BLACKFORD
Blackford in 1839
The ancient parish of Blackford is a detached
part of Whitley hundred but borders both
Charlton Horethorne and Yarlington. (fn. 1) Blackford village, the only settlement, is 6 km. WSW.
from Wincanton. The parish is irregular in
shape, measuring 3 km. from north to south and
1.3 km. from east to west. In 1838 it comprised
566 a. (fn. 2) In 1885 a detached part of North Cadbury known as Brice fields (no population, no
acreage given) was added to the parish. (fn. 3) In 1921
the area was 724 a. (fn. 4) In 1933 the civil parish was
absorbed into Compton Pauncefoot civil parish. (fn. 5)
The village lies on Midford Sands in a valley
just below the 70-m. (250-ft.) contour, where
two streams meet, flowing westwards eventually
to the river Cam. To the south the land rises
gradually, reaching 170 m. (550 ft.) on the
boundary with Charlton Horethorne, on a limestone plateau overlooking Compton Pauncefoot.
Spurs to the east, towards Maperton, reach 90
m. (300 ft.), and to the north is a small limestone
plateau above 110 m. (377 ft.), followed by a
steep slope to the north-west down to a stream
which forms the boundary with North Cadbury. (fn. 6)
Two turnpike roads ran through the north
part of the parish but avoided the village in the
valley below. One, running between Ansford
and Sherborne (Dors.), was turnpiked by the
Sherborne trust in 1753 and was disturnpiked in
1877. The other, between Wincanton and Ilchester, sharing a common route with the
Sherborne road through Blackford Hollow,
north-west of the village, was turnpiked in 1756
and disturnpiked in 1877. In 1946 it became the
trunk road for the south-west of England and
was improved on new alignments in the 1970s. (fn. 7)
A road through the centre of the parish linked
Charlton Horethorne in the south with Woolston in North Cadbury in the north. By 1839 it
crossed a stream by a narrow bridge beside a
ford in the centre of the village. A road led west
from the village centre to link with the Sherborne turnpike and east to serve the principal
farms. The eastward route had been extended to
Maperton by 1885. (fn. 8)
Blackford village lies in a narrow east-west
valley where Bullens Street and Sparkes Well
were named in the 17th century. (fn. 9) The two main
farmsteads, East Hall and West Hall, stand next
to each other east of the church, the former of
the later 17th century, the latter dated 1883.
Cottages stand south-east of the church and also
along Chapel Lane to the north-west where one
is dated 1739.
Blackford wood and East wood were named
in 1637, both on the rising ground to the south
of the village; a field called Great wood close was
arable by 1775. (fn. 10) There were two open arable
fields, named from their positions north and
south of the village. (fn. 11)
A reading room had been opened in the parish
by 1899, (fn. 12) and a new building was erected in
1912. (fn. 13)
In 1801 the population of the parish was 159.
With fluctuations it rose to 192 in 1831 but then
fell in every decade, reaching 118 in 1891 and
the same figure in 1901. By 1931 it had fallen
still further, to 80. (fn. 14) In 1994 the population of
the ecclesiastical parish was said to be 60. (fn. 15)
William James Peake Mason (d. 1947), of
Compton Pauncefoot, was created 1st Baron
Blackford in 1935. (fn. 16)
MANORS
In 1066 BLACKFORD was held of
the abbot of Glastonbury (fn. 17) and it continued to
be so held until 1341 or later. (fn. 18) In 1066 Alnoth
held it of the abbot and in 1086 Alwaker. (fn. 19) In
1189 Henry Newmarch (d. 1198) did homage for
Blackford and Holton, (fn. 20) and ownership of both
estates descended with Horsington to Henry's
sons William (d. c. 1204) and James (d. 1216). (fn. 21)
From James Newmarch the holding passed to
his daughter Hawise, wife successively of John
de Boterel and of Nicholas de Moeles. Nicholas
was in possession by 1234 and had died probably
by 1260. (fn. 22) He was followed in what by 1284 had
become a mesne lordship by his son Roger (d.
1295) and by his grandson John de Moeles. (fn. 23)
John died in 1310 (fn. 24) and was succeeded by
Nicholas (d. 1315-16) whose heir was his
brother Roger Moeles. Roger died in 1316 and
his brother John, his heir, in 1337. (fn. 25) On John's
death the fee was divided between his two
daughters, Muriel, wife of Thomas Courtenay,
and Isabel, wife of William Botreaux. (fn. 26) Thomas
Courtenay did homage for Blackford, Holton,
and Lattiford in 1341, (fn. 27) but in 1361 his fee was
identified as Wythele, locally in Holton. (fn. 28) On
Thomas Courtenay's death in 1362 it descended
to his son Hugh, who died a minor in 1369.
Thereafter the family interest seems to have
ceased. (fn. 29)
The other half fee passed in 1337 to Isabel,
wife of William Botreaux. (fn. 30) and may be the fee,
also described as half Blackford manor, held by
Reynold Cobham in 1401. (fn. 31) No more is known
of that half fee.
In 1284-5 Alina of Blackford held the vill of
Blackford of Roger de Moeles. (fn. 32) She may have
been the eventual successor to John son of
Hamon, who had held land in Charlton Mackrell
in the mid 12th century and whose grandsons
were Henry (d. c. 1243) and John son of Richard.
Henry had five coheirs, John was followed by
his son Hamon, known either as Hamon son of
John FitzRichard or Hamon of Blackford. (fn. 33)
Hamon or another of the same name was in 1316
in possession of a fee (fn. 34) which included land in
Woolston in North Cadbury. (fn. 35) He or a namesake
was resident at Blackford in 1327, (fn. 36) and in 1351
was owner of a substantial farm later known as
East Hall. (fn. 37) Presumably another of the same
name sold his interests in Blackford in 1393 to
Richard Seymour, Baron Seymour, great grandson of Richard Lovel, tenant in 1351. (fn. 38)
Richard Lovel (cr. Baron Lovel 1348) had
held land at Blackford in 1305. (fn. 39) At his death in
1351 he was tenant of what came to be called
East Hall and was followed by his daughter
Muriel, wife of Nicholas Seymour, Baron Seymour. (fn. 40) Muriel died before her husband, and he
and his eldest son, also Nicholas, both died in
1361. (fn. 41) Richard, brother of the last and summoned to Parliament from 1380, bought the
lordship in 1393 and died in 1401. (fn. 42) The holding,
which from 1408 included the advowson of the
rectory, descended from Richard to his son, also
Richard, Baron Seymour (d. 1409), and to John,
brother of the last. (fn. 43) John died in or before
1418. (fn. 44) His widow Margaret, who married Sir
Walter Sandys and afterwards Sir William
Cheyne, died in 1443 and was succeeded by (Sir)
Thomas Seymour, son of her son John by her
first husband and then a minor. (fn. 45)
In 1484 the manor was granted by the Crown
to Sir Thomas Everingham with other land
formerly belonging to leaders of the rebellion of
the duke of Buckingham. (fn. 46) It had evidently been
restored to Seymour before his death in 1485
when he was succeeded by his grandson (Sir)
William Seymour, a minor. (fn. 47) Sir William died
in 1503, and in 1517 after the death of his only
child Joan, wife of William Drury, the estate was
divided between her cousins John Stawell and
Edward Bampfield. (fn. 48) The manor and advowson
descended like Durston (fn. 49) probably until the
death of John, Baron Stawell, in 1692. Before
1712 the heavily encumbered estate was bought
by Francis Bennet, but on his death in 1728 he
devised it (fn. 50) to John Stawell's brother William,
Baron Stawell (d. 1742), and he in turn to his
brother Edward, Baron Stawell (d. 1755). From
Edward it passed to his daughter Mary (cr.
Baroness Stawell 1760), wife of Henry BilsonLegge. Mary's son Henry, Baron Stawell, was
succeeded at his death in 1820 by his daughter
Mary, wife of John Dutton, Baron Sherborne. (fn. 51)
In 1826 the manor and advowson were sold to
John Hubert Hunt. (fn. 52)
John Hunt died without issue in 1830 leaving
his estate to Lewis Gooden Senior, who took the
additional names of Husey Hunt. (fn. 53) Lewis was
succeeded on his death in 1843 by his eldest son
Bernard, who also took the name Husey Hunt.
He died in 1894 and was followed by his brother
James (d. 1897), rector of Blackford and Compton Pauncefoot. (fn. 54) James Hubert Husey Hunt,
son of the last, put the estate up for sale in 1911 (fn. 55)
but neither the lordship nor the advowson were
then sold. By 1923 the lordship had passed to
Sir William James Peake Mason, Bt. (cr. Baron
Blackford 1935), and at his death in 1947 he was
succeeded by his son, the 2nd baron. (fn. 56) No
further reference to the lordship has been found.
In the mid 13th century land at Blackford
formed part of a fee held of Glastonbury by John
de Acton in succession to Geoffrey and Odo of
Wanstrow and to John de Aura or of Aller. (fn. 57) In
1337 a fee comprising land in Blackford, Wanstrow, and Stathe was shared by, among others,
Emmeline de Clevedon and Odo de Acton,
descendants of John of Aller. (fn. 58) John son of Odo
de Acton held land in Blackford in 1351 (fn. 59) and in
1361 land called Brice's tenement, presumably
named after the Brice family who had occupied
land there by 1311, (fn. 60) was held of John de Acton
and of the heirs of James de Wilton. (fn. 61) The fee,
which continued to include part of Wanstrow,
was settled in 1427 by Thomas Bath on John,
son of John Rogers. (fn. 62) In 1544 Sir John Rogers
held land in the parish. (fn. 63) In 1594 an estate called
a quarter of Blackford, Wanstrow, and Shepton
manors was owned by Anthony Floyer and his
wife Anne, and in 1630 another quarter was held
by Thomas White. (fn. 64) Both Floyer and White
were coheirs of Dorothy Wadham. (fn. 65)
The estate seems to have passed, perhaps in
1635, to Thomas Baynard or Barnard, and his
great-grandson, also Thomas Baynard and then
of Wanstrow, had what was described in 1722
as the royalty of Blackford and a farm there.
That estate Thomas sold in 1747 to Andrew
Bethune. (fn. 66) It passed to Andrew's daughter Catherine and to her husband, George Bethune,
clerk, and was held in 1810 by Catherine's son
George Maximilian Bethune. (fn. 67) No further trace
of the estate has been found.
ECONOMIC HISTORY
In 1086 there was
land for 6 ploughteams but the estate was assessed at 4 hides. The demesne holding
comprised 2½ hides worked by 5 servi and 3
teams. There were 4 teams on the remaining
1½ hide, divided between 7 villani and 10 bordars. A riding horse, 9 unbroken mares, 30
beasts, 24 swine, and 84 sheep were recorded,
together with 115 a. of meadow, 43 a. of pasture,
and 47 a. of woodland. The estate had increased
in value by a quarter since 1066. (fn. 68)
Land in the parish was part of the estate of
Richard Lovel in 1305 and by 1351 he occupied
two farms, later East and West Hall. (fn. 69) Hugh
Brice had a farm of over 160 a., mostly arable,
in 1311. (fn. 70) By 1394 East Hall, which included
land at Woolston, either in North Cadbury or
Yarlington parish, was let to thirteen tenants,
most holding c. 10 a., (fn. 71) and in 1408 30 a. of
woodland was mentioned. (fn. 72) By 1486 the Pauncefoot family of Compton held a small farm. (fn. 73)
In 1535 the tithe income from wool and lambs
was about a third of the total from arable crops. (fn. 74)
Inclosure of the two open arable fields took place
in the later 16th and the earlier 17th century. (fn. 75)
By 1606 the principal farmers in the parish
shared between them two named farms: John
Andrews held Higher farm and half of Lower
farm, and Richard Perry and Joseph Andrews
each had a quarter of Lower farm. (fn. 76) The Andrews family had come to Blackford by 1590 (fn. 77)
and they and the Perrys continued to be prominent in the earlier 17th century. (fn. 78) Joan Perry's
estate was shared c. 1657 between members of
the Dampier family, two of whom divided East
Hall farm buildings between them in 1670 and
one of whom undertook to build a house which
may be the present dwelling. William Dampier
(d. 1718) farmed just over 260 a. in the parish
and over 118 a. nearby of which 97 a. in the
parish was arable. (fn. 79) West Hall comprised 326 a.
including land in North Cadbury, Maperton,
and Holton and at the same period was occupied
by the Sweet family. (fn. 80) Blackford manor was then
shared between 6 tenants and comprised a rental
of 9s. 6d. for little over 25 a. (fn. 81) The Naish family
inherited from the Sweets and with the Dampiers retained the two farms, although by 1782
East Hall was occupied by 'Farmer' Gifford and
in 1804 George and Samuel Gifford were farming most of the parish between them. (fn. 82) In 1838
Giffords owned 210 a. based on West Hall and
had an interest in the 207 a. farmed from East
Hall. There was a third holding of just over 69
a. which later became Valley farm. At that date
there was 248 a. of arable and 296 a. of pasture
excluding glebe. (fn. 83) The same three holdings remained in the 1880s, but reorganisation of
ownership, in part because of the sale of the
Compton Pauncefoot estate after 1911, resulted
in the formation by 1923 of a fourth farm,
evidently at first based on Blackford House. (fn. 84)
Dairying had begun by 1841 and a dairy herd
was rented out by 1861. (fn. 85)
A linen weaver was living in the parish in the
later 17th century. (fn. 86) Three masons and a stone
cutter resident in 1841 were presumably employed at the quarries and there were also a
glover and a cooper. (fn. 87) There was still one glover
in 1861 and in 1881 five. By 1881 there were also
a grocer, a wood merchant, a hurdle maker, a
baker, and a blacksmith. (fn. 88) Only a blacksmith
survived in 1939. (fn. 89)
There were quarries and a marl pit in the
parish in 1627, the latter to the north of the
village. (fn. 90) Extensive quarries in the south of the parish
produced coping stones in the 1740s and extraction
continued in the 1780s, but had ceased by the 1840s. (fn. 91)
There was a mill which in 1364 was not grinding
and at which in 1535-6 the miller took excessive toll. (fn. 92)
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
In 1569 Blackford was part of a tithing which also included
Holton, Wheathill, and Cary Fitzpaine in
Charlton Mackrell. (fn. 93) In the 18th century the
tithing comprised only Blackford and Holton. (fn. 94)
Proceedings of a court baron for the Stowell
manor of Blackford and Woolston survive for
1632 and the homage presented tenants for
diverting water. A hayward reported all well. (fn. 95)
In the later 18th and the earlier 19th century the
overseers paid a mole catcher. (fn. 96)
Two churchwardens and two overseers administered the parish in the early 17th century.
A poorhouse was rented in 1608 and one was
built between 1613 and 1615. Paupers were
given cash, lodging, food, and clothing. (fn. 97) From
the end of the 17th century until the 19th only
one warden was appointed, and he appears to
have conducted the parish meeting in the usual
absence of the rector with between three and six
other ratepayers present. Highway wardens kept
separate accounts from 1686. (fn. 98) By 1796 the
overseers were paying rent for a house in
Charlton Lane which was probably being used
for paupers. (fn. 99) In 1835 the parish became part of
Wincanton poor-law union, and in 1894 of Wincanton rural district. As part of the civil parish
of Compton Pauncefoot it became in 1974 part
of Yeovil (later South Somerset) district. (fn. 1)
CHURCH
The south doorway and font indicate that there was a church in the 12th century.
In the late 13th and the 14th century it was
described as a chapel, dependent on Maperton, (fn. 2)
although its incumbent was called a rector, but
in 1415 its status as an independent parish
church was established. (fn. 3) It remained a separate
living until 1873 when it was united with Compton Pauncefoot. (fn. 4) In 1963 the united benefice was
joined with Yarlington, in 1966 with Maperton,
North Cadbury, and North Cheriton, and in
1976 became part of the Camelot Parishes team
ministry. (fn. 5)
In 1415 the Seymour family successfully
claimed the patronage by hereditary right
against the rector of Maperton, who may earlier
have presented to the living. (fn. 6) The advowson
descended with the Seymour estate: in 1440 Sir
William Cheyne presented in right of his wife; (fn. 7)
in 1445 Sir Christopher Hungerford as guardian
of Thomas Seymour, (fn. 8) in 1533 William Stephyn
and Edward Herman, who had been granted the
advowson by the joint owners. (fn. 9) John Stawell
presented in 1570 and 1578, (fn. 10) the Crown in
1620, (fn. 11) and Joseph Parker and George Stawell
in 1661. (fn. 12) Successive holders of the manor exercised patronage until 1928 when Selina Frances
Husey Hunt conveyed the advowson of the
rectory of Compton Pauncefoot and Blackford
to the Melanesian Mission Trust (England)
Ltd. (fn. 13) which retained its ownership until the
creation of the team patronage board in 1976. (fn. 14)
In 1291 the rectory was taxed at £12. (fn. 15) It was
valued in 1535 at just over £6 11s. net, (fn. 16) in c.
1670 at £12, (fn. 17) in 1707 at nearly £39 net, (fn. 18) and
between 1829 and 1831 averaged £177. (fn. 19) In 1535
the tithes were worth £5 8s. 8d., (fn. 20) in 1707 £27
5s., (fn. 21) and in 1838 were commuted for a rent
charge of £156 12s. (fn. 22) Glebe was worth 12s. in
1535 (fn. 23) and in 1606 comprised 34 a., partly in
North Cadbury parish and given to the rector in
the mid 14th century. (fn. 24) In 1838 there was nearly
25 a. (fn. 25) In 1815 the rectory house was described
as unfit and had been so in living memory. (fn. 26) It
was being rebuilt in 1827 (fn. 27) and it remained in
use until 1979. (fn. 28)
In 1351 the parochial chaplain of Maperton
was licensed to say a second mass at Blackford
while the rector was absent, and the rector was
later licensed to let his benefice to farm for five
years. (fn. 29) Barnaby Dicke, rector 1578-1620, was
reported for preaching only quarterly (fn. 30) and his
successor, William Mullet, in 1635 neither
preached nor read a homily. (fn. 31) Rectors seem to
have been resident in the early 18th century, (fn. 32)
but John Wooll, rector 1796-1833, was successively headmaster of Midhurst grammar school
and Rugby school from 1799 until 1828 and
employed Thomas Gatehouse of North Cheriton as his curate. (fn. 33) James Senior, rector of both
Blackford and Compton Pauncefoot from 1838
and of the united benefice from 1873, lived at
Compton and in 1840 held one service each
Sunday at Blackford in winter and a second on
alternate Sundays in summer. (fn. 34) By 1851 one
service was held each Sunday, alternately morning and afternoon, and c. 100 attended. (fn. 35) The
rector, who continued to live at Compton
Pauncefoot, held morning and afternoon services in 1870 and celebrated communion eight
times a year. (fn. 36) Later rectors lived at Blackford
until 1979. (fn. 37)
The church of ST. MICHAEL comprises a
chancel, nave with south porch, and west
tower. The nave is of the 12th century with a
contemporary doorway whose inner head was
modified in the late 15th century when the
door was inserted. The tower is of the 14th
century with later pinnacles and the chancel
was rebuilt, a rood stair inserted, the north
wall re-worked, and the south porch built in
the late 15th century, possibly in the 1480s
when money was left for church works. (fn. 38) During restoration in the 1840s the walls were
found to be decorated with a pattern in red,
black, and yellow. (fn. 39) A piscina on the south side
of the nave indicates a chapel in front of the
original screen. Fragments from an elaborate
alabaster screen were found when the rood
stair was restored. The early 15th-century
heraldic glass in the chancel records the Seymour and Erleigh families. (fn. 40) The pulpit is of
the 17th century and formerly had a sounding
board dated 1634. The pews are of the later
18th century and there was a singers' gallery. (fn. 41)
The present screen, designed by Frederick
Bligh Bond, was built in 1916. (fn. 42)
There are three bells, the first of 1707 by
Stephen March, the second of 1620 by Robert
Austen, and the third of 1759 by T. Roskelly. (fn. 43)
The plate includes a cup and cover of 1574 by
Richard Orenge. (fn. 44) The registers begin in 1684
and are complete. (fn. 45)
NONCONFORMITY
In 1824 a house was
licensed for use by Wesleyan Methodists and
regular services were held from 1826. (fn. 46) A
chapel was built in 1837 in what later came to
be called Chapel Lane and in 1851 the congregation at the afternoon service was 40 adults
and at the evening service 81. (fn. 47) The chapel was
apparently still open in 1937 but had closed by
1949 (fn. 48) and was subsequently demolished.
EDUCATION
In 1634 the rector kept a school
in the church. (fn. 49) In 1818 there was a Sunday
school for 33 children supported by voluntary
contributions. (fn. 50) It had 22 children in 1846-7 and
was supported by the rector and principal inhabitants. (fn. 51) By 1861 a National school for boys
and girls had been established and in 1866 it was
said to be held 'in conjunction with Compton
Pauncefoot'. A Sunday school was still then held
in the schoolroom. (fn. 52) By 1875 the school had been
transferred to Compton Pauncefoot. (fn. 53)
CHARITY FOR THE POOR
Between 1724 and
1780 the overseers accounted for the distribution of
10s. each year at Christmas, the interest on a sum
of £10 given for the poor by a man named Sherrill
and paid until his death in 1769 by Henry Dampier. (fn. 54) Dampier's widow, and subsequently her
daughters Mrs. Gollop and Mrs. Phelps, continued
to distribute the money through the churchwardens
to 10 poor people not in receipt of parish pay until
1826. (fn. 55) The charity was registered in 1965 but with
no income it was removed from the register in 1993. (fn. 56)