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Lopen
Lopen maps
Historic maps of Lopen and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Lopen maps
Lopen photos
We have no photos of Lopen, although we do have photos of these nearby places:
Seavington St Michael| Hinton St George| Seavington St Mary| Merriott| South Petherton| Shepton Beauchamp| Crewkerne| Barrington| Haselbury Plucknett| Stoke-Sub-Hamdon| Martock| Misterton| Ilminster| North Perrott| Montacute| Hambridge| Tintinhull| Winsham| Brympton| Fivehead| Ilchester
Lopen area books
Displaying 1 of 11 books about Lopen and the local area. View all books for this area
You can read extracts and browse photos from these books.
Memories of Lopen
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Somerset memories
Village Memories.
This is a view of the top of West Street with the Post Office on the left. The Postmaster then was Mr Herbert Winn. Opposite is Tetts Farm with the milk churns awaiting collection outside. The farmer was Henry Best. The lady coming along the pavement is Mrs Louisa Stoodley. She was widowed in the First World War and herself lost an arm while working at nearby Lopen factory.
Names of People And Buildings.
Here we are looking down West Street with the village school visible at the end. On the left is Tetts Farm with the milk churns, while next is Manor Farm, farmed by Reg Newick. The thatched building before the school is Old Farm, farmed by Rhesa Warry, with a little sweet shop next door. All these farms are now private houses. Behind the village cross can be seen the shop window of the Post Office while the large gabled building is the 15th century George & Crown Inn sadly burned down in 1960. The ladies outside are Mrs Evelyn Best from Tetts Farm, and on the right is Mrs Stenner who lived in West Street. West Street was once the main through-road but was closed in the 18th century when Lord of The Manor Earl Poulett enlarged his Park. A new road was made following the turning to the right at the cross.
A Village Celebrates
In 1953 the village was chosen by Picture Post to feature in their Coronation special edition under the heading "A village celebrates". On the Sunday nearest the Coronation there was an open air inter-denomination Service held at the Cross; there were square dances in the Stables of Hinton House; a fete and handicraft show in the grounds; a revue starring most of the village which was written by Keith Johnson, and featured Colin Winn and Jack Irish (painter and decorator); Joyce Aldridge (Male), Cissie (?), Grace Aldridge, Terry and John Aldridge, Mary Warry........and Jean Mirehouse sang the closing "Rule Britannia". A fireworks display provided by Picture Post was the finale.
The George and Crown's landlord was Alan Newick, brother of Reg. It was then taken over by the Winns who built up a reputation for good food rather than just a pub. The waitress was Joan Prior. When it burnt down in late 1960 fire-engines from seven towns attended the blaze but were hampered... Read more
Memory Lane
With regards to the photo above,I can remember My Mum telling me about the Old Pub. The night before the pub burnt down to the ground My Mum Had slept there. Mum said there was nothing left it had burt to the ground. Amongst the ruin was there was just one glass standing she kept it for a memory of that time.
Hinton in my Schooldays
I lived at 68 West Street. My father was head gardener at Hinton House when the Malvern Girls College moved back to Malvern, he moved and we followed later in between the Germans bombed us, and I think it was the next day they came over in daylight, we could see the pilots, they were so low. The head master had his windscreen broken by shrapnel in Crewkerne, they were looking for Yeovilton.
John Burge.
Charlie Bond
We had an evacue called Charlie Bond, he came from east London, I wonder where he is now?
Alan Newick
Alan Newick owned a butcher shop and my father worked for him.
