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West Harptree
West Harptree photos
Displaying the first of 11 old photos of West Harptree. View all West Harptree photos
West Harptree maps
Historic maps of West Harptree and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all West Harptree maps
West Harptree area books
Displaying 1 of 6 books about West Harptree and the local area. View all books for this area
You can read extracts and browse photos from these books.
Memories of West Harptree
Displaying a selection of personal
memories of West Harptree.
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Moon Family
Although I do not know West Harptree very well, my great-grandmother and great-grandfather are buried here, and there is a memorial to my grandfather William Moon in the church, he died in 1915 in India while in the army. If anyone knows about either the Moon or Bendle families I would love to hear from you.
Avon memories
My Ancestry
I have wonderful memories of visting Compton Martin in the 1990s and a lunch at the Ring O' Bells. My strong interest in the village is because my grandfather Charles Stallard was born there in 1879, his father George in 1844 and his grandmother Martha Badman in 1811. My Stallard family lived at Compton Martin for many years having come from nearby Wrington. If there are any Stallards or Badmans still living in the area I would love to contact them.
Patricia Adair (nee Stallard)
e-mail: paadair@ihug.co.nz
Hinton Blewett 1945-1946
I first saw Hinton Blewett on a late September day when arriving at my prep school, Colchester House. This was housed in Hinton Blewett Manor, which was its wartime home. Its true home was in Clifton, Bristol but that had been requisitioned during the war so the school was in borrowed accommodation. The headmaster was Mr K A Moresby, a bachelor, but very fond of boys! He liked to have them stripped naked in his study at the beginning and end of term for weighing and measuring. Nevertheless it was a very happy school and I learnt a lot in the year I was there. I remember cycle rides into the nearby country, seeing lots of horse-drawn farm equipment and seeing haymaking the hard way. Pick-up balers did not then exist. I remember the narrow lanes and views of Blagdon Lake.
Regretfully it all came to an end in July 1946 as Mr Moresby couldn't afford to pay for the building in Clifton to be made good and decided to... Read more
Wedding
On March 21st this year it will be 50 years since my mum and dad, Christine Hole and Islwyn (Eddie) Griffiths, got married at this lovely country village church. This is not a personal memory, but I have seen photos of the day back in 1959. They are still very much together and love each other to bits!
My own personal memories are a little sadder, the last being the burial of my paternal grandmother (Nana) in the churchyard where she joined my grandfather (Papa) in eternal rest.
Fun!!
I worked in Chewton Mendip in 1968, at Bathway Farm which was a racing stables. It was an amazing job and a wonderful place to work. Every Sunday lunchtime down to the Waldegrave Arms!! 3 of us shared a cottage on Nedge called Swallowsloft, that little house was amazing! Chewton is a beautiful place and I'll never forget my time there.
A Country Drive Around Somerset
Having retired and moved to the West Country my wife Elizabeth and I set out to explore the area. Our new home is in Tiverton, Devon, but gradually we explored further and further afield and we remember a lovely drive to Wells and going along Somerset lanes through beautiful villages like East Harptree, Rookham, Chewton Mendip and down towards Taunton on our way home.
My Memory of Going to School in The Manor House
Chew Magna, High School - this was in fact the High School for Sacred Heart High School & Preparatory School, which I attended for 3 years.
I was in my first year senior's when the high school closed, from my memory it was a close-knit family community. People seemed to respect the building which we had the priviledge to go to school in. School sports day that final year was held on the lawns in front of the Manor House and a 'cross-country' fun run was completed in the grounds up to the car park. Teachers and pupils alike joined in and it was an amazing day. Then our day to leave came and it was one of the saddest days, saying goodbye to friends, teachers and The Manor House. I am lucky that my aunt & uncle still live in the village and I have been back a few times to visit the house. The 2nd time in particular, I walked in and... Read more
