| Marksbury | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Marksbury Location withinSomerset | |
| Population | 397 (2011)[1] |
| OS grid reference | ST666623 |
| Unitary authority | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | BATH |
| Postcode district | BA2 |
| Dialling code | 01761 |
| Police | Avon and Somerset |
| Fire | Devon and Somerset |
| Ambulance | South Western |
| UK Parliament | |
| 51°21′31″N2°28′44″W / 51.3587°N 2.4790°W /51.3587; -2.4790 | |
Marksbury is a small village andcivil parish on the eastern edge of theaffluentChew Valley inSomerset, about 4 miles (6.4 km) fromKeynsham and 7 miles (11.3 km) fromBath on theA39 where it meets theA368. The parish, which includes the villages ofHunstrete andStanton Prior, has a population of 397.[1]
Stantonbury Camp is the site of anIron Agehillfort nearStanton Prior. It is aScheduled Ancient Monument. The hillfort, which is at the top of an isolated outcrop of Oolitic Limestone,[2] close to theA39 road is on the route of theWansdyke.[3]
In 926Æthelstan gave the manor, then spelled Merkesburie, to his son. It was later gifted toGlastonbury Abbey and in one of theDanelaw wars was taken by Danish troops. It was restored to the abbey again after the victory ofEdgar the Peaceful.[4]
Marksbury was listed in theDomesday Book of 1086 asMercesberia.[5] The name of the village is thought to come fromOld English either as ‘Mǣrec’s or Mearc’s stronghold’ (from an Old English male personal name + burh ‘stronghold’, ‘fortified place’, dative byrig), or as ‘stronghold on a boundary’ (from mearc ‘boundary’, possibly a reference to the Wansdyke, + burh, byrig).
The parish of Marksbury was part of theKeynshamHundred.[6]
The village has a primary school.
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, such as thevillage hall orcommunity centre,playing fields andplaygrounds, 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 of interest to the council.
Marksbury is part of the Farmborough Ward, which is represented by one councillor on theunitary authority ofBath and North East Somerset which was created in 1996, as established by theLocal Government Act 1992. It provides a single tier oflocal government with responsibility for almost all local government functions within its area includinglocal planning andbuilding control, local roads,council housing,environmental health,markets and fairs,refuse collection,recycling,cemeteries,crematoria, leisure services, parks, andtourism. It is also responsible foreducation,social services,libraries, main roads,public transport,trading standards,waste disposal and strategic planning, although fire, police and ambulance services are provided jointly with other authorities through theAvon Fire and Rescue Service,Avon and Somerset Constabulary and theGreat Western Ambulance Service.
Bath and North East Somerset's area covers part of theceremonial county ofSomerset but it is administered independently of thenon-metropolitan county. Its administrative headquarters is inBath. Between 1 April 1974 and 1 April 1996, it was theWansdykedistrict and theCity of Bath of thecounty of Avon.[7] Before 1974 that the parish was part of theBathavon Rural District.[8]
The parish is represented in theHouse of Commons of theParliament of the United Kingdom as part ofFrome and East Somerset. It elects oneMember of Parliament (MP) by thefirst-past-the-post system of election.
According to the 2001 Census, theFarmborough Ward (which includesCompton Dando,Woollard,Hunstrete,Chewton Keynsham,Saltford andStanton Prior) had 1,111 residents, living in 428 households, with an average age of 44.5 years. Of these 71% of residents describing their health as 'good', 21% of 16- to 74-year-olds had no qualifications; and the area had an unemployment rate of 1.0% of all economically active people aged 16–74. In the Index of Multiple Deprivation 2004, it was ranked at 22,100 out of 32,482 wards in England, where 1 was the most deprived LSOA and 32,482 the least deprived.[9]
TheChurch of St Peter, is an ancient structure, with a tower containing six bells. It is believed to be late 12th century in origin but mainly from the 15th century. The tower has three stages; the first stage has diagonalbuttresses, a canted stairturret in the return of tower and nave and a very small west door with a canted flat arch under a 2-light, chamfered mullion window dated 1634. The second stage has a cusped 2-light window with heavy louvres to the north, a blocked single light to the east and 2-light chamfered, vaguely pointed windows south and west, contemporary with third stage which has one enormous, round headed window with raisedarchitrave and louvres per side, thin, embattledparapet dominated by four pyramidalpinnacles with vanes. The nave has two 2-light windows under hoodmoulds flanking a blocked, moulded round-headed door under a plaque dated 1627. The buttressed, off-centre chancel has to north one window as elsewhere, 3-light east window of 1875. There are several monuments in the chancel including those to Counsell, 1671, and Wadden, 1682. In the nave is a monument to Boulter 1782, by Brewer of Box. Reverend William Counsell was the rector (1662–74). The church is a Grade II*listed building.[10] An unidentified monument in the churchyard is also listed.[11]
On Wingsbury Hill are remains of an ancient chapel, probably belonging to a monastery, which formerly existed here.
The parish is part of the benefice ofFarmborough with Marksbury andStanton Prior,Clutton withCameley, and within the archdeaconry ofBath.[12]
