DIRECTORY.] SOl\iERSETSHIRE. MEA.RE. ..279 Willies Jsph.beerretailer,Bower Henton Yandle Henry John, wheelwright,Hurst Gale Henry, farmer, Stapleton mead Worner Emanl. farmer, Bower Henton Yandle Joseph, carpenter, Hnrst Scriven Waiter, blacksmith Worner John, farmer, Bower Henton Wills John, dairyman, Stapleton mead Worner William lndoe, grocer & iron- Sta.pleton. monger, North street Bicknell John, farmer MEARE is a parish, with a station ca1led and jecting chimney-stack, has large pointed windows, now Meare, one mile south from the village, on the and built up, in the upper floor. Not far from the Manor House Dorset railway, about 3~ miles north-west from , is the so-called "Fish House," anciently the residence of the 9 south-west from Wells and I37t from London, in the Wells head fisherman of the abbots, which to a great extent, has division of the county, Glaston Twelve Hides hundred, Wells been permitted to fall into ruin, but some portions, however, petty sessional division, union and county court district, by the efforts of the Somersetshire Archreological Society, rural deanery of Glastonbury, archdeaconry of Taunton and have been preserved ; it resembles in style the Manor House, diocese of Bath and Wells, deriving its name from those and has a projecting chimney and a good traceried window moors or meres with which it was formerly surrounded. of the Decorated period at oue end; the upper floor is Some portions were once overflown by the sea, and the reached by a doorway high up in the wall, approached by a names of three islands are met with in old records, viz. : long flight of steps. That part of the parish called " Mer~ " Feramere" (the present Meare), " Godenere," and Pool," anciently constituting the fish preserve of the abbots "Westeie," now called "" and "," all of of Glastonbury, was formerly a stagnant pool of water, which still form a portion of this extensive parish. The about 400 acres in extent, but now, by drainage, has church of St. Mary is a building of stone, in the Decorated become valuable land. The principal landowners are Lord and Perpendicular styles, consisting of chancel, nave of two Brougham and Vaux, Captain Sherston, Messrs. Ruscombe bays, aisles, south porch and a massive embattled western Poole and Sons, Richard Bath, Thomas S.Bath, Edward Bath, tower, containing 6 bells : the chancel and porch belong to the Henry Bull Templer Strangways esq. J. P. of Shapwick, and early 14th century; the former has a good oak roof, with a the trustees of the late Rev. Wadham Knatchbull. The richly-decorated eastern bay ; and the windows indicate the soil is clayey; the subsoil is chiefly turf. The land is mostly transition from Decorated to Perpendicular : the nave and in pasture. The area is 8,269 acres; rateable value, £151 283; aisles, as well as the chancel arch, appear to have been the population in 188I was It409· rebuilt towards the end of the 15th century: the fine stone WESTHAY, 1 mile north-west, where there is a bridge of 3 pulpit is of the same period: there is a curious old alms-box, arches over the ; UPPER GonNEY, 2 miles north­ on a carved pedestal, and a chest containing armour: in the e!I.St, and LOWER GonNEY, 1! miles north-east, are in this church is a painting of the " Descent from the Cross," pro- parish. bably dating from about 166o, but repainted about 1830 : . . . . the nave roof was restored before 1859, under the direction GonNEY 18 an ecclestastwa~ Pll:rt~h, form~d _October 8, of Mr. W. White F.S.A. and the chapel was generally restored I869. The ~hurch of the ~ol) Tnmty, re~mlt m. I8_4o, on in 1g70 : there are sittiugs for 300 persons. The register I the founda:tu~ns of an earher structure, 18 a bmldmg of dates from 1559. The living is a vicarage, average tithe stone,_ c_onststmg of chancel, nave, sou~h. porch and a t~rret rent-charge £77, gross yearly value £26o, including 89 acres contammg one bell: th~r? ar.e 256 Sit~mgs.. The regtster of glebe, with residence, in the gift of John Kekewich esq. dates from I7~I. rr:he hvn_tg 18 a ~onattve VI~rage, yea~ly and held since 1s76 by the Rev. Barton Thomas Bussell M. A. value £240, Wit~ restdence, m the gtft of.~h~ hetrs of P. DaVIes of Trinity College, Dublin. There is a Primitive Methodist esq. and held su~ce I86g by the R~v. "\\tlham John M~rsh~ll chapel, and a Congregational chapel with minister's resi- M.A. of Queens College, Cambrtdge. The populatiOn m deuce attached. Old records relate that Kerelwach, king of I88I was 387. the West Saxons, gave Meare, Godney and Westhay to the PosT OFFICE.-George Wilkins, receiver. Letters through Abbey of Glastonbury; after its overthrow, the manor of Glastonbury arrive at 8.30 a. m. ; dispatched at 5.40 p.m. Meare was given to Edward, Duke of Somerset, since which The nearest money order & telegraph office is at Glaston- period it has often changed its lords, and now is greatly sub- bury. Postal orders are issued here, but not paid divided. The manor of Meare contains about 2,8oo acres, WALL LETTER BoxEs, Upper Godney, cleared at 5 p.m. & Godney about 3,2oo, and Westhay about 1,700. The old Lower Godney at 4.40 p.m manorial residence of the abbots of Glastonbury, erected A School Board of 5 members was formed October 2, 1874; about 1300, and greatly improved by Abbot Here, still Rev. Barton Thomas Hussell M.A. clerk to the board; exists, and is now a farm house: it consists of two blocks, at Frederick Richards, attendance officer right angles to each other, one of which, anciently the hall, is Board School (mixed), established in 1874, for go children; a remarkably fine and spacious apartment, with elegant win- average attendance, 6o; 'William Henry Grey, master ; dows, containing Decorated tracery; these are somewhat infants', established in I88o, for 130 children; average deeply splayed on the inside and the heads ornamented with attendance, 90; Mrs. Rosa Helena Grey, mistress graceful cnsping below a moulded dripstone, and there is a Board School, Upper Godney (mixed), built, with house for fireplace with lofty pentagonal hood, carried on brackets ; mistress, in 1876, for 6o children ; average attendance, the other block, which is strongly buttressed, and has a pro- 45; Mrs. Ann Pryor, mistress Mea.re. Emery Alfred, smith & beer retailer Whitcombe Charles, turf dealer BussellRev.BartonThomasM.A. [vicar] Francis Arthur, New inn Wilkins George, carpenter, Post office Banwell Mrs Francis George, horse dealer Williams Charles, turf dealer Cornwall John Manor house Gardiner l''rederick, tailor, draper, Hudson Miss ' grocer & provision dealer Lower Godney. Jenkins Rev. Obed [Coug.], The Manse Giblett Edward, carpenter Baker Edwin, farmer Giblett Hugh, farmer Baker Hannah (Mrs.), shopkeeper COMMERCIAL. Giblett Joseph, farmer Cabbie William, dairyman Andrews William, draper & grocer, & Gilling Oliver, farmer Churches John, farmer agent for W. & A. Gilbey, wine & Gooding Charles, Ring of Bells P.H Churches Thomas, farmer spirit merchants Ham Robert, farmer Haggett J ames, farmer Baily Alexander, turf & peat merchant Hayes Elias Giblett, grocer & draper Haine John, farmer & farmer, Great Plain Hayes Hubert, farmer, Stileway Haine William, farmer Bailey Ed ward, blacksmith Hooper Edwin, farm bailiff to Messrs. Jones John, beer retailer & shopkeeper Baker George, (Mrs.), farmer Poole & Sons, Whitehouse Rood John, farmer Baker George, jun. farmer Hooper Thomas, farmer Sweet Richard, dairyman Baker Hubert, carpenter Keen Henry, farmer Wheeler Richard, farmer Banwell William, farmer Keen John, farmer Wilcox Edmund, farmer Bassett Ann (Mrs.), dress maker Keen Richard, farmer Burnett George Giblett, farmer Lawrence Charles, farmer Upper Godney. Burnett James, farmer Lever J ames, shopkeeper Marshall Rev. Wm. John M.A. Vicarage Burnett Robert, farmer Look Thomas, farmer Churches J ames, farmer - Burrows Wm. farmer, Barrow Ho. farm Masters Sidney, farmer Churches Robert, jun. farmer Cary Eli7..a.beth (Mrs.), shopkeeper Millard Robt. farmer, Decoy Pool farm Keen John, farmer Chislett Henry, farmer 1 Paine John, shoe maker Mogg J oseph, farmer Churches Thomas, farmer Phelps Joseph, Railway inn Stott Matthew, farmer Cornwall John, surgeon, Manor house Phelps Richard, farmer Reeves James, farmer Court William, farmer Richards Frederick,school attend. officer Reeves Samuel, farmer, Batch Difford Sarah & Mary ( llisses ), milliners Rogers Joseph, butcher Difford Frederick, blacksmith Rowley Wilham, stone mason Westhay. Difford George, gilder Stephens Andrew, carpenter COM!IIERCIAL. Difford J esse, beer retailer ToogoodJames, farmer Burnett Willia.m, beer retailer Ducket.t David (Mrs.), farmer Toogood Joseph, farmer Durston John, farmer