MONKSILVER
Monksilver lies on the eastern slopes of the
Brendon Hills 2.5 km. west of Stogumber, and part
of the parish, including the village, is within Exmoor
National Park. (fn. 1) The parish may once have been part
of the minster estate of Stogumber, and crops on
two pieces of land were owed to the rector of Stogumber in 1249. (fn. 2) Until the 14th century the parish
was called Silver, but thereafter it was called Silver
Monachorum or Monksilver because of its ownership by Goldcliff Priory (Mon.). (fn. 3) The ancient parish
included detached areas at Doniford, 3 km. southwest in Old Cleeve, and two parcels in Stogumber,
at Horse or High Parks, 2.5 km. south, and at
Silverdown, 1.5 km. south-east. (fn. 4) Stogumber absorbed Silverdown in 1883 and High Parks in 1884,
and Doniford was added to Old Cleeve in 1884. The
civil parish of Monksilver measured 317 ha. (783 a.)
in 1971. (fn. 5)
A deep and narrow alluvial valley divides the
parish. On each side of the stream the land rises over
Leighland and Brendon Hill slates, (fn. 6) steeply at first
to the north-east towards Merry Farm, more gradually to the west, reaching 122 m. at Birchanger and
the Nettlecombe Park road. To the south the land
is higher, reaching 281 m. at Colton Cross. Doniford,
on the side of a steep combe, lies on the 335 m.
contour, and High Parks even higher at 358 m. (fn. 7)
Monksilver village lies on the south-west side of
the valley close to the southern boundary of the
parish. It consists of a main street along the valley
with a back lane, and two roads running south-west,
one on each side of the church. The more southerly
of the two roads was known as New Street in the
16th century. The village appears to have expanded
at this period and a rental of 1561 records six dwellings in New Street. (fn. 8) Until the early 19th century
there were also cottages along a lane running southwest to Bird's Hill. Twentieth-century development
has taken place along the street north of the church. (fn. 9)
Most of the houses date from the 16th, 17th, and
18th centuries. (fn. 10) Woodford Farm lies 1 km. northwest of Monksilver on the border with Nettlecombe.
Some open-field arable survived, probably east of
the village, in the 16th century, (fn. 11) but the glebe was
entirely enclosed by 1606. (fn. 12) Wood and underwood
were recorded in 1086; (fn. 13) there were c. 34 a. of woodland in 1841, (fn. 14) and c. 80 a. in 1976, forming part of
the Combe Sydenham estate. (fn. 15) Field names indicate
quarrying in the parish before 1841 when there was
a large quarry open. (fn. 16) Copper may have been mined
on the eastern outskirts of the parish at Beech Tree
Cross. (fn. 17)
The main road through the parish along the valley
was turnpiked in 1765 as part of the route from
Taunton to Minehead over Ashbeer Hill in Stogumber. The diversion of traffic away from Stogumber
to a more easterly route under the Quantocks was
followed in 1806 by the adoption of the road through
Monksilver village as part of the Wiveliscombe turnpike route to Watchet. (fn. 18) Minor roads from the
village now lead to Birchanger, Sampford Brett, and
Stogumber.
There were unlicensed victuallers in the parish in
the 15th and 16th centuries and ale was sold in
1551. (fn. 19) There was an alehouse in the early 17th century. (fn. 20) A tippling house was recorded in 1665 (fn. 21) and
there were two licensed victuallers in the parish in
1736. (fn. 22) The Ram inn, established by 1675, (fn. 23) was
called the Half Moon by 1785 (fn. 24) and acquired its
present name, the Notley Arms, between 1861 and
1866. (fn. 25) The Red Lion was mentioned in 1743. (fn. 26)
In 1554 there were apparently 63 householders. (fn. 27)
There were at least 60 adult males in the parish in
1641 but only 82 subsidy payers were listed in 1667. (fn. 28)
In 1801 the population was 260; it reached a peak of
322 in 1831 and then declined rapidly to 164 in 1881,
143 in 1901, and 87 in 1971. (fn. 29)
MANOR AND OTHER ESTATES.
An estate
called Silver was held by Alwi Banneson T.R.E. and
in 1086 by Richard of Alfred d'Epaignes. (fn. 30) Robert
de Chandos, who married Alfred's heir Isabel, gave
what was described as the manor of SILVER, later
MONKSILVER, as part of the foundation of his
priory at Goldcliff (Mon.) in 1113. (fn. 31) The monks held
the property, subject to the confiscations which alien
priories suffered during the 14th century, (fn. 32) until
1441 when the priory and its lands were given to
Tewkesbury Abbey. (fn. 33) In 1474 Tewkesbury exchanged the manor with the canons of Windsor (fn. 34)
and the canons retained Monksilver until 1800; it
was normally let on long leases, from 1567 until 1716
to the Sydenhams of Combe Sydenham. (fn. 35) The
manor was sold to the Revd. George Notley in
1800, (fn. 36) and on his death in 1831 it passed to his son
James Thomas Benedictus (d. 1851). James was followed by his son Marwood (d. 1903), then jointly by
two of his grandsons, Montague and Marwood
Notley (d. c. 1958). The descendants of Montague
and Marwood Notley in 1979 were Miss V. A.
Notley and Messrs. R. and P. M. Notley, all of
Monksilver. (fn. 37)
There was a house called Court Hall, with associated buildings, and fields called Court field, Court
moor, and Court berie in the 1460s. Court Hall was
let to the manorial reeve in 1469. (fn. 38) The Trevelyans
held the house by 1515 and until 1567 or later. (fn. 39)
Two small estates, each called Silver, were held in
1066 by Brismar and Eldred and in 1086 by Alric
and Eldred of Roger de Courcelles. (fn. 40) In the early
14th century John Brett held ¼ fee in Monksilver of
the manor of Bicknoller, and another freeholder of
Bicknoller held a tenement in Monksilver which
he leased from Brett. (fn. 41) These estates may have
originated in the Courcelles holdings in the parish
and probably merged later into the Combe Sydenham estate, which was itself held of Bicknoller. (fn. 42)
The detached estate of High Parks formed part of
the Combe Sydenham estate in the 17th and 18th
centuries. (fn. 43) Doniford farm was mentioned in the
12th century when it was said to form, with Monksilver manor, part of the estates granted to Goldcliff
Priory. (fn. 44) Afterwards Doniford was absorbed into
Monksilver manor and was not recorded again until
1796. (fn. 45)
ECONOMIC HISTORY.
In 1086 the three estates
in Monksilver together had land for 12 ploughteams,
of which three quarters were in Alfred d'Epaignes's
manor. The demesne of that manor had 4 serfs and
2 teams, while the small demesnes of the other two
estates appear to have had no teams though one included a serf. The agricultural tenants, 16 villeins
and 9 bordars, had 9 teams. Only on the large
demesne was there no excess of land over teams. In
all, 11 a. of meadow and 238 a. of pasture were
recorded. Each of the small estates had the same
value, £1, in 1086 as in 1066, while the value of the
large estate had increased from £3 to £4, notwithstanding an annual render of 18 sheep to the royal
manor of Williton, newly exacted since 1066. (fn. 46)
In 1291 the prior of Goldcliff's estate in Monksilver was valued at £3 0s. 8d. a year. (fn. 47) In 1461, while
Monksilver was in the hands of Tewkesbury Abbey,
the income from the manor was £13 13s. 4d., and
ten years later receipts totalled £17 2s. 7d. (fn. 48) During
the 16th century the canons of Windsor had a gross
income of about £11 a year. (fn. 49) In the early 17th century rents from Monksilver manor were £18 15s.
10½d. a year, (fn. 50) but in 1715 the annual value was said
to be £654. (fn. 51) Sheep were of major importance during the 17th century, and arable crops included
wheat, barley, oats, and peas. (fn. 52) There were several
malthouses in the village. (fn. 53)
In 1841 there were 13 farms under 50 a., 4 between 50 a. and 100 a., and only 3 over 100 a. including the hill farm of Doniford. Two farms had
absorbed neighbouring holdings, and arable land
accounted for about two thirds of the parish. (fn. 54) Ten
years later the number of farms had been reduced,
with the two largest employing a total of 17 men,
although the farmer of Doniford employed only 1
man; one farmer employed men both on the land
and in his shoemaking business. (fn. 55) By 1904 several
holdings had been amalgamated by the Notley
family and the parish specialized in barley, wheat,
oats, and root vegetables. (fn. 56) In 1939 Birchanger and
Burford's farms each contained over 150 a., the
latter having increased from 41 a. in 1841. (fn. 57) In 1976
three dairy farms, all over 100 a., accounted for most
of the land in the parish and less than one third of
the land was under arable cultivation. (fn. 58)
Field names such as Rack close at Woodford suggest cloth making in the parish. (fn. 59) A dyehouse was
mentioned c. 1524 (fn. 60) and clothiers were recorded
throughout the 16th and 17th centuries. (fn. 61) One man
in the early 17th century had a 'spooling chamber'
with weaving implements and wool, and another had
20 lb. of yarn. (fn. 62) In 1675 a clothworker possessed
yarn, wool, racks, and pinions worth £53 15s., over
half the total value of his goods. Early in the following century a clothier had raw and dressed cloth
worth £22 together with yarn, pinions, and a
clothier's rack. (fn. 63)
There were clockmakers in Monksilver in the late
17th and early 18th centuries. (fn. 64) In 1851 there were
four drapers and grocers in the village, and other
occupations included harness makers and strawbonnet makers. (fn. 65)
Mill.
In 1086 there was a mill at Monksilver. (fn. 66)
In 1461 the mill paid £6 3s. 10¼d. rent. (fn. 67) It continued in use until after 1841, (fn. 68) but milling seems to
have ceased by 1906. (fn. 69) The 19th-century mill and
the house survive, but the wheel and machinery have
been removed.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
Monksilver formed
part of the tithing of Preston Bowyer and Monksilver
in Freemanors hundred in 1334 and in the 1560s, (fn. 70)
but by 1649 it was a separate tithing. (fn. 71) The manor
court leet had jurisdiction both in the parish and
over Rodhuish in Carhampton. There are court rolls
for 1465–9, 1544, 1550–5, 1567–9, and 1707–14. (fn. 72)
The court appears to have been held annually by the
mid 15th century, and its officers were a bailiff, a
constable, a tithingman, and a pound-keeper. (fn. 73) From
the 16th century tithingmen served in rotation. (fn. 74)
The two churchwardens and two sidesmen also
served in rotation. (fn. 75) Wardens' accounts were by
1610 approved by the minister and parishioners. (fn. 76)
A vestry of four or five and the rector was meeting
by 1755. (fn. 77) There were waywardens by the end of the
18th century, (fn. 78) and a poorhouse had been built by
1796. (fn. 79) Monksilver joined the Williton poor-law
union in 1836. The parish was part of Williton rural
district from 1894 and of the West Somerset district
from 1974. (fn. 80)
CHURCH.
The 12th-century window on the north
side of the chancel predates the first reference to the
church at Monksilver in 1291. (fn. 81) The patronage of
the living, a rectory, descended with the manor until
1800, when the canons of Windsor, patrons since
1474, retained the advowson at the sale of the manor.
The Sydenham family, lessees under the canons,
presented between 1572 and 1711. (fn. 82) The benefice
was united with Elworthy in 1921, (fn. 83) and in 1969
became part of the united benefice of Monksilver
with Elworthy, Nettlecombe, and Brompton Ralph. (fn. 84)
In 1535 the rectory was worth £9 15s. 4d., (fn. 85) and
c. 1668 £80. (fn. 86) In 1831 the average net income was
£230, (fn. 87) and in 1841 the tithes were commuted for a
rent charge of £217 10s. (fn. 88)
In 1606 there were 34 a. of glebe in the parish and
a share in meadow in St. Decumans. (fn. 89) In 1846 some
glebe was sold as a site for the school, (fn. 90) and the rest
was disposed of between 1906 and 1931. (fn. 91) The rectory house was said in 1594 to be in decay. (fn. 92) A new
house was built, probably in 1838, in classical style. (fn. 93)
It was sold and a new house was erected in the
grounds c. 1968. (fn. 94)
Nicholas Foster appears to have held the rectory
from 1546 to 1572 despite the ecclesiastical changes
which affected most parishes in the period. (fn. 95)
Timothy May, rector 1592–1619, and William
Wilmott, rector 1621–42, were both accused of failing to preach every Sunday and for neglecting
morning and evening prayers during the week. (fn. 96) In
1630 the churchwardens took a collection for an
itinerant puritan preacher who visited the parish. (fn. 97)
James Upton, rector 1712–49, a former fellow of
King's College, Cambridge, and master at Eton, was
master of Ilminster grammar school and then of
Taunton. (fn. 98) William Walker, rector 1803–25, was also
reader to Lincoln's Inn, and the parish was in the
charge of a curate who also served Huish Champflower. (fn. 99) Walker's successor, Edward Coleridge,
taught at Eton, and the parish shared a curate with
Elworthy. Only one service was held each Sunday in
1827. (fn. 100) By 1840 there were two Sunday services and
five celebrations of communion each year, (fn. 101) but there
were monthly celebrations three years later. (fn. 102) Coleridge was succeeded by William Chilcott (1843–63),
who had been resident curate since 1827. Under
Chilcott the church was restored and the school
built, and he was rural dean from 1844 until his
death. (fn. 103) On Census Sunday 1851 morning service
was attended by 52 people and the afternoon service
by 105. Both services were also attended by 40
Sunday-school children. (fn. 104)
By 1561 the churchwardens were renting the
church house from the lord of the manor; (fn. 105) it retained the name until 1786 but by 1707 it was used
as a dwelling. (fn. 106) There was a brotherhood at Monksilver by 1530. (fn. 107)
The church of ALL SAINTS, so dedicated by
1449, (fn. 108) comprises chancel with south chapel, nave
with south aisle and integral south porch, and west
tower. The north wall of the chancel and possibly
that of the nave are of the 12th century. The tower,
and probably the porch, are of the 14th century but
the porch was reconstructed in the 15th when the
chancel was widened on the south side, the nave was
rebuilt, and the elaborate south aisle and chapel were
added. The south chapel, with a heavy statue bracket
surviving, was probably that dedicated to St. Giles
by 1530. (fn. 109) The roofs are probably of the 16th century with some later embellishment. The fittings
include a medieval wooden pulpit approached by a
stair in the north wall, a rood screen said to have
been brought from elsewhere, (fn. 110) a medieval wooden
lectern eagle, and many pews with carved bench
ends, including a hunting scene. The font dates from
the 15th century and there is an uninscribed latemedieval tomb chest reset under a recess in the north
wall. In the south chapel there is a medieval stone
altar table. By the south door, which has medieval
ironwork, there is a poor box dated 1634. A great
yew in the churchyard is possibly that planted by the
blacksmith in 1770. (fn. 111)
There are five bells including one by Roger
Semson of Ash Priors (1530–70). (fn. 112) The registers
date from 1653 and are complete. (fn. 113)
NONCONFORMITY.
Houses were licensed for
nonconformist meetings in 1672 (fn. 114) and 1689, (fn. 115) and a
Quaker lived in the parish in the 1690s. (fn. 116) In 1743
the Red Lion inn was licensed as a Quaker meeting
house. (fn. 117)
Wesleyan Methodists were active in the parish in
the 1890s and in 1897 the present chapel was built. (fn. 118)
It was still in use in 1979. It is constructed of corrugated iron and stands on the edge of the village, just
over the border in Stogumber parish.
EDUCATION.
There was no school in 1818, and
children attended a school in Nettlecombe. (fn. 119) Day
and Sunday schools were started in 1825 with 45
children, financed by parental contributions. In 1832
a second day school was opened with 31 children. (fn. 120)
By 1847, when a new school, united with the
National Society, was built on the glebe, (fn. 121) the two
day and Sunday schools between them took 58 boys
and 31 girls. (fn. 122) The National school was enlarged in
1870 and was supported by a parish rate. (fn. 123) By 1949
there were only 20 children, and the school was
closed two years later, the children having transferred to Williton. (fn. 124) The school buildings became a
private house.
CHARITIES FOR THE POOR.
In 1641 George
Churcheys left £5 for the poor of the parish. By
1786 this sum was said to be part of £50 lent to the
Minehead turnpike trust. James Withycombe, by
will dated 1752, gave £10 to provide an annual distribution of bread to the poor. (fn. 125) The bread charity
was distributed at Christmas until the 1960s by the
rector and churchwardens together with coal provided under a bequest of Miss Joanna Gatchell in
1871. (fn. 126) Distributions of the charities were no longer
made in 1979. (fn. 127)