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Alford
Alford maps
Historic maps of Alford and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Alford maps
Alford photos
We have no photos of Alford, although we do have photos of these nearby places:
Castle Cary| Ditcheat| East Pennard| Sparkford| Keinton Mandeville| Queen Camel| Bruton| Charlton Mackrell| Butleigh| Pilton| Charlton Horethorne| Ilchester
Alford area books
Displaying 1 of 11 books about Alford and the local area. View all books for this area
You can read extracts and browse photos from these books.
Memories of Alford
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Somerset memories
REAL & HOLTON - SPARKES OF CARY IN CASTLE CARY
My great uncle Mr Arthur Real who was born at Axmouth Devon in 1886 and grew up there, started a business in Castle Cary Somerset with Mr Walter Holton from Trowbridge Wiltshire in the 1930s. They named their bakery business Real & Holton. Mr Holton was a master baker and confectioner and worked in the bakehouse in Fore Street from 4am in the morning until he finished his day. The first batch of bread would be ready by 8am. Mr Holton would then cycle to his home in Torbay Road to have his breakfast while the staff would take the hot bread from the bakehouse into the shop, ready, when the shop opened at 9am. My great uncle ran the business side and lived above the shop and cafe with his wife Clara. Above the shop and cafe there was a large grand front room with two windows, one a bay. These two windows overlooked Fore Street. The view was beyond the Market House up the road, and down to... Read more
Living With Grandpa
I spent a year living in the Abbey House from Sept 1967 to July 1968 with my dad, mum, and younger sister. My grandfather, Hugh Leir, owned the house and lived in the older/original part of it for that year too. I was 11 years old at the time and it was a magic year. My sister and I had a wonderful time exploring the old house and grounds, especially when Grandpa wasn't around, and we were Robin Hood and Maid Marian for a good part of that year we lived there too. The attic was a wonderful place to explore. I remember the chicken bones that held the stone tiles in place. I have fond memories of Walter Higgins who was the gardener/grounds keeper there at the time and neighbours, the Barbers, who had giant hunting horses in the stables next door.
Brian Salter
Mar 2011
The Big Question
Upon leaving the primary school in North Cadbury, we were asked the big question. Well, the big question for an 11 year old.
"What do you want to be doing when you are older?"
My answer to this, was that I would like to be writing books and making films, and I would make a film in the village.
It is now 26 years later, and I am preparing to return to the village to make a film.
This means a lot, as it was here that I learnt to write, and where I first wrote my short stories.
Childhood
I was born in London, and my family moved to Culberry Cottage in East Pennard when I was about 8yrs or 9yrs old. That was a short but happy stay in the area amongst the farm lands, animals and walks in the fields picking wild daffodils and bluebells. I loved to help the farmers with the dairy cows and picked the cider apples. Will never forget the wonderful taste of the fresh milk/cream, but especially the taste after the cows had eaten some of the cider apples (cider and milk do not mix well!). Culberry Cottage was at that time a 700 year old stone cottage with no electric and a well for water at the bottom of the lane with many frogs living in it which I loved to play with and freaked out my mother. I am now in my mid-sixties and have over the past several months been dreaming of the cottage, I searched on the internet and found the people who are now living in the... Read more
My Sister's Village
My sister moved from Manchester in 1990 to Keinton as her husband was working in Shepton Mallet. We have been visiting the village at least 3 times a year, Easter, Summer and usually Christmas. Our children say they can smell Somerset - they mean fresh air, fires burning etc. Keinton has shown us a different way of life, we love to go to the local church on Christmas Eve and a walk on Christmas Day. We love the quiet and the peaceful streets and the smell of people's fires burning. We would love to move to Keinton and hope one day we will. We are really thankful that it has become such a big part of our lives. I love Keinton.
Early Days
I was born at Mobby House, Wyke Champflower, in 1939, my father was a farm hand. We moved to Hill House Farm, when I was 6years old, so that my mother could work in the dairy, where the cheese making was done. We moved from the farm when I was 12years old to Hill House Cottage, as the farmhouse was needed for the farming family. My years at Wyke Champflower are very memorable, I count myself very lucky to have grown up in such a lovely village (hamlet). It has changed due to progress over the years, as have most places of my childhood, most of the generation before me has passed on, including my own parents, but some of their families are still there. I have memories of the Christmas parties at the farmer's house for all the employees and their families, also the parties and whist drives at the Manor House where the villagers gathered (real community spirit).
Mobby House
I have lived at Mobby House, Wyke Champflower for 25 years and was interested to read that Audrey O'Halloran was born there. The name of the house has always been a talking point, perhaps Audrey could shed some light on the matter! Look forward to hearing more memories from Wyke Champflower and perhaps Mobby House!
