Mere, Wiltshire
Encyclopedia
Mere is a small town in Wiltshire
, England
. It lies at the extreme southwestern tip of Salisbury Plain
close to the borders of Somerset
and Dorset
.
There is an old market square (although markets have not been held for several years), a chiming town clock and a large 15th century parish church of St Michael the Archangel, along with St Mary's Catholic church, St Matthew's and also Methodist and United Reformed churches. The number of shops has halved since the A303
bypass road was opened in 1976. The steep slope of Castle Hill
rises from the northwestern side of Mere. Castle Hill was the site of a relatively large (390 by 102 feet) castle, built in the mid-13th century by the lord of the manor, Richard, Earl of Cornwall. The castle fell into disrepair in the 15th century and its stone is said to have been used to build local houses. The Duchy of Cornwall
still owns large amounts of land in the area. Local industry and commerce includes the Hill Brush company, large wholesale plant nurseries and the notable Yapp's wine merchants.
St Michael the Archangel is unusual, in that it has 10 misericord
s; those on the south side of the choir, date from the 14th century, whilst those on the north side are early 16th century.
It is part of the historic West Country Carnival
circuit.
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...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It lies at the extreme southwestern tip of Salisbury Plain
Salisbury Plain
Salisbury Plain is a chalk plateau in central southern England covering . It is part of the Southern England Chalk Formation and largely lies within the county of Wiltshire, with a little in Hampshire. The plain is famous for its rich archaeology, including Stonehenge, one of England's best known...
close to the borders of 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...
and Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
.
There is an old market square (although markets have not been held for several years), a chiming town clock and a large 15th century parish church of St Michael the Archangel, along with St Mary's Catholic church, St Matthew's and also Methodist and United Reformed churches. The number of shops has halved since the A303
A303 road
The A303 is a 92-mile long trunk road in England. It is the main road between Basingstoke in Hampshire and Honiton in Devon. The M3, the A303 and the A30 together make up one of the main routes from London to South West England, running from London to Land's End in Cornwall...
bypass road was opened in 1976. The steep slope of Castle Hill
Castle Hill, Mere
Castle Hill is a fairly small yet noticeably steep hill rising from the Northwestern side of Mere, Wiltshire, England. The region is at the Southwestern tip of Salisbury Plain....
rises from the northwestern side of Mere. Castle Hill was the site of a relatively large (390 by 102 feet) castle, built in the mid-13th century by the lord of the manor, Richard, Earl of Cornwall. The castle fell into disrepair in the 15th century and its stone is said to have been used to build local houses. The Duchy of Cornwall
Duchy of Cornwall
The Duchy of Cornwall is one of two royal duchies in England, the other being the Duchy of Lancaster. The eldest son of the reigning British monarch inherits the duchy and title of Duke of Cornwall at the time of his birth, or of his parent's succession to the throne. If the monarch has no son, the...
still owns large amounts of land in the area. Local industry and commerce includes the Hill Brush company, large wholesale plant nurseries and the notable Yapp's wine merchants.
St Michael the Archangel is unusual, in that it has 10 misericord
Misericord
A misericord is a small wooden shelf on the underside of a folding seat in a church, installed to provide a degree of comfort for a person who has to stand during long periods of prayer.-Origins:...
s; those on the south side of the choir, date from the 14th century, whilst those on the north side are early 16th century.
It is part of the historic West Country Carnival
West Country Carnival
The West Country Carnival is an annual celebration featuring a parade of illuminated floats , in the English West Country. The celebration dates back to the Gunpowder Plot of 1605. The purpose is to raise money for local charities....
circuit.