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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'Over Stowey: Education', in A History of the County of Somerset: Volume 6, Andersfield, Cannington, and North Petherton Hundreds (Bridgwater and Neighbouring Parishes), (London, 1992) pp. 170. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/som/vol6/p170a [accessed 24 April 2024]
EDUCATION.
In the late 17th or early 18th century a school was kept by the vicar Caradoc Butler. (fn. 1) A Sunday school in 1795 served as a model for a proposed school at Stogursey. In 1813 James Rich gave £100 towards its support. (fn. 2) The school was also supported by the earl of Egmont and had 17 pupils in 1819. (fn. 3) In 1825 the Sunday school was attended by 80 children (fn. 4) and by 1835 by 60. There was a day school with 20 children by 1835. (fn. 5) The Sunday school was held in the poorhouse before 1840. (fn. 6) The National school was built in 1840 east of the church on the site of the poorhouse and had 90 pupils in 1846. (fn. 7) In 1903 there were 88 children on the books and three teachers. (fn. 8) Numbers fell rapidly, reaching 51 in 1915, 24 in 1935, 16 in 1955, and 13 in 1978 when the school was closed. (fn. 9) The building became the village hall.
Quantock independent school at Quantock Lodge (fn. 10) was open in 1986.