PAWLETT
Pawlett 1840
Pawlett parish lies north of Bridgwater in a
bend of the river Parrett near its mouth. The
river confines the parish on the west, and on the
north-east and south-east the boundary follows
the Black Ditch and Walpole Rhyne respectively. From north to south the parish measures 3
km.; from east to west 5.5 km. Its area is 1,258
ha. (3,108 a.). (fn. 93) At its centre is Pawlett Hill, on
which Pawlett village stands. On lower ground
are Stretcholt hamlet to the north and Walpole
hamlet to the south.
Pawlett Hill rises to 32 m. above sea level, an
outcrop of Lower Lias clay and limestone forming a detached part of the Polden ridge; it is
surrounded by low-lying alluvium, marine
sands, and Burtle beds. Walpole Rhyne and the
Black Ditch may represent an earlier course of
the Parrett, which on its present course has
moved its banks, sometimes naturally, sometimes in association with man-made banks and
drains. (fn. 94) The name Walpole refers to a pool or
pill (creek) associated with a sea wall. (fn. 95) All the
land within the meander enclosing the west side
of the parish may have been reclaimed from
saltmarsh, probably beginning in the 13th century. Gaunts Farm, south of Pawlett Hill and
below the 15-m. contour, and Yearsey Farm, on
the marshes west of Stretcholt, seem to mark the
progress of land reclamation in the 18th century. (fn. 96)
A bronze palstave is said to have been found
near Stretcholt. Pawlett Hill has yielded evidence of occupation from the Roman period, and
there may have been a Saxon site in Pawlett
Hams. (fn. 97)
Pawlett village, the name of which was that of
an 11th-century estate (fn. 98) and may refer to a
stream either with stakes or below a steep-sided
hill, (fn. 99) stands at the south-east end of Pawlett Hill
and consisted until the 19th century of a few
stone farmhouses and irregular closes in a
triangle of roads with the church in the southeast angle. Along the north-eastern side of the
village Puriton Way ran from the pound at the
top of the hill to Bourdon or Bourne Green at
its foot. West from the green ran Burham Lane,
and south from the pound ran Canham Lane,
formerly the way to Pawlett pill. (fn. 1) Pawlett village
later expanded west and north-west along the
hill top, and much of the historic centre was
infilled, partly with local authority housing and
largely in brick. Stretcholt and Walpole were
also the names of 11th-century estates. (fn. 2) Stretcholt is a road-side settlement along the probable
course of the Saxon 'herpath'. (fn. 3) Walpole hamlet
was partly destroyed by the building of the new
road to Bridgwater in 1821-2. (fn. 4) In the mid 20th
century it became the site of a fuel distribution
depot. (fn. 5)
The name Stretcholt suggests that the area was
anciently wooded, and coppicing was practised
at Stretcholt in the later 18th century. (fn. 6) There
were 12 a. of coppice in 1838. (fn. 7) There was a
warren on Pawlett Gaunt's manor in 1477. (fn. 8)
Before the 18th century the main route
through the parish was that which came from
the north through Stretcholt and across the
Hams to the river crossing opposite Combwich.
The route was regarded as the king's highway
by the 15th century. (fn. 9) A second route from the
north to Pawlett village was causewayed and
crossed the watercourse, later known as Brickyard Rhyne, by Queen Bridge, recorded in
1497. (fn. 10) A route from the east along the Polden
ridge divided at Pawlett village; both branches
joined the road to the river crossing in the mid
17th century. (fn. 11) The roads north and east of the
village were turnpiked in 1759 to form part of
the Bristol-Bridgwater road which was rerouted
through Walpole in 1822. (fn. 12) The ferry, known as
Combwich Passage or White House Passage,
was shared between the owners of Pawlett
Gaunt's manor and the Combwich manors in
1589, (fn. 13) and in 1810 a half share was let with the
inn at the passage. (fn. 14)
A landing place called Pawlett pill, directly
south of Pawlett village, was regarded as a creek
within the port of Bridgwater by the 15th century. (fn. 15) Tenants of Pawlett Gaunt's manor were
obliged to scour the pill in 1475. (fn. 16) It continued
in use in the 18th century (fn. 17) but by 1780 (fn. 18) it was
blocked by Canham sluice and a landing stage
on the river had evidently been constructed. (fn. 19)
That wharf was rebuilt and probably extended
when bricks were manufactured nearby in the
19th century. (fn. 20)
The Bristol and Exeter railway, opened in
1841, passed through the eastern corner of the
parish. (fn. 21)
There was a victualler in the parish in 1609 (fn. 22)
and from 1655 the house at Combwich Passage
later known as the White House was licensed. (fn. 23)
In 1675 there were four victuallers, but later
normally two. (fn. 24) The White House remained in
business until 1897 and survived as a farmhouse
until 1920 or later. (fn. 25) The Shoulder of Mutton,
in Pawlett village and so called by 1779, (fn. 26) was
built probably c. 1658. (fn. 27) It remained open until
1883 (fn. 28) and in 1986 was known as Nevys House.
A third inn was licensed c. 1740, (fn. 29) and a public
house called the Jolly Sailor is said to have been
at Stretcholt in the 19th century. (fn. 30) The house
called the Manor House became a hotel c. 1950 (fn. 31)
and was in business in 1986.
The Pawlett friendly society, established in
1794 and reorganized in 1838, met at the
Shoulder of Mutton in 1844. (fn. 32) In the early 20th
century there were refreshment rooms and a
social club in the village, and in 1935 a tennis
club. (fn. 33)
In 1801 the population was 429, rising to 433
in 1811 and to 529 in 1821 when there were only
69 houses for 98 families. Numbers peaked at
597 in 1871 but fell from 483 in 1891 to 346 in
1901. The population thereafter increased to 374
in 1911, 462 in 1931, 672 in 1961, and 786 in
1981. (fn. 34)
Twenty-six men were fined for involvement
in the Cornish rebellion in 1497. (fn. 35) Two men
from Pawlett were implicated in the Monmouth
rebellion, one of whom was transported to the
West Indies. (fn. 36) About 1940 trials for cutting the
cables of balloons were held over the Hams; the
balloon was housed in a hangar which still stands
north-west of Gaunt's Farm. (fn. 37)