A History of the County of Somerset: Volume 6, Andersfield, Cannington, and North Petherton Hundreds (Bridgwater and Neighbouring Parishes). Originally published by Victoria County History, London, 1992.
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A P Baggs. M C Siraut, 'St. Michaelchurch: Economic history', A History of the County of Somerset: Volume 6, Andersfield, Cannington, and North Petherton Hundreds (Bridgwater and Neighbouring Parishes), (London, 1992), pp. 316. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/som/vol6/p316 [accessed 16 June 2024].
A P Baggs. M C Siraut. "St. Michaelchurch: Economic history", in A History of the County of Somerset: Volume 6, Andersfield, Cannington, and North Petherton Hundreds (Bridgwater and Neighbouring Parishes), (London, 1992) 316. British History Online, accessed June 16, 2024, https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/som/vol6/p316.
Baggs, A P. Siraut, M C. "St. Michaelchurch: Economic history", A History of the County of Somerset: Volume 6, Andersfield, Cannington, and North Petherton Hundreds (Bridgwater and Neighbouring Parishes), (London, 1992). 316. British History Online. Web. 16 June 2024, https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/som/vol6/p316.
In this section
ECONOMIC HISTORY.
In the 11th century 1 ploughland was recorded at St. Michaelchurch suggesting an estate much larger than the later parish. (fn. 1) During the Middle Ages the manor certainly included lands in neighbouring parishes and in 1377 four stalls in Taunton market. (fn. 2) By the 17th century farming in the parish was mainly arable, producing wheat, barley, and beans. (fn. 3) A farming inventory of 1639 included apples, cider, and cheese besides 4 rother cattle, poultry, and a horse. (fn. 4) Towards the end of the century a farmer's widow had 10 hogsheads of cider, but corn accounted for nearly half the value of her possessions. (fn. 5) The 14 or 15 holdings recorded in 1663 (fn. 6) cannot have been very large, and in the 18th century houses were let with between 2 a. and 13 a. (fn. 7) In 1823 there were seven holdings of between 2 a. and 13 a. and although two tenants had more than one holding there were nine dwellings in the parish. (fn. 8) By 1839 there were five smallholdings and the mill; 25½ a. were arable and 7 a. orchard. The only pasture land was Maunsel park and there was one meadow by the mill. (fn. 9) For the rest of the century there remained the mill house, the lodge occupied by the gardener of Maunsel, and three other houses. The tenant of the principal house, Michaelchurch Farm, farmed about 200 a. and employed up to 6 labourers, but only about 15 a. lay within the parish. (fn. 10) The farmhouse fell into disuse in the later 20th century and was demolished c. 1955. (fn. 11)
There is some evidence of serge-weaving in the 17th century, (fn. 12) and during the 18th century there was a family of tanners (fn. 13) and also a carpenter. (fn. 14) A tanning office was used as a school in the late 18th century. (fn. 15) Occupations recorded in the 19th century included carpenter, (fn. 16) butcher, mason, (fn. 17) dressmaker, and market gardener. (fn. 18)
Mill.
A watermill at St. Michaelchurch was included in the gift of Henry of Erleigh (d. 1272) to Philip Maunsel. (fn. 19) The mill, usually known as Maunsel mill, descended in the Maunsel family with Maunsel in North Petherton. The house was rebuilt in the early 18th century and with the mill formed part of Maunsel manor. (fn. 20) By then the two Maunsel mills, one in St. Michaelchurch and one near Maunsel House in North Petherton, were usually held together. (fn. 21) The St. Michaelchurch mill appears to have ceased milling by the 1930s. (fn. 22) A reference to Brookwall in 1401 suggests that the watercourse was not a natural one, (fn. 23) and traces of walling diverting water along a higher level to the mill still survive. The mill also survived in 1984 with the remains of an overshot wheel and other machinery.