CHAFFCOMBE
The parish of Chaffcombe lies 2 miles northeast of Chard and nearly 3 miles south-west of
Ilminster, and had an area of 1,106 a. in 1901. (fn. 1) It is
irregular in shape, extending for nearly 2¼ miles
from north to south, and between 1½ mile and less
than ½ mile from east to west. It is bounded on the
north by Knowle St. Giles and Cricket Malherbie,
on the east by Cudworth, on the south by Cricket
St. Thomas and Winsham, and on the west by
Chard.
The parish is on the western slopes of the Windwhistle ridge overlooking Chard, the ground falling
from over 600 ft. on its eastern boundary to 200 ft.
by the old Chard reservoir. The highest land, above
Lidmarsh, is clay with flints, below which run
successive north-south bands of chalk and Upper
Greensand. The north-west of the parish is on the
Middle Lias. (fn. 2) Small streams run through the parish,
at Chaffcombe Gate farm and Chaffcombe village
in the north, and at Lidmarsh and Avishays in the
centre. There are natural springs in the area of
Kingston Well farm in the extreme south.
The Domesday manor of Chaffcombe was
formed from four separate estates, (fn. 3) suggesting a
pattern of scattered settlement in the area in the
11th century. Chaffcombe village, the centre of the
principal holding, lies along a small stream in a
sheltered valley. It includes the church and the site
of a medieval manor-house at its east end, the other
manor-house, later Court Farm, to the south, and
the rectory house to the west, all on higher ground
above the village. There is now a spread of older
houses, mostly of the 18th and 19th centuries,
along the village street, and there has been more
recent infilling of the gaps, mostly in the last 20
years. A secondary settlement in the south at
Lidmarsh occurs by 1170. (fn. 4) There was a capital
messuage and at least one house there by 1227 (fn. 5)
and the hamlet seems to have developed around a
tract of waste. It remained a substantial collection of
cottages until after 1840, (fn. 6) and probably represents
the centre of one or more of the subsidiary Domesday holdings. Lidmarsh is now a small and scattered
settlement of small houses, most of which are of
19th-century origin. Hecstanes, later Hynkestones
well or Kingston well, occurs early in the 13th
century, Avishays and Oakenhead emerged as freeholds in the fourteenth. (fn. 7)
The heavily-wooded terrain, particularly in the
north, probably accounts for the tortuous road
pattern, the result of piecemeal cutting, imparking,
and inclosure over a long period. A grant of free
warren in the 13th century (fn. 8) and the formation of
Chaffcombe Park, later Park Wood, by the 15th, (fn. 9)
was followed by the creation of a park around a
new house at Avishays in the 18th century (fn. 10) and
around Chaffcombe House and Ashton in the
twentieth. (fn. 11) Common pasture at Chaffcombe Common in the north-west, at Whitemoor Hill above
Avishays, and at Huckers (or Hawkers) Hill or
Oakey Common on the Chard road at the end of
Mals Mead Lane near Chard Elm, effectively
divided the parish. (fn. 12) The principal road, between
Chard and Crewkerne, cuts the parish in the south,
and part of the Foss Way forms a small section of
the south-eastern boundary with Cricket St.
Thomas. A route through Lidmarsh to Chaffcombe
village and thence to Knowle St. Giles has evidently been diverted, partly by the creation of
Avishays park and partly by the formation of Chaffcombe Gate farm.
There were licensed victuallers in the parish in
1751 and 1756 (fn. 13) and a public house at the west
end of the village in 1842. (fn. 14) The Happy Return,
originally at Chard Elm and subsequently at the
junction of Mals Mead Lane and the ChardCrewkerne road, first occurs in 1859 (fn. 15) and was
closed in 1965. (fn. 16)
The parish had 12 households in 1612. (fn. 17) The
population was 165 in 1801 and then rose gradually
to 288 in 1841. After a slight recession to 246 in
1861 it rose again to 280 in 1871. There followed
a decline to 192 in 1891. (fn. 18) Between 1901 and 1921
the numbers remained steady at around 230, but
since that time the population has again decreased,
to 176 in 1961 and 159 in 1971. (fn. 19)
Four parishioners were reported to have joined the
Monmouth rebellion in 1685. (fn. 20)
MANORS AND OTHER ESTATES.
In 1066
Chaffcombe comprised four estates, two held 'in
parage' by two thegns and a further two held
similarly by two other thegns. By 1086 these
estates had been combined and granted to Geoffrey,
bishop of Coutances, under whom they were held
'for one manor' by Ralph the red. (fn. 21) This Ralph
can be identified with Ralph le (or de) Sor whose
family became the principal tenants of the honor
of Gloucester in that county and in Somerset. (fn. 22)
Chaffcombe was also held of that honor. The manor's
suit to South Petherton hundred court was withdrawn c. 1262 by Richard, earl of Gloucester
(d. 1262). (fn. 23) His grandson Gilbert held the overlordship at his death in 1314. (fn. 24) It subsequently passed to
Gilbert's brother-in-law Hugh le Despenser (d.
1349), (fn. 25) and was still held of the honor of Gloucester
at least until 1600 though counter-claims were made
in the interval. (fn. 26)
Ralph le Sor was succeeded as tenant by his son
Otes (fl. 1088–1126), (fn. 27) and then by Jordan le Sor
by 1166. (fn. 28) John (I) le Sor, stated to be son of Otes,
probably held the manor c. 1176–7, and subinfeudated it to his cousin Richard de Morewell. (fn. 29)
A claim to the overlordship, however, continued
in the Sor family and their successors. Another
John, who occurs between 1194 and 1205, (fn. 30) was
succeeded before 1227 by Robert le Sor (d. by
1241). (fn. 31) His widow Gwenllian married Nicholas
son of Roger, who held the estate until 1255 when
it was inherited by William le Sor, son of John (III)
and probably nephew of Robert. (fn. 32) William was
followed by John (IV) le Sor (d. c. 1296–7) (fn. 33) and
thereafter by Ela la Sor, probably his daughter,
wife of William de Esthalle. She conveyed the
Sor estates in Somerset to Sir Richard de Rodney in
1306. (fn. 34) Sir Richard was adjudged to be overlord
of Chaffcombe in 1316 and the Rodneys again
claimed the overlordship in 1498 as of their manor
of Backwell. (fn. 35) Their title was finally disallowed in
1600 in favour of the honor of Gloucester. (fn. 36)
Richard de Morewell, to whom the manor had
been granted by John (I) le Sor, subinfeudated it
further to Alan de Furneaux for 20s. a year, and
before 1189 had assigned this rent to Forde abbey
(Dors.). (fn. 37) By virtue of this grant the abbey continued
to claim lordship over the terre tenants. It was the
abbey which granted dower in a moiety of the
manor in 1270, (fn. 38) and further claims to the overlordship of the manor were made by the abbot up
to 1390. (fn. 39) Agreements with the tenants of both
moieties for the payment of rent were made in
1429 and 1430. (fn. 40) No reference to these payments
has been noted after 1444. (fn. 41)
Alan de Furneaux or Geoffrey his son evidently
conveyed the terre tenancy to Oliver Avenel (d.
c. 1226). (fn. 42) On Avenel's death the manor was
divided between his two daughters, Margaret and
Emme, (fn. 43) and was not reunited until the early 17th
century.
Margaret married first Warin de Noneton and
then Philip de Cauntelo, (fn. 44) the latter being in
possession by 1267. (fn. 45) By 1286 this half had descended to Margaret's son Baudry de Noneton (d.
c. 1310) (fn. 46) who left a daughter and heir Margery,
wife of Robert de Pudele. (fn. 47) By 1314 it had passed to
Ralph of Stocklinch, who still held it in 1327, (fn. 48)
and by 1344 to Roger of Stocklinch. (fn. 49) In 1390
John Denebaud, son of Thomas (d. 1362), (fn. 50) died
holding this estate, evidently in right of his grandmother Joan Stocklinch, wife of William Denebaud. (fn. 51) John's son, also John, who was involved in
two armed conflicts over lands in Chaffcombe, one
with the lord of the other estate, (fn. 52) died in 1429. (fn. 53)
His widow Florence was in possession in 1431, (fn. 54)
and ownership then passed to their daughter Elizabeth (d. 1497), wife of William Poulett (d. 1488). (fn. 55)
Sir Amias Poulett, son of Elizabeth, who died at
Chaffcombe in 1538, was succeeded in turn by his
son Sir Hugh (d. 1573) and grandson Sir Amias
(d. 1588). (fn. 56) The property passed from the last to
his son Anthony (d. 1600), whose son John purchased the other half of the manor in 1613. (fn. 57)
Emme Avenel (d. c. 1253), holder of the other
half of the manor, married Jordan de Lisle, who
owned lands in Chaffcombe in 1235. (fn. 58) Their son
Walter, dead by 1269, was succeeded in turn by his
son William de Lisle (d. c. 1294) and grand-daughter
Idony, wife of Hugh de Beauchamp, who presented
to the rectory in 1349. (fn. 59) From Idony the property
passed to John, (fn. 60) probably her son, and to his son
William Beauchamp (d. 1419–20). (fn. 61) William's son
John was lord in 1420 (fn. 62) but by 1461 the patronage
and presumably the estate had passed to John (I)
Buller of Wood in Knowle St. Giles. (fn. 63) John's
grandfather or great-grandfather Nicholas Buller is
believed to have married John Beauchamp's daughter and heir, (fn. 64) and his father Thomas Buller had
an interest in Chaffcombe between 1386 and 1410. (fn. 65)
John (I) died in 1485 and was succeeded by his
grandson Alexander (d. 1526), son of John (II)
Buller. (fn. 66) From Alexander ownership descended in
turn to John (III), John (IV) (d. 1592), John (V)
(d. 1599), and John (VI). (fn. 67) In 1612 the last sold
it to trustees (fn. 68) who in the next year conveyed it to
John Poulett, (fn. 69) thus reuniting the two halves of the
manor.
The identity of the halves as individual manors
was preserved by the Pouletts under the names of
CHAFFCOMBE BULLER and CHAFFCOMBE POULETT, administered separately
until the 18th century. (fn. 70) The estate descended
with the manor of Hinton St. George in the Poulett
family until 1913 when the Chaffcombe lands and
the advowson, but not the lordship, were sold to
Holliday Hartley of Chaffcombe House. (fn. 71) The
Hartley estate was divided and sold in 1923. (fn. 72) The
lordship, not mentioned after the first sale, has
apparently continued in the Poulett family.
The manor-house linked with the Poulett half of
the manor was leased to Robert Cuffe of Donyatt
in 1542. (fn. 73) Cuffe assigned the lease to Richard
Cogan of Chard in 1544, and his widow Agnes (d.
1549–50) left it to her son John. (fn. 74) By 1565 John
Cogan had allowed the house, bakery, dairyhouse,
and stables to fall into decay, (fn. 75) and soon after he
assigned the lease to Peter Bryce. (fn. 76) In 1599 it was
leased by the lord to his son Amias Poulett, who
surrendered it in 1615 to his brother John, then
lord. (fn. 77) It is not mentioned thereafter and was
evidently demolished. The site of the house is not
precisely known but local tradition places it immediately north-west from the church.
The manor-house attached to Chaffcombe Buller
was mentioned in 1294 and treated as leasehold by
1640. (fn. 78) It was known as the Court House from the
late 17th century (fn. 79) and as Court Farm it continued
to be held as part of the Poulett and subsequently
Hartley estates until 1923, when it was bought by
the tenant, F. Wilmington. (fn. 80) The latter sold it to
R. S. J. Gould in 1945, and his son Mr. C. R.
Gould has held it since 1972. (fn. 81) The present building
is part of an apparently substantial 15th-century
house. A traceried window survives on the first
floor with unidentified coats of arms on the labels.
A hamlet at Lidmarsh is first recorded as Libbemersa in 1170 (fn. 82) and Forde abbey received grants of
rent and small amounts of land there in the 13th
century. (fn. 83) The overlordship of these was claimed
by the earl of Gloucester in 1315 but was awarded
to the heirs of John le Sor in the following year. (fn. 84)
It is doubtful whether there was a single dominant
estate there in the 13th century, but a part of the
hamlet may have formed an element of the ½ fee
at Cudworth and Knowle St. Giles held in 1303
and 1316 by Matthew de Esse and Humphrey de
Kail, and in 1346 by de Kail alone. (fn. 85) At his death
in 1348 William Kail held a messuage and 30 a.
of land in Lidmarsh under Robert FitzPayn which
passed to his son John (d. 1384). (fn. 86) John also held
20 a. of pasture in Aveneleseigh, later AVISHAYS.
In 1385 John's widow received in dower 20 a. of
land at Okenehede and 10 a. at Lidmarsh in respect
of these lands, then stated to be parcel of Cudworth
manor. (fn. 87) Thomas Kail (d. 1394), son of John, was
succeeded in turn by his sister Idony (d. 1401), wife
of John Poulett, and her sons John and Thomas.
Both sons died in 1413 and the lands, then totalling
100 a. in Aveneleseygh and 20 a. in Lidmarsh,
reverted to a feoffee, John Kaynes (d. 1420). (fn. 88)
The latter's daughter Joan (d. 1462), wife successively of Sir John Speke and Hugh Champernowne, (d. 1482) was succeeded by her grandson,
John son of John Speke. (fn. 89) William Speke, described
as of Avishays in 1506, was followed by his son
Thomas and grandson John Speke. (fn. 90) By 1530 the
estate was held as a freehold under Chaffcombe
manor. (fn. 91) John Speke's sister Joan and her husband
Thomas Sydenham had livery of the Speke lands
in Chaffcombe in 1537, (fn. 92) and their son Richard
Sydenham conveyed the property to John (I)
Browne of Frampton (Dors.) in 1559. (fn. 93) The
premises evidently passed by successive sons to
Sir John (II) Browne (d. 1627), John (III) (d. 1659),
and John (IV) (d. 1670). They were then inherited
by the uncle of the last, George Browne (d. 1677),
followed in turn by his sons George and Robert. (fn. 94)
In 1697 Avishays was sold by Robert Browne to his
tenant Elias Sealy of Chaffcombe (d. 1715), to whose
family the estate had been leased since Sir John
(II) Browne's time. (fn. 95) Sealy was succeeded by his
son Samuel (d. 1742), whose only surviving child
Sarah married James Marwood (d. 1767) of Widworthy (Devon). (fn. 96) Under the will of Sarah Marwood (d. 1797) Avishays was to be held jointly by
her daughters as long as her only son, James Thomas
Benedictus Marwood (d. 1811), continued insane. (fn. 97)
On his death the Marwood estates were divided
between the four daughters, Avishays passing to
Sarah Bridget (d. 1821), wife successively of Henry
Stevens and John Inglett Fortescue, and subsequently to her sister Mary (d. 1831), wife of the
Revd. George Notley of Combe Sydenham. (fn. 98)
Thereafter it descended to her great-nephew William
Warry Elton who sold it to Edward Clarke (d.
1895), a Chard solicitor, in 1859. (fn. 99) From that date
the property continued to change hands with some
frequency, and in 1973 was owned by Mr. James
Verner.
The house is of brick with stone dressings and
appears to be of the 18th century, but the east side
of the main building incorporates part of an earlier17th-century house which was refronted in the
last years of the same century when an eastern
courtyard with coach house, stables, and brewhouse
were laid out. (fn. 100) The courtyard was further enclosed
on the north by a kitchen wing, added in the earlier
18th century, and in 1745 (fn. 101) the main range was
extended southwards and doubled in depth by the
addition of new principal rooms behind a symmetrical west front of seven bays. More service rooms
were added on the north in the 19th century and a
conservatory, presumably of similar date, on the
south-east was removed in the twentieth century.
There is a large walled garden to the south-east
and on the hill to the east a small embattled structure of the 19th century, known as the Castle,
serves as both eye-catcher and water tower. There
are extensive farm buildings of the 19th and 20th
centuries to the north of the house.
Oakenhead, mentioned in 1385, formed part of
the Avishays estate in 1394 and was held as a freehold of Chaffcombe manor by Joan, widow of Sir
Thomas Brook, at her death in 1437. (fn. 102) It was
inherited by her son Sir Thomas Brook (d. 1439) (fn. 103)
and evidently passed to her grandson Edward,
Lord Cobham (d. 1464). (fn. 104) It continued in the Brook
family, descending by successive heirs, Lords
Cobham, to John (d. 1512), Thomas (d. 1529),
George (d. 1558), and William (d. 1597). (fn. 105) On the
attainder of Henry, Lord Cobham, son of the last,
in 1603 the estate evidently passed with other
Brook lands to Charles Blount, earl of Devonshire
(d. 1606), and subsequently to the latter's illegitimate
son Mountjoy Blount, later Lord Mountjoy. (fn. 106)
Mountjoy sold the property to John Lambert in
1624, in whose family it continued until its settlement in 1656 on Jeffery Pysing (d. 1706) of Winsham and his intended wife Elizabeth Lambert. (fn. 107)
Their son Hugh (d. 1714) was succeeded by his son
Jeffery (d. 1735) and grandson Hugh. (fn. 108) The last
conveyed it to Jennings Darby in 1743 and sold it
to John Notley in 1750. (fn. 109) Oakenhead was held by
George Notley in 1800 and sold in 1829 by Edward
Elton of Greenway (Devon) to Henry Hoste
Henley of Leigh in Winsham. (fn. 110) By 1830 the farmhouse had been demolished and by 1839 the lands
had been absorbed by Henry John Henley's farm
at Kingston Well. (fn. 111)
Forde abbey owned a small property in the
south of the parish linked with the grange at Street
in Winsham and known in the 16th century as
Hynkestones Well alias Heckestonwill. A William
de Hecstanes witnessed an abbey charter in the
early 13th century. (fn. 112) It was leased with the grange
and properties in Dorset to Richard Pollard in 1539
for 21 years, and then in 1545 its reversion was sold
to John Preston of Cricket St. Thomas. (fn. 113) The name
has not been traced thereafter until the early 19th
century as a farm known as Hinkstones Well or
Kingston Well, then on the Henley estate, suggesting
a descent from the 16th century with the manor of
Street and Leigh through the Dewport and Henley
families. (fn. 114)
ECONOMIC HISTORY.
By 1086, after combination, a demesne holding of more than 3 hides out of
a total of 4 hides and 3½ virgates had been created.
Stock on the farm amounted to 8 head of cattle,
24 swine, and 65 sheep. The two smallest holdings,
both occupied by villeins and with two plough
teams for a total of only 1¾ hide, probably lay in the
south of the parish around a settlement at Lidmarsh. The total value of the property was 60s. (fn. 115)
It was twice subinfeudated in the late 12th century,
first for 10s. a year and then for 20s. (fn. 116) In the later
13th century it was valued at 40s. (fn. 117) and between
1314 and 1414 at twice that sum, (fn. 118) but the true
value was probably closer to 106s. 8d., the assessment
of the Denebaud half in 1390. (fn. 119) By 1444 the rents
for one half amounted to £8 8s. 1d. a year. (fn. 120)
No reference has been found to open-field cultivation. In 1420 the Beauchamp family complained
that John Denebaud had illegally inclosed a 2-a.
plot of pasture with a fence and a hedge of thorn
and brambles. (fn. 121) A rental of 1444 shows that apart
from small tracts of pasture and moorland the
manor lay almost wholly in closes, one substantial
piece of arable called le Sarte suggesting its origin
as an assart. (fn. 122) The demesne lands held with one
half of the manor by William de Lisle in 1294
comprised a house and garden, 30 a. of arable land,
4 a. meadow and pasture, and 20 a. of underwood. (fn. 123)
By the 16th century the few references to demesne
are to isolated closes leased to tenants. (fn. 124) In 1542
the Pouletts leased 77½ a. with Chaffcombe Poulett
manor-house (fn. 125) and in the 17th century 10 a. were
held with Court Farm. (fn. 126) In neither case, however,
was the land recorded as former demesne.
Domesday recorded woodland measuring 8 furlongs square (fn. 127) which probably lay on and around
Sprays Hill in the north-east of the parish. A
wood called 'Rivelos' was claimed in 1275 to have
formed part of the Avenel inheritance, (fn. 128) and 'Rokewoode' and 'Ryvelhose' occur in 1419. (fn. 129) The lord's
wood was leased to tenants by 1443 (fn. 130) and timber
was taken there without licence in 1531. (fn. 131) 'Lumbardes wood' of 31 a. was leased with Chaffcombe
Poulett manor-house in 1542, (fn. 132) and it was presented
in 1564 that under-tenants had caused much
damage to the lord's wood. (fn. 133)
Philip de Cauntelo received a grant of free warren
in his demesne lands of Chaffcombe in 1267. (fn. 134)
Chaffcome Park was part of Chaffcombe Buller,
when it contained 40 a., and in 1582 it was leased
with Woodhouse in Knowle St. Giles. (fn. 135) In 1613
it was sold to the Pouletts with the manor of Chaffcombe Buller (fn. 136) and between 1650 and 1759 was
held under lease by the Lumbard family. (fn. 137) On the
expiry of the last lease the park was retained in the
hands of the lord and in 1765 was stocked with
Poulett cattle. (fn. 138)
One half of the manor included 4 houses and
4 bovates in 1390 (fn. 139) and in 1444 the same property
had 9 tenants holding 5 cottages and 2 other tenements, including lands of Old Auster. The manor
pound was then divided between four of the tenants
and three of these were evidently supplying hurdles
in lieu of works. (fn. 140) In 1443 mention is made of the
non-payment of hurdlesilver for 18 years. (fn. 141) Between
1553 and 1560 the administration of the Poulett
halves of the manors of Chaffcombe and Knowle
St. Giles, together with Illeigh farm in Knowle,
was combined (fn. 142) and thereafter Chaffcombe manor
was considered to include much of Knowle. The
problems of the divided manor occasionally caused
confusion, as in 1569 when Poulett claimed half
the price of a stray sheep presented in John Buller's
court. (fn. 143) A lease of the Poulett manor-house for
90 years was granted in 1542 and by the end of the
16th century conversion from copyhold tenure
to leases for 99 years or 3 lives had begun. (fn. 144) The
reunion of the two Chaffcombe halves in 1613
resulted in an estate of some 615 a., although this
included lands in Knowle St. Giles. (fn. 145) About half
the holdings were then leased, and conversion to
leasehold continued during the 18th century. (fn. 146)
In 1716, excluding Illeigh in Knowle, there were
2 freeholders, 26 copyholders, and 24 leaseholders,
the last two classes holding nearly 500 a. between
them and the total rental standing at £22 7s. 9d.
Most of the farming units were small: only two
over 35 a., of which one was Chaffcombe Park and
the other a farm of 71 a. (fn. 147) Covenants to plant trees,
particularly oaks, form a regular feature of Poulett
leases in the late 17th and earlier 18th centuries. (fn. 148)
Chaffcombe common is mentioned in 1553
when it was overstocked by the tenants, and it was
agreed by the lords of both halves of the manor
in 1564 that sheep should be pastured there only
between the feasts of St. Andrew (30 Nov.) and
Lady Day (25 Mar.). (fn. 149) In the 18th century it was
suggested that the tenants of the manor, who would
otherwise suffer under a parliamentary inclosure,
might be granted liberty to inclose the commons
themselves. (fn. 150) A reference to land lately inclosed
from the common in 1812, adjoining 'New close', (fn. 151)
suggests that inclosure was then proceeding piecemeal. Between 1818 and 1824 the occupiers of
estates totalling nearly 530 a., including the owner
of Avishays, had rights over Chaffcombe common, (fn. 152)
but by 1839 the inclosure of the whole common had
been completed. (fn. 153) Common pasture on 'Hyemore',
Whitemoor Hill, and Huckers Hill was mentioned
in 1571. (fn. 154) The first of these has not been identified,
but Cold Harbour cottage at the western approach
to Avishays and built by 1700, had formerly stood
on Whitemoor Hill common and the name survived
as Whitemoor Lane and in closes north-east of
Avishays. (fn. 155) In 1726 and 1740 an annual rent of
2s. called the Plashett or Plashnett rent, payable
within 20 days of Michaelmas, was rendered by the
commoners of Whitemoor Hill, Lidmarsh, and
Chard Heathfield. (fn. 156) Huckers Hill common is
probably Hawkers Hill otherwise Oakey common, of
which 6 a. was described as recently inclosed in
1830. (fn. 157) Much of Lidmarsh was evidently common
pasture and again appears to have been privately
inclosed by tenants during the 18th century. (fn. 158)
Avishays formed the largest freehold in the
parish. In 1413 it included 120 a. of which 20 a.
lay in Lidmarsh, (fn. 159) and a further 60 a. may probably
be assigned to Walscombe in Chard. (fn. 160) In 1697 the
home estate include 40 a. at Avishays and 24 a.
at Lidmarsh. (fn. 161) The Sealys and Marwoods bought
some more land during the 18th century and the
acquisition of the lease of Cold Harbour cottage
in 1729 to form the western lodge (fn. 162) probably gives
the approximate date at which the park around the
house was laid out.
Formerly the largest farm in the parish, Chaffcombe Gate was created by the Pouletts in the late
18th or early 19th century and had an acreage of
208 a. in 1819, (fn. 163) a significant portion of their
estate in the parish which totalled 425 a. in 1839.
The Henley estate of 230 a. then included Kingston
Well farm of 117 a. and substantial property at
Lidmarsh; Avishays had increased to 185 a. and
between them these three holdings accounted for
90 per cent of the parish. Tolleys farm at Lidmarsh
then had 81 a., and Kennel House near Avishays
64 a. (fn. 164)
At the time of the tithe commutation the parish
included 311 a. of arable, 467 a. of meadow and
pasture, and 117 a. of woodland. (fn. 165) By 1905 the
amount of arable had fallen to 212 a., the grassland
rising to 633 a. and woodland to 132 a. (fn. 166) The former
Poulett estate was broken up in 1923, when the
farms passed into private hands, particularly those
of the Vincent family of Knowle St. Giles, Poulett
tenant farmers from the 18th century. (fn. 167) During the
20th century there has been a diminution in the
size of the larger holdings and a corresponding
increase in the extent of the smaller farms. Thus in
1973 Court Farm had been extended to 85 a.,
whereas Avishays had dropped to 150 a. and
Chaffcombe Gate to 125 a. The agriculture of the
parish continues to be both dairy and arable. (fn. 168)
Although the parish has always been dependent
principally on agriculture for its economy, there
were links with the clothing and gloving industries,
presumably by virtue of the parish's proximity to
Chard and Ilminster. A weaver is mentioned in
1700, a clothworker in 1741, (fn. 169) and a hand-loom
weaver of sailcloth in 1851. In 1851 there were
23 female glovers. (fn. 170)
LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
There were separate
courts for each half of Chaffcombe manor, but
rolls survive only for Chaffcombe Poulett for the
years 1523, 1530–2, 1552–3, 1560–72, (fn. 171) 1651–77,
1703–10, 1715–26. (fn. 172) Courts continued after the
reunification of the manor in 1613, and by 1651
a single court only was held. The courts for the
Poulett half of Knowle St. Giles manor had been
united with those for Chaffcombe Poulett by 1560,
but suit of court to Chaffcombe Buller was required
of a tenant in 1776. (fn. 173) In the 16th century the manor
court met usually twice each year in spring and
autumn, being known simply as the manor court or
the court leet. Pleas of debt and trespass occur at
one court in 1572. No reference to the appointment
of manorial officers has been noted.
There were usually two churchwardens in the late
16th and 17th centuries. (fn. 174) It was agreed in 1737
that the rector should nominate one. (fn. 175) Vestry
minutes from 1850 show the appointment of two
overseers, two way wardens (one only from 1861),
and a churchwarden. From 1863 one of the overseers was salaried. (fn. 176)
A workhouse or poorhouse at Lidmarsh was
sold in 1837, the parish having become part of the
Chard poor-law union in the previous year. (fn. 177)
CHURCH.
A rector of Chaffcombe occurs c. 1187. (fn. 178)
The advowson was held with the manor by 1275
when its ownership was in dispute between the
lords of the two halves, (fn. 179) and similar disputes took
place in 1344 and 1402. (fn. 180) After the reunification of
the manor the advowson continued in the hands of
the Pouletts. William Morryn of Knowle St. Giles
presented in 1545 by grant of Sir Hugh Poulett, (fn. 181)
and the bishop by lapse in 1696. (fn. 182) In 1913 the
patronage passed with the Poulett estate to Holliday
Hartley. (fn. 183) Between 1923 and 1931 it was conveyed
to the Diocesan Board of Finance, the present
patron. (fn. 184) The benefice was united with the livings
of Knowle St. Giles and Cricket Malherbie in
1941. (fn. 185)
The church was not mentioned in the taxation of
1291, but the rectory, valued at £8 13s. 4d. in 1445, (fn. 186)
was exempted from tax in 1517 for poverty. (fn. 187)
Its gross income had risen to £9 18s. 4d. by 1535 (fn. 188)
and to £40 by 1651. (fn. 189) The living was augmented
by grants in the 1650s, (fn. 190) and was worth £60 by
c. 1668. (fn. 191) It fell to £45 in 1727 (fn. 192) and to £43 17s.
c. 1785. (fn. 193) The net income was £143 in 1831 (fn. 194)
and 1840, (fn. 195) and £165 in 1866. (fn. 196)
In 1535 the predial tithes were valued at 19s. 8d.,
the tithes of sheep and lambs at 26s. 8d., and oblations and personal tithes at 35s. (fn. 197) The tithes were
leased to Earl Poulett in 1819 for a rent of £126,
and were commuted for a tithe rent-charge of
£160 in 1839. (fn. 198)
The glebe lands, worth £3 6s. 8d. in 1535, (fn. 199)
totalled 22 a. in 1606 and 1637. (fn. 200) They amounted to
28 a. in 1819 when they were leased with the
parsonage house for £50 a year. (fn. 201) The extent of the
glebe remained the same until the sale of all but
4½ a. between 1894 and 1914. (fn. 202) No further glebe
had been sold by 1972. (fn. 203)
The parsonage house was described in 1606 as a
mansion, barn, and stable with three little gardens. (fn. 204)
The building was said to be unfit for residence
in 1835. (fn. 205) It continued to be used as a farmhouse
until its sale between 1894 and 1914. (fn. 206) The building,
known as the Old Rectory, is generally of stone
with a thatched roof. It has an original two-roomed
plan with later extensions. The interior has a
number of 17th-century features, including a staircase with turned balusters, and there is a cruck
roof. A large stone rectory house, built near the
church in 1886, (fn. 207) housed the incumbent in 1973.
John Clawsey, rector from 1545, was deprived
for marriage in 1554 but was restored in Elizabeth
I's reign. (fn. 208) Edward Middleton, rector 1568–1609,
was a former fellow of New College, Oxford, and
for 2½ years employed curates to serve in his
stead. (fn. 209) Peter Cox, rector 1642–?, 1662–95, was
ejected during the Interregnum when the church
was served by Joseph Shallett by 1648, and then
by Robert Pinney from 1658. (fn. 210) Cox was reinstated
at the Restoration and held Lympsham in plurality. (fn. 211)
Most of the incumbents since that time have been
graduates. (fn. 212) Richard Abraham, rector 1789–1822,
held the living with that of Ilminster, and Charles
Penny, D.D., rector 1848–75, was headmaster of
Crewkerne grammar school throughout his incumbency. (fn. 213) The lack of any satisfactory parsonage house
during most of the 19th century resulted in a
succession of non-resident parsons and the curates
they employed. The curate in 1827 lived in Chard
and also served Cudworth. (fn. 214) Curates under Dr.
Penny were generally Second Masters at Crewkerne
School. (fn. 215) It was only when the new rectory was
built in 1886 that resident incumbents returned to
the parish.
In 1577 the parishioners had only two sermons in
a year. (fn. 216) The churchwardens were twice presented
for not electing a parish clerk in 1623. (fn. 217) There were
only eight communicants in 1776. (fn. 218) One service
was held every Sunday in 1827, and by 1840 two,
with at least four celebrations of Holy Communion
annually, although the parish had reverted to a
single Sunday service and sermon by 1843. (fn. 219)
The advent of a new rector in 1848 resulted in a
return to two Sunday services and Holy Communion eight times a year. (fn. 220) Census Sunday 1851
produced congregations of 32 in the morning and
90 in the afternoon. (fn. 221)
The fraternity of St. Saviour was mentioned in
1531 (fn. 222) and in 1548 there was £3 9s. 4d. in cash for
the maintenance of lights. (fn. 223)
The church of ST. MICHAEL AND ALL
ANGELS, formerly dedicated to St. Michael alone,
stands at the eastern end of the village, set back well
above the road. It is built of ashlar and has a
chancel with north vestry, nave with north aisle
and south porch, and west tower. The body of the
church was rebuilt to the designs of J. M. Allen in
1858, the north vestry added in 1877, and the
tower largely reconstructed in 1882. (fn. 224) The nave
and chancel of the old church were probably
14th century or earlier, and the three-stage tower
was added in the 15th century. The windows of the
nave were partly renewed early in the 16th century,
those of the south wall of the chancel in the 17th or
18th centuries. (fn. 225) The new church may have followed
the plan of its predecessor but the features were not
copied and are now in a plain 15th-century style.
The plate includes a cup of 1574 by 'M.H.' (fn. 226)
There are six bells: (i) 1970, Whitechapel foundry;
(ii and iii) 1898, Mears and Stainbank; (iv) 1921,
Mears and Stainbank; (v) medieval, Exeter foundry;
(vi) 1733, William Knight of Closworth. (fn. 227) The
registers date from 1678 and are complete from
1681. (fn. 228)
NONCONFORMITY.
A house was licensed for
dissenting meetings in 1704, (fn. 229) and an Anabaptist
was living in the parish in 1776. (fn. 230) Two rooms were
licensed for dissenters in 1799. (fn. 231) Bible Christians
were meeting at Lidmarsh from 1831 and had eight
members in the following year. An attempt to
establish a cause at Chaffcombe failed in 1834–5 and
the Lidmarsh group seems to have disappeared
a year earlier. (fn. 232) Independents from Chard used a
house from 1844. (fn. 233)
EDUCATION.
In 1754 a schoolmaster was paid
by the Marwoods of Avishays for teaching children
to write. (fn. 234) The parish had a Sunday school in
1819 supported by Mrs. Fortescue of Avishays in
which 30–40 children were taught. (fn. 235) This was
financed by subscriptions in 1835, in 1846 had a
salaried master and mistress and two unpaid
mistresses, (fn. 236) and by 1851 was maintained at the
sole expense of the rector. (fn. 237)
A School Board was formed in 1876 and a school
was built in the village in 1878. (fn. 238) By 1883 the average
attendance was 32. (fn. 239) An additional schoolroom was
built in 1893 and the attendance rose to 39 in the
following year and to 63 in 1900. (fn. 240) The school
was 'in good order and very well taught' in 1903.
At that date there were two teachers and a rented
teacher's house; the school building was also
used for parish meetings and the Sunday school. (fn. 241)
By 1908 it was a County School with 77 children
on the books and an average attendance of 49. (fn. 242)
The numbers on the books fell to 51 in 1921, and
from 50 in 1938 to 31 in 1949. (fn. 243) The school, then
known as Chaffcombe County Junior School, was
closed in 1959 and the pupils transferred to Chard. (fn. 244)
CHARITIES FOR THE POOR.
In 1787–8 a
sum of £10 vested in Mrs. Marwood of Avishays
was producing 8s. a year which was paid to the poor.
The name of the donor was then supposed to have
been a Mr. James but no details of the charity's
foundation have been found. (fn. 245) In 1824 the capital,
which with accumulated interest had increased to
£13 10s., was stated to have been in the hands of the
churchwardens for many years and the income
distributed to the second poor. (fn. 246) The charity had
been lost by 1866. (fn. 247)