Castle Cary
Encyclopedia
Castle Cary is a market town
and civil parish in south Somerset
, England, 5 miles (8 km) north west of Wincanton
and 8 miles (12.9 km) south of Shepton Mallet
.
The town is situated on the River Cary
, a tributary of the Parrett
.
is above the town. It was built either by Walter of Douai
or by the following owners, the Perceval family, after the Norman conquest
. It was besieged
by King Stephen
in 1138, and again in 1153. By 1468 the castle had been abandoned in favour of a manor house which was built beside it. The site was excavated in 1890 and demonstrated the foundations of a 24 square metres (258 sq ft) square tower, although only the earthworks are visible today.
The parish was part of the hundred of Catsash
.
The manor was held by the Lovels and descended by marriage in 1351 to the St Maur (Seymour) family and in 1409 to the lords Zouche. The manor was bought in the 1780s by the Hoares of Stourhead
in Wiltshire
.
The town grew around the mediaeval weaving
industry and is home to a horsehair
weaving factory.
The Living History Group is an active group of local amateur historians in the town who have published several books concerning the history of Castle Cary and its personalities. In 1900, for example, Castle Cary cricket club provided five players for the Devon and Somerset Wanderers team that won the only Olympic cricket title
. The Cricket Club is to mark its 175th anniversary in 2012, with a celebration of the Castle Cary players who played in 1900, whilst the London Games take place.
The town has become increasingly popular with people moving out of London and looking for somewhere quiet to raise a family. The high-speed railway line to London
, good local schools and services, along with an attractive rural setting have all played their part in the recent growth of the town. Nearby is Wyvern Waste's recycling centre, based on the old army camp at Dimmer. It holds educational tours around the site for schools.
On 19 June 2004, Castle Cary was granted Fairtrade Village status.
and the Co-op supermarket.
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.
The village falls within the Non-metropolitan district
of South Somerset
, which was formed on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972
, having previously been part of Wincanton Rural District
. The district council is responsible for local planning
and building control, local roads, council housing, environmental health
, market
s and fairs, refuse collection and recycling
, cemeteries and crematoria, leisure services, parks, and tourism
.
Somerset County Council
is responsible for running the largest and most expensive local services such as education
, social services, libraries
, main roads, public transport
, policing
and fire services, trading standards
, waste disposal and strategic planning.
It is also part of the Somerton and Frome county constituency represented in the House of Commons
of the Parliament of the United Kingdom
. It elects one Member of Parliament (MP)
by the first past the post system of election, and part of the South West England constituency
of the European Parliament
which elects six MEPs using the d'Hondt method
of party-list proportional representation
.
is on the main West of England railway
and the Heart of Wessex Line
. It is about 1 miles (1.6 km) north of the town. Every year around the time of the summer solstice this railway station is used by thousands of festival goers who travel to the nearby Worthy Farm in Glastonbury — a parade of free buses and coaches take ticket holders to and from the festival site.
The town is on the Monarch's Way
long-distance footpath.
Attractions in Castle Cary include a small circular eighteenth century prison called the roundhouse. This is a temporary prison, or village lock-up
. It was built in 1779 by Mr WM Clark for £23. The structure is circular, stone and has a domed roof. It is 7 feet (2.1 m) in diameter and 10 feet (3 m) high with two iron grills for ventilation. The building has an inner and outer door. The interior of the building has a single stone privy. In 1992 the Lord of the Manor, Sir Henry Hoare Bart, gave the building to the parish council.
The Market House a grade II* listed building built in 1855 in anticipation of increased trade after the projected arrival of the railway in 1856, by F.C. Penrose. It replaced the former house on the site which had stood since 1616, and incorporating some features from the earlier building. The market house contains the local
Castle Cary and District Museum
. There is a varied collection of exhibits spread over the two floors of the building. The earliest are local fossil
s including ammonites and a display about the discovery of an ichthyosaurus
at Alford
. Local industry and agriculture are represented with displays on the production of rope and hemp and a collection of agricultural implements, tools and relics. A room is dedicated to the live and work of Parson James Woodforde
who was born at the Parsonage in nearby Ansford
in 1740. He was later curate at Thurloxton
before moving to Norfolk
. For nearly 45 years he kept a diary
recording an existence the very ordinariness of which provides a unique insight into the everyday routines and concerns of 18th century rural England.
. It has been designated by English Heritage
as a Grade II* listed building.
There is also a Methodist
church and St Andrew's in the neighbouring town of Ansford
.
who was curate between 1765 and 1775 and Douglas Macmillan
, founder of the Macmillan Cancer Relief charity. The Macmillan Way
walking trail passes through the town.
built in 1940 with additional rooms for science, technology, mathematics and modern languages being added in the 1970s. A new £1.7 million Sports Centre was completed in 2005.
Market town
Market town or market right is a legal term, originating in the medieval period, for a European settlement that has the right to host markets, distinguishing it from a village and city...
and civil parish in south Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, England, 5 miles (8 km) north west of Wincanton
Wincanton
Wincanton is a small town in south Somerset, southwest England. The town lies on the A303 road, the main route between London and South West England, and has some light industry...
and 8 miles (12.9 km) south of Shepton Mallet
Shepton Mallet
Shepton Mallet is a small rural town and civil parish in the Mendip district of Somerset in South West England. Situated approximately south of Bristol and east of Wells, the town is estimated to have a population of 9,700. It contains the administrative headquarters of Mendip District Council...
.
The town is situated on the River Cary
River Cary
The River Cary is a river in Somerset, England.The River Cary has its source at Park Pond in Castle Cary, and then flows southwest through Cary Moor to Babcary, where there is a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest at Babcary Meadows and Cary Fitzpaine. It then flows northwest through...
, a tributary of the Parrett
River Parrett
The River Parrett flows through the counties of Dorset and Somerset in South West England, from its source in the Thorney Mills springs in the hills around Chedington in Dorset...
.
History
The site of Cary CastleCary Castle
Cary Castle stood on Lodge Hill overlooking the town of Castle Cary, Somerset, England. It is a Scheduled Ancient Monument.-Details:The motte and bailey castle was built either by Walter of Douai or by his son Robert who also built Bampton Castle in Devon...
is above the town. It was built either by Walter of Douai
Walter of Douai
Walter of Douai was a Norman knight, probably at the Battle of Hastings, and a major landowner in South West England after the Norman Conquest. He is given various names and titles in different sources including: Walter de Douai. Douai is sometimes written as Dowai...
or by the following owners, the Perceval family, after the Norman conquest
Norman conquest of England
The Norman conquest of England began on 28 September 1066 with the invasion of England by William, Duke of Normandy. William became known as William the Conqueror after his victory at the Battle of Hastings on 14 October 1066, defeating King Harold II of England...
. It was besieged
Siege
A siege is a military blockade of a city or fortress with the intent of conquering by attrition or assault. The term derives from sedere, Latin for "to sit". Generally speaking, siege warfare is a form of constant, low intensity conflict characterized by one party holding a strong, static...
by King Stephen
Stephen of England
Stephen , often referred to as Stephen of Blois , was a grandson of William the Conqueror. He was King of England from 1135 to his death, and also the Count of Boulogne by right of his wife. Stephen's reign was marked by the Anarchy, a civil war with his cousin and rival, the Empress Matilda...
in 1138, and again in 1153. By 1468 the castle had been abandoned in favour of a manor house which was built beside it. The site was excavated in 1890 and demonstrated the foundations of a 24 square metres (258 sq ft) square tower, although only the earthworks are visible today.
The parish was part of the hundred of Catsash
Catsash (hundred)
The Hundred of Catsash is one of the 40 historical Hundreds in the ceremonial county of Somerset, England, dating from before the Norman conquest during the Anglo-Saxon era although exact dates are unknown. Each hundred had a 'fyrd', which acted as the local defence force and a court which was...
.
The manor was held by the Lovels and descended by marriage in 1351 to the St Maur (Seymour) family and in 1409 to the lords Zouche. The manor was bought in the 1780s by the Hoares of Stourhead
Stourhead
Stourhead is a 2,650 acre estate at the source of the River Stour near Mere, Wiltshire, England. The estate includes a Palladian mansion, the village of Stourton, gardens, farmland, and woodland...
in Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
.
The town grew around the mediaeval weaving
Weaving
Weaving is a method of fabric production in which two distinct sets of yarns or threads are interlaced at right angles to form a fabric or cloth. The other methods are knitting, lace making and felting. The longitudinal threads are called the warp and the lateral threads are the weft or filling...
industry and is home to a horsehair
Haircloth
Haircloth is a stiff, unsupple fabric typically made from horsehair and/or from the wooly hair of a camel. Although horsehair generally refers to the hair of a horse's mane or tail, haircloth itself is sometimes called horsehair...
weaving factory.
The Living History Group is an active group of local amateur historians in the town who have published several books concerning the history of Castle Cary and its personalities. In 1900, for example, Castle Cary cricket club provided five players for the Devon and Somerset Wanderers team that won the only Olympic cricket title
Cricket at the 1900 Summer Olympics
A cricket tournament, played as part of the 1900 Summer Olympics, took place on 19–20 August at the Vélodrome de Vincennes. The only match of the tournament was played between teams representing Great Britain and France, and was won by 158 runs by Great Britain....
. The Cricket Club is to mark its 175th anniversary in 2012, with a celebration of the Castle Cary players who played in 1900, whilst the London Games take place.
The town has become increasingly popular with people moving out of London and looking for somewhere quiet to raise a family. The high-speed railway line to London
Great Western Main Line
The Great Western Main Line is a main line railway in Great Britain that runs westwards from London Paddington station to the west of England and South Wales. The core Great Western Main Line runs from London Paddington to Temple Meads railway station in Bristol. A major branch of the Great...
, good local schools and services, along with an attractive rural setting have all played their part in the recent growth of the town. Nearby is Wyvern Waste's recycling centre, based on the old army camp at Dimmer. It holds educational tours around the site for schools.
On 19 June 2004, Castle Cary was granted Fairtrade Village status.
May 2008 flooding
On 29 May 2008 Castle Cary (and a large part of Somerset) were hit by a rapid flash flood after a violent downpour shortly after midday. The local drainage was soon overwhelmed and roads were covered in several inches of water flowing towards the centre of town. Water inundated the Horse Pond Inn, the White Hart public housePublic house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
and the Co-op supermarket.
Governance
The parish 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, and neighbourhood watchNeighbourhood Watch (UK)
The Neighbourhood Watch scheme in the United Kingdom is a partnership where people come together to make their communities safer. It involves the Police, Community Safety departments of local authorities, other voluntary organisations and, above all, individuals and families who want to make their...
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.
The village falls within the Non-metropolitan district
Non-metropolitan district
Non-metropolitan districts, or colloquially shire districts, are a type of local government district in England. As created, they are sub-divisions of non-metropolitan counties in a so-called "two-tier" arrangement...
of South Somerset
South Somerset
South Somerset is a local government district in Somerset, England.The South Somerset district covers and area of ranging from the borders with Devon and Dorset to the edge of the Somerset Levels. It has a population of approximately 158,000...
, which was formed on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972
Local Government Act 1972
The Local Government Act 1972 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales on 1 April 1974....
, having previously been part of Wincanton Rural District
Wincanton Rural District
Wincanton was a rural district in Somerset, England, from 1894 to 1974.It was created in 1894 under the Local Government Act 1894.In 1974 it was abolished under the Local Government Act 1972 when it became part of South Somerset....
. The district council is responsible for local planning
Planning permission
Planning permission or planning consent is the permission required in the United Kingdom in order to be allowed to build on land, or change the use of land or buildings. Within the UK the occupier of any land or building will need title to that land or building , but will also need "planning...
and building control, local roads, council housing, environmental health
Environmental health
Environmental health is the branch of public health that is concerned with all aspects of the natural and built environment that may affect human health...
, market
Market
A market is one of many varieties of systems, institutions, procedures, social relations and infrastructures whereby parties engage in exchange. While parties may exchange goods and services by barter, most markets rely on sellers offering their goods or services in exchange for money from buyers...
s and fairs, refuse collection and recycling
Recycling
Recycling is processing used materials into new products to prevent waste of potentially useful materials, reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials, reduce energy usage, reduce air pollution and water pollution by reducing the need for "conventional" waste disposal, and lower greenhouse...
, cemeteries and crematoria, leisure services, parks, and tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
.
Somerset County Council
Somerset County Council
Somerset County Council is the county council of Somerset in the South West of England, an elected local government authority responsible for the most significant local government services in most of the county.-Area covered:...
is responsible for running the largest and most expensive local services such as education
Local Education Authority
A local education authority is a local authority in England and Wales that has responsibility for education within its jurisdiction...
, social services, libraries
Library
In a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...
, main roads, public transport
Public transport
Public transport is a shared passenger transportation service which is available for use by the general public, as distinct from modes such as taxicab, car pooling or hired buses which are not shared by strangers without private arrangement.Public transport modes include buses, trolleybuses, trams...
, policing
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
and fire services, trading standards
Trading Standards
Trading Standards is the name given to local authority departments in the UK formerly known as Weights and Measures. These departments investigate commercial organisations that carry out trade in unethical ways or outside the scope of the law.-History:...
, waste disposal and strategic planning.
It is also part of the Somerton and Frome county constituency represented in the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
of the Parliament of the United Kingdom
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
. It elects one Member of Parliament (MP)
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
by the first past the post system of election, and part of the South West England constituency
South West England (European Parliament constituency)
South West England is a constituency of the European Parliament. For 2009 it elects 6 MEPs using the d'Hondt method of party-list proportional representation, reduced from 7 in 2004.-Boundaries:...
of the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
which elects six MEPs using the d'Hondt method
D'Hondt method
The d'Hondt method is a highest averages method for allocating seats in party-list proportional representation. The method described is named after Belgian mathematician Victor D'Hondt who described it in 1878...
of party-list proportional representation
Party-list proportional representation
Party-list proportional representation systems are a family of voting systems emphasizing proportional representation in elections in which multiple candidates are elected...
.
Transport
Castle Cary railway stationCastle Cary railway station
Castle Cary railway station serves a largely rural area of the county of Somerset in England. The station is situated approximately north of the town of Castle Cary, and south of Shepton Mallet....
is on the main West of England railway
Reading to Taunton line
The Reading to Taunton line also known as the Berks and Hants is a major branch of the Great Western Main Line that diverges at Reading, running to Cogload Junction near Taunton, where it joins the Bristol to Exeter line....
and the Heart of Wessex Line
Heart of Wessex Line
The Heart of Wessex Line, also known as the Bristol to Weymouth line, is a United Kingdom railway line that runs from Bristol to Westbury to Weymouth...
. It is about 1 miles (1.6 km) north of the town. Every year around the time of the summer solstice this railway station is used by thousands of festival goers who travel to the nearby Worthy Farm in Glastonbury — a parade of free buses and coaches take ticket holders to and from the festival site.
The town is on the Monarch's Way
Monarch's Way
The Monarch's Way is a long-distance footpath in England that approximates the escape route taken by King Charles II in 1651 after being defeated in the Battle of Worcester.Most of the footpath is waymarked...
long-distance footpath.
Landmarks
Village lock-up
Village lock-ups are historic buildings that were used for the temporary detention of people in rural parts of England and Wales. They were often used for the confinement of drunks who were usually released the next day or to hold people being brought before the local magistrate. A typical village...
. It was built in 1779 by Mr WM Clark for £23. The structure is circular, stone and has a domed roof. It is 7 feet (2.1 m) in diameter and 10 feet (3 m) high with two iron grills for ventilation. The building has an inner and outer door. The interior of the building has a single stone privy. In 1992 the Lord of the Manor, Sir Henry Hoare Bart, gave the building to the parish council.
The Market House a grade II* listed building built in 1855 in anticipation of increased trade after the projected arrival of the railway in 1856, by F.C. Penrose. It replaced the former house on the site which had stood since 1616, and incorporating some features from the earlier building. The market house contains the local
Local museum
A local museum is a museum that covers local history. Its collection normally includes objects with a local connection of some sort. Such museums are often small in nature and have a low budget for their running costs...
Castle Cary and District Museum
Castle Cary and District Museum
Castle Cary and District Museum is a small local museum in Castle Cary, Somerset, England.The museum is housed in the Market house, a grade II* listed building built in 1855 in anticipation of increased trade after the projected arrival of the railway in 1856, by F.C. Penrose...
. There is a varied collection of exhibits spread over the two floors of the building. The earliest are local fossil
Fossil
Fossils are the preserved remains or traces of animals , plants, and other organisms from the remote past...
s including ammonites and a display about the discovery of an ichthyosaurus
Ichthyosaurus
Ichthyosaurus is an extinct genus of ichthyosaur from the Early Jurassic of Europe . It is among the best known ichthyosaur genera, with the Order Ichthyosauria being named after it...
at Alford
Alford, Somerset
Alford is a village and parish on the River Alham, in Somerset, England, situated south of Shepton Mallet and two miles west of Castle Cary in the South Somerset district. The village has a population of 63. It lies on the River Cary.-History:...
. Local industry and agriculture are represented with displays on the production of rope and hemp and a collection of agricultural implements, tools and relics. A room is dedicated to the live and work of Parson James Woodforde
James Woodforde
James Woodforde was an English clergyman, best known as the author of The Diary of a Country Parson.-Early life:James Woodforde was born at the Parsonage, Ansford, Somerset, England on 27 June 1740...
who was born at the Parsonage in nearby Ansford
Ansford
Ansford is a village and parish in Somerset, England, situated on the northern edge of Castle Cary in the South Somerset district. The village has a population of 1,048....
in 1740. He was later curate at Thurloxton
Thurloxton
Thurloxton is a village and civil parish north east of Taunton, and south west of Bridgwater on the south-eastern slopes of the Quantock Hills in the Sedgemoor district of the county of Somerset, in England...
before moving to Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
. For nearly 45 years he kept a diary
Diary
A diary is a record with discrete entries arranged by date reporting on what has happened over the course of a day or other period. A personal diary may include a person's experiences, and/or thoughts or feelings, including comment on current events outside the writer's direct experience. Someone...
recording an existence the very ordinariness of which provides a unique insight into the everyday routines and concerns of 18th century rural England.
Religious sites
The largest church in the town is All Saints', which dates from 1470 and is notable for its high steeple, which contains six bells dating from 1760 and made by Thomas Bilbie of the Bilbie familyBilbie family
The Bilbie family were bell founders and clockmakers based initially in Chew Stoke, Somerset and later at Cullompton, Devon in south-west England from the late 17th century to the early 19th century....
. It has been designated by English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
as a Grade II* listed building.
There is also a Methodist
Methodism
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
church and St Andrew's in the neighbouring town of Ansford
Ansford
Ansford is a village and parish in Somerset, England, situated on the northern edge of Castle Cary in the South Somerset district. The village has a population of 1,048....
.
Notable residents
Notable people from the town include the 18th-century diarist James WoodfordeJames Woodforde
James Woodforde was an English clergyman, best known as the author of The Diary of a Country Parson.-Early life:James Woodforde was born at the Parsonage, Ansford, Somerset, England on 27 June 1740...
who was curate between 1765 and 1775 and Douglas Macmillan
Douglas Macmillan
Douglas Macmillan MBE was a civil servant and charity founder. He was the seventh of eight children of William Macmillan and his wife Emily...
, founder of the Macmillan Cancer Relief charity. The Macmillan Way
Macmillan Way
The Macmillan Way is a long-distance footpath in England that links Boston, Lincolnshire to Abbotsbury in Dorset. The route's distance is . It is promoted to raise money for the charity Macmillan Cancer Relief....
walking trail passes through the town.
Education
The town has a primary and a secondary school. Castle Cary Community Primary School dates from 1840, whereas Ansford SchoolAnsford School
→Ansford Academy, previously known as Ansford School, is a school located in the town of Ansford which lies on the northern edge of Castle Cary in Somerset, England. It contains 656 students from the ages of 11 to 16. It is run by the head teacher Robert Benzie...
built in 1940 with additional rooms for science, technology, mathematics and modern languages being added in the 1970s. A new £1.7 million Sports Centre was completed in 2005.
External links
- Castle Cary Town Council
- The Somerset Urban Archaeological Survey: Castle Cary, by Miranda Richardson