| Old Cleeve | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Old Cleeve Location withinSomerset | |
| Area | 20.92 km2 (8.08 sq mi) |
| Population | 1,672 [1] |
| • Density | 80/km2 (210/sq mi) |
| OS grid reference | ST039419 |
| Civil parish |
|
| Unitary authority | |
| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | WATCHET |
| Postcode district | TA23 |
| Post town | MINEHEAD |
| Postcode district | TA24 |
| Dialling code | 01984 |
| Police | Avon and Somerset |
| Fire | Devon and Somerset |
| Ambulance | South Western |
| UK Parliament | |
| 51°10′06″N3°22′31″W / 51.1684°N 03.3753°W /51.1684; -03.3753 | |
Old Cleeve is a village 5 miles (8 km) south east ofMinehead inSomerset, England, and also acivil parish. The civil parish of Old Cleeve covers an area of 2,092 hectares (5,170 acres) and includes the villages of Old Cleeve,Roadwater andWashford as well ashamlets such asBilbrook,Chapel Cleeve,Golsoncott andLeighland Chapel. Approximately half the parish lies within theExmoor National Park. The remaining half is on the southern edge of Exmoor. The village has been in existence since the early 13th century. The village held its first council meeting in 1711. By the 1720s the parish had several churches, in which to meet. The town hall was built in 1727. The first church here was built in 1694, built by the Eastern Christian Society. This church was destroyed in a fire in 1847, and has been rebuilt and restored. In 2011, the population of the parish was 1,672.[1][2]
The nameCleeve, first attested in theDomesday Book of 1086 asClive, comes from thedativesingular form of theOld English wordclif ('cliff, bank, steep hill').[3] It became known as Old Cleeve to distinguish the principal village north of the mainA39 road from the later site ofCleeve Abbey to the south.[4]
The hamlet of Golsoncott takes its name from the Old English wordsgoldsmið ('goldsmith') andcott ('cottage').[5]
The parish of Old Cleeve was part of theWilliton and FreemannersHundred.[6]
Black Monkey Bridge, which was built around 1860, carries theWest Somerset Railway, a steam operatedheritage railway over a stream and footpath.[7]
Old Cleeve was also near the route of theWest Somerset Mineral Railway which ran from the ironstone mines in theBrendon Hills to the port ofWatchet on theBristol Channel.[8] The old Mineral line railway station which was built in 1861 is now a store,[9] and there is also a bridge remaining from this line.[10]
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.[11]
Anelectoral ward of the same name exists. The ward stretches from theBristol Channel south viaWashford toLuxborough. The total ward population at the2011 Census was 2,196.[12]
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.
Between Old Cleeve andWatchet isCleeve Hill abiological Site of Special Scientific Interest which covers a moderate to steeply sloping south face of theWashford River Valley. It supports a rich and diverse calcareousgrassland community with associated mixed woodland and scrub. The site contains two species of plant which are nationally rare in Great Britain,Nit-grass (Gastridium ventricosum) andRough Marsh-mallow (Althaea hirsuta).[13]
The parish extends to the coast ofBridgwater Bay betweenBlue Anchor and Watchet, in an area previously known as Cleeve Bay,[4] on theBlue Anchor to Lilstock Coast SSSI ageological Site of Special Scientific Interest. It provides an outstanding series of sections through theEarly JurassicLower Lias, spanning theHettangian andPliensbachian Stages and named the "Lilstock Formation". TheTriassic cliffs have geological interest for the variety of fossils and is on theSouth West Coast Path. There is the remains of aLime Kiln complex which was used in the 18th century.[14] Bridgwater Bay consists of large areas ofmud flats, saltmarsh, sandflats and shingle ridges, some of which are vegetated. It has been designated as aSite of Special Scientific Interest,[15] and is designated as a wetland of international importance under theRamsar Convention.[16]
The parishchurch of St Andrew dates from the 12th century and has been designated byEnglish Heritage as a Grade Ilisted building.[17] The floor of the porch was cobbled with alabaster stones from the beach below the village and set in the shape of a heart during the 17th century.[18]
In Leighland Chapel is the church of St Giles which was built in 1861 byCharles Edmund Giles on the site of a previous building.[19]
Cleeve Abbey in Washford village, is amedievalmonastery founded in the late twelfth century as a house for monks of the austereCistercian order. In 1536 Cleeve Abbey was closed byHenry VIII during theDissolution of the Monasteries and the abbey was converted into acountry house. Subsequently, the status of the site declined and the abbey was used as farm buildings until the latter half of the nineteenth century when steps were taken to conserve the remains. In the twentieth century Cleeve Abbey was taken into state care; it is now looked after byEnglish Heritage and is open to the public. Today Cleeve Abbey is one of the best-preserved medieval Cistercian monastic sites inBritain. While the church is no longer standing, the conventual buildings are still roofed and habitable and contain many features of particular interest including the 'angel' roof in therefectory and the wall paintings in the painted chamber.
Binham Farmhouse was built in the 15th century as the grange to the abbey.[20]
Chapel Cleeve Manor, which dates from 1452, is the remains of a pilgrim's hospice attached to the chapel, which was enlarged as a country house, has been a hotel and is now a private house.[21]
The following people and military units have received theFreedom of the Parish of Old Cleeve.
 |
Media related toOld Cleeve at Wikimedia Commons
