Chapel Allerton

CHAPEL ALLERTON - information extracted from Kelly’s 1914 Directory of Somerset

CHAPEL ALLERTON is a parish and village, 4½ miles south-west from Axbridge station on the Cheddar Valley branch of the Great Western Railway and is 10 miles north-west from Wells.

In this parish stood “The Hundred Stone” which marked the limit of the hundred of Bempstone: the site is marked on the ordnance map, and two of the stones are preserved in the churchyard. The Ecclesiastical Commissioners are Lords of the Manor and principal land owners.  The soil is loamy; the subsoil is limestone.  The land is chiefly in pasture.  The area is 1,437 acres; rateable value, £3,410; the population in 1911 was 265 in the civil, and 197 in the ecclesiastical parish.

Stone Allerton is a hamlet 1 mile north-west from the parish church, and was transferred to this parish from Weare, March 24^th 1885. By the same order and at the same date Toot Common was added to Mark, and a part of Allerton and Washbrook to Weare for civil purposes.

CHAPEL ALLERTON is in the

·         Wells division of the county [Somerset]

·         Bempstone Hundred,

·         Axbridge petty sessions division

·         Axbridge Poor Law Union

·         Axbridge County Court District

·         Rural Deanery of Axbridge

·         Archdeaconry of Wells

·         Diocese of Bath and Wells

THE CHURCH

The Church of St Matthew is a building of local stone, erected about 1220, on the site of a more ancient fabric and subsequently altered in the 15^th and 17^th centuries:  it consists of a chancel, nave of three bays, north aisle, porch and a western turret containing 2 bells: the church was restored in 1860 at a cost of £1,364 and has 180 sittings: in the churchyard is an ancient cross, 15 feet in height.  The register dates from the year 1692.

The living is a rectory, net yearly value £240. About 10 aces of glebe and residence, in the gift of the Dean and Chapter of Wells, and held since 1910 by the Rev Walter Thomas Hollier Drew B.A. of Hatfield Hall, Durham.  There are charities of 10s 4d yearly value, distributed in bread on St Thomas’ Day.

·         Parish Clerk: Samuel Cooksley

POST

Post Office: Allerton - Letters arrive from Axbridge at 8.15 a.m. & 5.20 p.m.; dispatched 8.45 a.m. & 6.10. p.m. No delivery on Sundays. 

·         Sub-Postmaster Francis Walter Norris

Blackford, 2 miles distant is the nearest money order office and Wedmore & Weare are the nearest telegraph offices

Wall Letter Boxes

·         Chapel Allerton cleared at 8.50 a.m. & 6.15 p.m. week days only

·         Stone Allerton cleared at 9 a.m. & 6.25 p.m. week days only

·         Ashton cleared at 9.15 a.m. & 5.45 p.m. week days only

PUBLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS

Chapel Allerton (mixed), erected in 1863 at a cost of £500 for 80 children; average attendance, 50;

·         School Mistress: Mrs M. C. Bown

Stone Allerton – A School room at Stone Allerton, built by the Rev H. T. Perfect & given by him to the parish, together with two cottages for the maintenance of the school is vested in the Vicar & Churchwardens of Weare; it was closed in 1893 owing to insufficiency of funds & is now used as a Mens’ Club.  The children attend the schools at Badgworth and Chapel Allerton instead.

PRIVATE RESIDENTS – CHAPEL ALLERTON

Drew Rev Walter Thomas Hollier B. A. (Rector), Rectory

COMMERCIAL – CHAPEL ALLERTON

Banwell John, haulier

Clapp Charles Spearing, farmer & Assistant Overseer

Clapp George, yeoman, Ashton

Cook John, farmer, Ashton

Cox Geoffrey, farmer, Plash (postal address Nark, Highbridge)

Durling Metford, farmer

Durston Albert, farmer, Ashton

Durston George, farmer

Ham John, farmer, Fern Bank

Ham William, farmer, Moorland Farm

James Henry, wheelwright

James William, carpenter, Washbrook

Lovell Walter, farmer, Jesmond Farm

Parish Council (Charles Clapp, clerk)

Puddy James, cattle dealer

Stephens John & Sons, millers (wind & steam), Ashton

Teek Arthur, farmer, Manor Farm

Watts Frederick, farmer

PRIVATE RESIDENTS - STONE ALLERTON

Mapleton Harvey William, Old Mill

Tucker Mrs

COMMERCIAL – STONE ALLERTON

Burrows William, farmer

Coles George, boot & shoe maker

Day George, farmer

Green John, yeoman

Grimstead William, farmer

Ham Charles, farmer

Ham Egbert William, farmer

Ham Frank, cowkeeper

Ham Geoffrey Burnett, cowkeeper

Ham Maurice (Mrs), farmer

Ham Oliver, cowkeeper

Hatch Charles, carpenter

King William, dairy farmer

Norris Francis Walker, shopkeeper & post office

Pople Barry, shopkeeper

Pugh Jane H (Mrs) Wheatsheaf P. H.

Slocombe John, shopkeeper

Sully Reginald James, farmer

Vowles James, farmer & Assistant Overseer for Weare

Wall Arthur, blacksmith