WEST BRADLEY
The parish of West Bradley, formerly a chapelry within
the parish of East Pennard, lies south of Pennard Hill, 6
km. south-east of Glastonbury. It contained three small
settlements, West Bradley, including the church and
West Bradley House, in the centre, Plot Street to the
west, and part of Parbrook to the east within a roughly
rectangular area measuring 1 km. from north to south
and 2.5 km. from east to west. (fn. 1) East Bradley, recorded in
the 17th and 18th centuries, seems to have been the
south-eastern part of the chapelry which lay outside the
boundary of Glastonbury Twelve Hides. (fn. 2) There were
detached fields to the west in West Pennard and to the
south in Baltonsborough resulting from inclosure, probably in the later 17th century. (fn. 3) West Bradley measured
626 a. in 1843. (fn. 4) Lottisham was joined to it in 1879, (fn. 5) but
in 1884 it lost those areas surrounded by Baltonsborough. The resulting parish measured 1,410 a. in
1901. In 1933 Hornblotton was added to create a civil
parish which in 1991 covered 1,017 ha. (2,513 a.). (fn. 6)
The parish lies on Lower Lias clay and slopes gently
from just over 40 m. (131 ft.) on the northern boundary
to the Coxbridge brook which marks the southern
boundary, and which itself flows from below the 30-m.
(98-ft.) contour near Parbrook to just above the 10-m.
(33-ft.) contour. The Bradley brook runs south-west
across the grounds of West Bradley house. (fn. 7)
A network of small roads and footpaths crosses the
parish and the principal route between East Pennard and
Glastonbury forms much of its northern boundary. A
branch from that road follows the Bradley brook to Plot
Street and thence, via modern footpaths, to Havyatt in
West Pennard and thereafter Glastonbury. (fn. 8)
Population, Settlement And
Buildings
There were 30 households in 1563 (fn. 9) and in 1641 48
males. (fn. 10) In the late 18th century there were said to be c.
110 inhabitants in 20 houses. (fn. 11) In 1801 the population
was 116 and had risen to 132 by 1831. There appears to
have been a shortage of housing with no increase
between the 1780s and 1830s. (fn. 12) The population fluctuated thereafter, reaching a peak of 176 in 1871 before
declining to 132 in 1881 and to 103 in 1901. The addition of Lottisham and Hornblotton increased the population to 250 at which it remained during the 20th
century. (fn. 13)
FIG. 35. West Bradley parish in 1843
The development of three small settlements instead of
one village may be due to the position of the arable land,
especially the North field between Plot Street and West
Bradley, and the need to utilise the land along the brooks
for meadow which left little suitable building land. (fn. 14)
Parbrook, the largest settlement, was shared with
Ditcheat and East Pennard; Plot Street has signs of
shrinkage. (fn. 15) At least one medieval house site lay east of
the church (fn. 16) in West Bradley whose name indicates its
early situation surrounded by woodland. (fn. 17) In the 17th
and 18th century there were several houses at Kenter's
Green, a small common shared with Baltonsborough,
south of Plot Street. (fn. 18) The larger houses such as
Newhouse Farm, Higher Farmhouse, and Bradley Farm
date from the 19th century. The medieval Court Barn,
part of Glastonbury rectory, (fn. 19) in the extreme west of the
parish, housed six labouring families which in 1871
numbered 28 persons, including three lodgers. (fn. 20) Conditions were insanitary in 1875 when most of the poor
relied on rainwater pools and of the few wells two were
stinking. (fn. 21)
Events And Social Life
The actress Henrietta Keasberry died at West Bradley in
1812. (fn. 22) The West Bradley Amateur Dramatic Company
was mentioned in 1894 (fn. 23) and there was a tennis club in
the early 20th century. (fn. 24) A hut capable of seating 50
people was used as a social centre in 1947 but the parishioners were said to show little desire for a social life and
there were no recreational facilities in 1981. (fn. 25)
MANOR AND ESTATE
West Bradley Manor
In 746 King Ethelbald is said to have sold an estate in
Bradley to Glastonbury abbey. (fn. 26) It was claimed that
Abbot Aethelnoth appropriated land there in 1079 to
benefit the poor. (fn. 27) The hide of thegnland in Pennarminster which Ailmar held in 1066 and Serlo de Burci
held of the abbot of Glastonbury in 1086 has been
identified as West Bradley. (fn. 28) On Serlo's death c. 1086 the
estate probably reverted to the abbot. (fn. 29) Overlordship
remained with the abbey until the Dissolution. (fn. 30)
Robert Cumin did homage to the abbot of Glastonbury for a hide in Bradley in 1189 (fn. 31) and the land may
have been held by his widow in 1196. (fn. 32) By 1233 it appears
to have been held by William Carbonel and his wife
Denise. William was dead by 1256 when Peter Carbonel
gave Denise, wife of Thomas of Bradley and probably
William's widow, a life interest. (fn. 33) Hugh de Waleys was
said to hold the fee c. 1260, (fn. 34) possibly by curtesy, as in
1264 it was held by Sir Thomas Carbonel. (fn. 35) Thomas was
followed in turn by John (fl. c. 1285) (fn. 36) and by John's sons
Robert (d. s.p. by 1299) and Peter, although Robert's
widow Joan may have had a life interest, as Peter did not
do fealty until 1304. (fn. 37) Peter died in 1328 leaving a widow
Isabel (fl. 1346) and a son John. (fn. 38) John was dead by
1363 (fn. 39) when Bradley manor was divided. One half
passed to (Sir) John Kentwood through his marriage to
John Carbonel's widow Alice, and he held it for her life
with remainder to Alice, wife of Nicholas Barun (d.
1375). The other half was shared between Joan, wife of
Roger Smale, and Isabel, wife of Henry Merston. Joan
released her quarter share to John Kentwood in 1368
and Isabel her quarter in 1375. Kentwood acquired Alice
Barun's rights in 1379 from William of Barton to whom
she had sold them. (fn. 40)
Sir John Kentwood died in 1394 but his wife Alice
survived until 1404 or later. (fn. 41) Nicholas Kentwood, probably their son or grandson, died in possession of Bradley
manor c. 1412 leaving a widow Isabel. (fn. 42) By his former
wife, Maud Sackville, Nicholas had a son Robert (fl.
1468) (fn. 43) whose son John died without male issue in 1487.
In 1499 John's heirs were his sisters Elizabeth, wife of
John Swaffield, and Frideswide, wife of Richard
Fetiplace. (fn. 44)
By 1503 the manor was occupied by Richard
Norreys (fn. 45) who with his wife Eleanor acquired in 1507
the half share held by John Swaffield and his wife Elizabeth. By 1525 the whole was in the possession of Henry
Brydges (d. 1538–9) who seems to have settled it on his
son (Sir) Richard and Richard's first wife Anne. (fn. 46)
Anthony, son of Sir Richard (d. 1558), succeeded as a
minor (fn. 47) but in 1566 made a release to his brother
Edmund under the terms of their father's will. (fn. 48) Edmund
leased it to Robert Foliat (d. 1610) with reversion to his
own son William. William, however, was in 1617
declared a lunatic and ownership passed to his brother
Anthony. (fn. 49) In 1619 Edmund Brydges, perhaps
Anthony's brother, seems to have been in possession
with Katharine, possibly his mother. (fn. 50) Edmund Brydges
died in 1634 (fn. 51) and was followed by John Brydges (fn. 52) who
died c. 1673 having already in 1662 sold a substantial
amount of land to John Peirs. (fn. 53)
The land and lordship not sold were subject to an
order in Chancery. (fn. 54) In 1679 the lordship and a small
estate were bought by Tobias Chandler, who in 1691
conveyed them to Edmund Dawe to whom he had
offered them some years before. (fn. 55) Dawe appears to have
settled the manor on his daughter Elizabeth (d. 1699) for
her marriage to Dr. Claver Morris in 1696. Morris (d.
1727) remained in possession and in 1705, following his
third marriage, seems to have made a new settlement
with Dawe, presumably for the benefit of Dawe's
granddaughter Elizabeth Morris. (fn. 56) Elizabeth (d. 1760)
survived her husband John Burland and was succeeded
by her eldest son, also John Burland, but in 1768 the
manor was settled on his sister Anne (d. by 1797) for her
marriage to the Revd. William Keate of Wookey (d.
1795). (fn. 57) In 1797 Anne's son Thomas Morris Keate sold
his share to Thomas Keate who in 1801 with the other
four children of Anne and William sold the manor and
lands to Thomas Maidment. (fn. 58) Thomas died in 1826 and
in 1831 his widow was in possession, but by 1836 his son
Levi held the manor. (fn. 59) Levi (d. 1865) left his estate to
trustees who conveyed them to Levi's son Thomas
Maidment (d. 1887) and to the latter's trustees
including his son Charles (d. 1920). (fn. 60) Lordship was not
recorded again.
The former manorial land was sold to John Peirs in
1662, presumably in trust for William Peirs (d. 1670),
bishop of Bath and Wells. Ownership descended in the
direct male line to the bishop's son William (d. 1682),
successively archdeacon of Bath and Taunton, and to his
grandson William (d. 1687). (fn. 61) William Peirs (d. 1764),
son of the last, was succeeded by his son, also William (d.
1765), who left West Bradley to his sister Elizabeth, wife
of Lord Montagu Bertie. (fn. 62) In 1768 Elizabeth sold the
house to the Revd. Richard Symes for life with
remainder to his son Richard. In 1781 it was settled on
the younger Richard's marriage. (fn. 63) Much of the estate had
already been sold (fn. 64) and by 1842 the house had been
bought by Frederick Grey and was let. (fn. 65) In 1859 it was
bought by William Allen (d. 1900) who was followed by
his son, also William (d. 1950), and grandson William. (fn. 66)
In 1998 it was the property of Mr. and Mrs. E. CliftonBrown.
Manor House
The court and dovehouse of the capital messuage were
recorded in 1503 and were then in the possession of
Richard Norreys. It was said to have been the former
residence of Almery, steward of Bradley. (fn. 67) It was
evidently let to members of the Foliat family during the
16th century (fn. 68) but in 1662 passed with most of the
manorial land to the Peirs family. In 1665 it was occupied by people too poor to pay hearth tax although there
were 11 hearths in the house. (fn. 69) Its exact site is unknown
but it may have been near the site of the present house.
West Bradley House is a small house of c. 1720 built
by William Peirs using workmen from Wells. (fn. 70) It has
three storeys and attics, each storey built of different
coloured coursed rubble with limestone string courses,
quoins, and window surrounds. It has an irregular
octagonal plan, of great curiosity for its date, formed by a
square with two-bayed sides, each corner having a
slightly projecting bay at 45 degrees. Internally the
angled bays have little significance to the shape of the
rooms, and fireplaces are positioned so that flues run up
either side of each bay with those on the top floor placed
against blind windows. By c. 1785 sashes had replaced
mullioned windows, (fn. 71) the mullions being used to form
windows when the cellar was converted into a service
basement. The staircase hall had been created by 1810 (fn. 72)
when a new central doorway was provided on the south
side, in place of a large four-centred arch, and a tall staircase window on the north. It may have been at that date
that the roofline was altered, exposing a double-pitch
roof running east-west. Tudor-style chimneypieces in
the drawing room, formerly two rooms, appear to be of
similar date. Later in the 19th century the roof was
altered to a single pitch and broader chimney stacks were
built. The north-east room was remodelled as a dining
room and was given two new windows. A single-storey
service wing was built to the north-east and bathrooms
added in the former stairwell, necessitating the remodelling of the staircase. A wing parallel to the service wing
was added in the late 20th century.
FIG. 36. West Bradley House, 2001
In 1726 Mr Long, a Dutchman, was employed to work
on the gardens, constructing canals, waterworks, walks,
and 'knots', but those were later allowed to go to ruin
and before 1750 the newly-planted oak, ash, and elm
had been cut down and an avenue of young oaks
removed to Baltonsborough. (fn. 73) Ponds and wilderness
were mentioned in 1768. (fn. 74) The long canal parallel with
the south front and aligned on the church is likely to be
contemporary with the house; the present water stairs at
its east end seem to be a modern version of earlier ones.
Also probably of early 18th-century origins were an
avenue aligned on the north-west angle of the house, and
a walled garden north of the house with a lodge by the
gate. The other three angles of the house may have been
planned to relate to other avenues or vistas including
one ending with the church. By 1810 there was a railed
forecourt to the house, and another to the church. (fn. 75)
Rectory Estate
Tithes and glebe in West Bradley were part of East
Pennard rectory, appropriated by Glastonbury abbey
and assigned to the sacrist c. 1200. (fn. 76) By 1540 the Bradley
tithes were farmed with West Pennard (fn. 77) and from 1548
were held by the bishop of Bath and Wells with the
rectory of St John's, Glastonbury. (fn. 78) In 1705 they were
known as the Sexton's, probably a corruption of
Sacrist's. The small tithes of the west of the parish also
belonged to the rector. (fn. 79) In 1842 the rectorial tithes were
commuted for a rent charge of £34 to the bishop's
lessees. (fn. 80) About 12 a. in the extreme north-west of West
Bradley was held by the bishop's lessees with West
Pennard rectory, including the medieval Parson's Barn,
now known as Court Barn. (fn. 81) It is not clear if this had been
West Bradley's part of the East Pennard glebe granted to
the sacrist. (fn. 82) Court barn is a 15th-century building of
coursed rubble with a double tier cruck roof and a few
remaining windbraces. It was restored in the 1930s. (fn. 83)
ECONOMIC HISTORY
Agriculture
In 1086 the estate identified as West Bradley was
assessed at one hide and there were four villeins with two
teams. No demesne arable or stock was recorded but
there were 8 a. of meadow and 30 a. of wood. The whole
estate was worth 30s. (fn. 84) The manor was said to be worth
£20 in 1412 (fn. 85) and in the 1530s Glastonbury abbey
received from the rectorial estate over £8 in rent and £5
in tithes. (fn. 86)
Open-field arable must have predominated during
the Middle Ages and the principal open arable lay in
North and South fields in the centre of the parish, Bower
field, also known as Bower wood, north of Parbrook in
the east, Chedbreach in the north-west, and Kenter's
Green in the west. (fn. 87) Lack of pasture meant that grazing
was found through intercommoning arrangements in
Common moor in Baltonsborough, Kennard moor in
West Pennard and Glastonbury, and Baltonsborough
North wood. Common was for all beasts without stint. (fn. 88)
Most land was in closes by the later 17th century when
there were many small holdings. By the 1680s and
1690s, following the sale of the manor, some cottages
had been demolished and a rental of 1691 listed less than
half as many tenants as one of 1671. Some rents were
much higher. (fn. 89) Most of the holdings purchased with the
lordship in 1691 were of 3 a. or less and the largest tenement contained 22 a. (fn. 90) In 1734 the Bradley House estate
had been increased to nearly 330 a. and a further four
holdings were over 20 a. but ten measured 5 a. or less. (fn. 91)
Arable land appears to have been converted to grass
during the 18th century or early 19th century. (fn. 92) By c.
1785 there were 9 scattered farms (fn. 93) whose rents had
been increased by 1770; even small holdings were let at
rack rent. (fn. 94) In 1835 31 a. of orchard was recorded with c.
62 a. of arable, 7 a. of garden, and 527 a. of grass. Of 25
families, 22 were engaged in husbandry. (fn. 95) By 1842 there
were only 26 a. of arable and 24 a. of orchard; 389 a. were
under grass. Only two farms were over 100 a.; a further
three were between 50 a. and 100 a., two between 25 a.
and 50 a., and three between 10 a. and 25 a. There were
no major landowners although the Maidment family
held over 275 a. (fn. 96)
In 1691 two tenants paid increased rents if their
apples did well. (fn. 97) Dairying was of considerable importance in the 18th century and in 1726 a large quantity of
cheese from the Bradley House estate was sent to St.
Giles's fair at Winchester. In 1768 there were 209 a. of
mowing meadow. (fn. 98) In 1801 a farm had a field called
Milking pen (fn. 99) and a farm account recorded breeding
cows, sales of butter and cheese including large quantities to a cheeseman, and purchase of veterinary medicine. (fn. 100) Two dairymen were recorded in 1851 (fn. 101) and
Cheddar cheese was said to have been made extensively
in the parish. William Allen of Bradley House was noted
for his cheesemaking (fn. 102) and created New House farm
(95 a.) east of the house before 1881 when Bradley farm
covered 350 a. (fn. 103) In 1900 the Allen family's large herd of
cows and farm equipment were sold and they turned to
cider production. (fn. 104) However, dairy farming continued to
predominate in the 20th century and in 1998 Bradley
farm (c. 300 a.) was a dairy farm. Apples were also grown
on the Bradley House estate and elsewhere in the parish. (fn. 105)
Mill
There was a mill in 1468–9 (fn. 106) and a watermill south-west
of the church in 1503. (fn. 107) It was known as Marsh's mill in
1674, (fn. 108) was still in use in 1720, (fn. 109) and was sold with
Bradley House in 1768. (fn. 110) It may already have gone out of
use and had been demolished by 1842. The former mill
pond may account for the sharp bends in the lane. (fn. 111)
There was no record of a windmill but a field
south-east of the church was known as Toot field and
contained a clay mound now largely destroyed. (fn. 112)
Trades And Services
The surnames Roper, Brewer, and Cooper were
recorded in 1327 and there was a cooper in the parish in
1599. (fn. 113) In 1841 a butcher and a mantua maker were
recorded and in 1851 and 1881 two glovers. (fn. 114) In 1919
there was a large bakehouse on Parbrook Lane next to a
wheelwright's shop. (fn. 115) During the 20th century there was
no local employment other than agriculture and there
were no shops or services. (fn. 116)
In 1315 two men were accused of selling ale by false
measure. (fn. 117) In 1632 a couple sold beer and had dancing in
their house. (fn. 118) Victuallers licensed in 1674, 1675, and
1753 (fn. 119) probably all kept an inn, known by 1711 as the
Bradley Inn and recorded in 1768, which stood east of
the church beside the lane to West Pennard. It appears to
have closed by 1842 although the name Inn Orchard
survived. (fn. 120)
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
West Bradley was divided between Glastonbury Twelve
Hides and Whitstone hundreds, the boundary in part
approximating to the lane past the church. (fn. 121) In the 14th
and 15th centuries the tithingman attended some
sessions of the Whitstone hundred court. (fn. 122) The division
continued into the 19th century for land tax purposes.
The land in Whitstone hundred was sometimes known
as the East tithing or East Bradley tithing. (fn. 123)
No manor court records have been found but courts
were held for Glastonbury's land in the chapelry in the
1530s (fn. 124) and an annual court for Bradley manor in
1599. (fn. 125) The manorial pound lay south of the road
between the church and Parbrook. (fn. 126)
Two churchwardens and two overseers for West
Bradley were recorded in 1641, and operated separately
from East Pennard. (fn. 127) By the early 18th century there
were only one churchwarden, one overseer, and one
waywarden and the overseer and waywarden shared an
account book. (fn. 128) A vestry met in the 18th and early 19th
centuries to order poor relief and to place parish apprentices. A spinning turn was bought in 1777 and in 1814 a
midwife was paid to attend a pauper. A poorhouse was
recorded in 1714 and a new house for the poor, at
Parbrook, of stone, brick, and tile, was built in 1793 at a
cost of over £107. This house remained in use in 1834.
The poorhouse had been disposed of before 1842. (fn. 129)
West Bradley formed part of the Wells poor-law
union from 1836 until 1882 when it was transferred to
the Shepton Mallet union. From 1894 it was part of
Shepton Mallet rural district which was absorbed into
Mendip district in 1974. (fn. 130)
CHURCH
Origins And Endowment
West Bradley was until 1875 (fn. 131) a chapelry of East Pennard
and its church had the status of a dependent chapel. A
chapel was first recorded in 1168. (fn. 132) In 1875 the chapelry
was detached to form a new parish of West Bradley and
Lottisham. (fn. 133) From 1965 until 1980 the parish was held
with West Pennard, (fn. 134) and from 1980 it was held with
Butleigh and Baltonsborough. (fn. 135)
Successive vicars of East Pennard were responsible for
serving the chapel until 1875, the vicars themselves
being appointed before the Dissolution by Glastonbury
abbey and afterwards by members of the Coward family
until c. 1713 when patronage passed to the bishop of
Bath and Wells. (fn. 136) The bishops appointed vicars to West
Bradley after 1875. (fn. 137)
By 1705 payment to the vicar for the west part of West
Bradley was taking the form of offerings of 2d. from each
parishioner there. (fn. 138) In 1746 the church was worth c. £10 a
year. (fn. 139) In 1842 the vicar of East Pennard as perpetual
curate of West Bradley received a rent charge of £50 in
lieu of small tithes. (fn. 140) In 1345 the resident chaplain had a
house which contained an oratory, (fn. 141) and from 1449 the
parishioners provided the chaplain with a house to the
west of the church. (fn. 142)
Pastoral Care And Parish Life
In the 14th and 15th centuries the chapelry was served
either by resident chaplains (fn. 143) or by vicars of East
Pennard. (fn. 144) In 1438 the vicar was required to serve the
chapel every Sunday and feast day and on the fourth and
sixth days of the week. (fn. 145) A decade later the vicar was
required to provide a chaplain at his own expense. (fn. 146)
After the Dissolution there is no record of resident
clergy. In the early 18th and the early 19th centuries
there were services only once every three weeks, and the
churchwardens sometimes had to pay a minister to
serve. (fn. 147) By 1827 there was a service each Sunday. (fn. 148) On
Census Sunday 1851 c. 105 people attended an afternoon service but some may have been from East
Pennard; services were normally held alternately
morning and afternoon. There were 12 Sunday schoolchildren. (fn. 149)
There was an endowed light in 1548. (fn. 150) In 1637 the
church was well furnished with linen, surplices, and
books. (fn. 151) A west gallery was considered in 1840 but it is
not clear if it was built. In 1849 there were a paid organist
and singers. (fn. 152) The former chaplain's house may have
been used as a church house (fn. 153) and in 1571 was described
as two houses in the churchyard belonging to the glebe,
but was not claimed as glebe in 1634. (fn. 154) In the later 18th
century and until 1869 it was the home of the parish
clerk. (fn. 155) It was demolished after 1910. (fn. 156)
Church Building
The church, dedicated to St. Andrew only since the late
20th century and probably before then having no dedication, may well until restoration have had a piscina and
corbels in the chancel which dated to the 13th century. (fn. 157)
The earliest parts of the surviving fabric indicate the
rebuilding in the late 14th or the 15th century of the
nave, perhaps 12th century in origin, and the addition of
the south porch, and west tower with lierne vault. The
kingpost roof of the nave with embattled tie beam, the
rood stair turret and the formerly traceried south door (fn. 158)
suggest work in the late Middle Ages. Parts of the
building were reported decayed in 1552, 1557, and
1612. (fn. 159)
The church was renovated in 1852, (fn. 160) and completely
restored in 1873–4 when the organ chamber was added
on the north side of the chancel. (fn. 161) The tower was
repaired in 1893, and the chancel arch required underpinning in 1898. (fn. 162) All the windows and furnishings,
apart from the plain tub font, are of the 19th century.
There are two bells of 1706 by Thomas Purdue and
Thomas Knight and a third of 1815 by James Wells of
Aldbourne (Wilts). (fn. 163) A clock was bought in 1739. (fn. 164) The
plate includes an Elizabethan cup and cover by 'I.P.'
found and restored c. 1852 when a second paten was
made to match. (fn. 165) The octagonal socket of the churchyard
cross remains. (fn. 166)
NONCONFORMITY
Ebenezer Bible Christian chapel at Plot Street was
licensed for worship in 1837. (fn. 167) It seated 112 and on
Census Sunday 1851 50 people attended in the morning
and 100 in the afternoon. (fn. 168) It became part of the United
Methodist circuit in 1907 but appears to have closed by
1932. (fn. 169) The building was a private house in 1998. It is
built of coursed rubble under a pyramidal slate roof in
an early 19th-century Gothick style re-using salvaged
materials. There are Y-traceried windows and a carving
of the Agnus Dei on its main front.
EDUCATION
There was no school in 1819 (fn. 170) but a parochial school had
been established by 1847 with 19 children on weekdays
and an additional boy who attended on Sundays only. (fn. 171)
There were two teachers in the parish in 1851 (fn. 172) and the
church infant school was recorded in 1866. (fn. 173) In 1875 a
school board for West Bradley and Lottisham Green was
formed, (fn. 174) and children attended a school at Lottisham in
Ditcheat parish. (fn. 175)