Badgworth

BADGWORTH -  information extracted from Kelly’s 1914 Directory of Somerset

BADGWORTH is a village and parish on the road from Bristol to Bridgwater. 4 miles south-west of Axbridge Station on the Cheddar Valley Branch of the Great Western Railway.  Sir Osbert L’Estrange Mordaunt, bart., who is the lord of the manor, Mrs W Salvidge, of East Brent, and Mrs Tilley, of Upper Weare are the chief landowners.

Tarnock is a tithing, about 1 mile north-west from the church.  The road called “Kingsway” passing from Tarnock to Mark, was so named from the Royal troops having marched along it to the battle of Sedgemoor. Walter Long, esq., is the lord of the manor of Tarnock

The soil is loam, and the sub soil is clay.  The land is chiefly in pasture. The area is 1,772 acres;  rateable value £4,739.  Population in 1911 was 245

BADGWORTH is part of the

·         Wells division of the County [Somerset],

·         Hundred of Winterstoke,

·         Axbridge Petty Sessional Division,

·         Axbridge Union,

·         County Court District of Axbridge,

·         Rural deanery of Burnham,

·         Archdeaconry of Wells,

·         Diocese of Bath & Wells.

THE CHURCH

The Church of St Congar is a building of stone in the Decorated and Perpendicular styles, consisting of chancel, nave, north aisle, south porch and a western tower, which was restored in 1909, containing 5 bells, the second bearing the inscription “Sancte Rafael, ora pro nobis”, the third bears “Benedictum sit nomen domini”. 

In 1864, the chancel was rebuild in the Decorated style, the body of the church repaired, the founder’s tomb and a piscine was rebuilt in the chancel wall, the gallery removed, and the western arch thrown open.  In the course of this work it was discovered that the original stone pulpit, ornamented with curious but much mutilated carved figures, had formed the pedestal of the later pulpit.  In 1873 an organ was introduced and slightly enlarged in 1888. 

There are several mural tablets to former rectors, two stained windows, some fine old oak of the 16^th century date and an Early English font. There are sittings for 170 persons.   A new burial ground was added to the churchyard and consecrated in 1896.  The register dates from 1671

The living is a rectory, net yearly value £435, including 86 acres of glebe with residence, in the gift of Sir Osbert L’Estrange Mordaunt, bart., and has been held since 1911 by the Rev Mildmay Francis Hall,  M.A.  of Trinity College, Oxford. The diocesan records contain a list of rectors since 1309.   

• Sexton – Charles Nuttycombe

Non-Conformist

There are no Non-Conformist Chapels

THE School

Public Elementary Schools (mixed), built in 1874, for 60 children; average attendance 36. 

• School Mistress – Miss Ada Gane

Post

Letters from Axbridge arrive by messenger at about 7.30am. and 4.00pm; Letter Box in the village cleared daily at 9.00am and 6.50am. Sundays at 12.55pm. Tarnock cleared at 8.40am and 6.20pm & Sundays at 12.15pm. The nearest Telegraph Office is at Weare, 1 mile distant, and the nearest Money Order Office is at Axbridge, 4 miles distant.

Private Residents

Broom, John Griffen

Counsell, Henry

Hall, Rev Mildmay Francis, M.A. (rector), Rectory

Commercial

Arney Brothers, farmers

Bailey, George, farmer, Courthouse Farm

Bailey, Henry, assistant overseer for Badgworth & Biddisham and Collector of land taxes for Biddisham and farmer at Tarnock

Banwell, John, farmer, Tarnock

Banwell, Percy, farmer, Tarnock

Burdge, Edmund, farmer, Badgworth Bow Farm

Burrow, Geo, farmer, Cedar Tree Farm

Cothier, Henry, farmer, Tarnock

Counsell, James, farmer, Common Farm, Tarnock

Counsell, Wm. Farmer, Biddisham Lane

Cox, Edmund, corn, flour & cake factor, Tarnock

Cox, William, farmer, Tarnock

Hicks, Mary (Mrs) & William, farmers

Leach, Robert, baker, Tarnock

Phippen, John, Tarnock

Salvidge, Walter, farmer, South view Tarnock

Say, Arthur Geo, farmer, Hill View

Spratt, Harry, farmer

Sully, Sally (Mrs) Shopkeeper

Vincent, Lot, farmer, Tarnock