The name Triscombe is believed to derive from theOld English wordstreows andcumb.[3]
The first documentary evidence of the village is byÆthelwulf of Wessex in 854, where it was spelt 'Cerawicombe'.[4] At that time the manor belonged toGlastonbury Abbey.[5] LaterGytha Thorkelsdóttir, wife ofEarl Godwin, gave it to the monks ofWinchester to make amends for her husband's "treacherous abuses of divers monastic institutions".[6]
TheDomesday Book of 1086 lists the village as 'Crawcombe', which is believed to come from theOld English wordscraw andcumb.[3] The parish of Crowcombe was part of theWilliton and FreemannersHundred.[7]
The medieval cross of redsandstone is 170 metres (560 ft) north west of Holy Ghost Church. The octagonal shaft is 3 metres (9.8 ft) high, topped by a Greek cross added in the 19th century, standing on an octagonal base.[8]
Crowcombe Heathfield railway station is two miles from the village on theWest Somerset Railway, aheritage railway. A small part of the filming of The Beatles' first feature film,A Hard Day's Night, took place here.
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 ofSomerset West and Taunton (formed on 1 April 2019) and, before this, the district ofWest Somerset (established under theLocal Government Act 1972). It was part ofWilliton Rural District before 1974.[9]
There is anelectoral ward termed 'Crowcombe and Stogumber'. This extends westerly fromCrowcombe viaStogumber to Willett. The total population at the2011 Census was 1,191.[10]
It is also part of theTiverton and Mineheadcounty 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.
It is the central point on theQuantock Greenway afootpath exploring theQuantock Hills.
Roebuck Meadows is abiological Site of Special Scientific Interest for their very varied and herb-rich vegetation composed of mire and grassland communities together comprising an important example of lowland mire, which is a nationally scarce habitat. The meadows contain Cornish moneywort (Sibthorpia europaea), a nationally scarce plant restricted to south-west Britain.[11]
Crowcombe Court is a large country house dating from 1724 to 1739, by Thomas Parker and finished byNathaniel Ireson ofWincanton. Minor alterations were carried out byEdward Middleton Barry around 1870. It is Grade I listed.[12] It has previously been used as a nursing home and today the Court is hired out for weddings and other functions.[2]
Halsway Manor is England's National Centre for Traditional Music, Dance and Song. It is the only residentialfolk centre in the UK. The eastern end of the building dates from the 15th century with the western end as an addition in the 19th century.[13]
The village cross is 30 metres (98 ft) east of The Carew Arms and 170 metres (560 ft) north west of theChurch of the Holy Ghost dates from the 14th century. It is made of redsandstone. The octagonal shaft is 3 metres (9.8 ft) high, topped by a Greek cross added in the 19th century, standing on an octagonal base. It has been scheduled as anancient monument and designated as a Grade II*listed building.[14][15]
TheChurch of the Holy Ghost has a tower dating from the 14th century with the rest of the building being dated at the 15th century. It has been designated byEnglish Heritage as a Grade Ilisted building.[16]
In 1724 the spire was damaged by a lightning strike.[17] The top section of the spire was removed and is now planted in the churchyard[17] and stone from the spire was used in the flooring of the church. Inside the church carved bench-ends, dating from 1534,[18] depict such pagan subjects as theGreen Man and the legend of the men of Crowcombe fighting a two-headeddragon.[19]
The Church House and Pound was built around 1515 for parish functions, later being used to house the poor of the village on the lower floor and a school on the upper. Following an appeal for public funds to repair the building in 1907,[20] the ground floor is now being used as a village hall and the upper to house exhibitions.[19] It is a Grade II*listed building.[21] Further grants and public fund raising in 2007 enabled a major refurbishment.[22]
