St. Michaelchurch

ST. MICHAEL CHURCH

THE parish of St. Michaelchurch, usually called Michaelchurch, and measuring only 46 a., is an enclave in the southern part of North Petherton parish. (fn. 1) It may have originated as the area dependent on a church founded there by the 11th century. (fn. 2) Its only natural boundary is a stream on the south, but on parts of the north and east the parish boundary follows roads. The parish lies mainly on Upper Sandstone near the 15-m. contour, with a narrow band of alluvium beside the stream in the south. (fn. 3) It was united with North Petherton for civil purposes in 1933. (fn. 4)

The parish lies astride the road from North Newton to Lower Durston; a road to North moor forms part of its northern boundary. (fn. 5) A road from North moor to Chadmead which followed part of the eastern boundary was recorded in 1401 (fn. 6) but fell out of use when the Bridgwater and Taunton canal was cut across it in the 1820s. (fn. 7) Field names like Woodcroft, the Wood, and Hamwood indicate that the parish was formerly wooded although no woodland was recorded in 1086. (fn. 8) By 1839 some land in the eastern half of the parish had been taken to form Maunsel park and two cottages were used as staff cottages, one as a lodge for the new park. (fn. 9) In 1663 there were said to be 14 or 15 'ancient inhabited tenements besides cottages' in the parish. (fn. 10) The site of those tenements is unknown and from the 18th century the scattered dwellings have declined in number: four were demolished in the 1820s and 1830s. (fn. 11) The population was 41 in 1801 rising to 50 in 1821 but falling to 32 in 1831. Thereafter the number remained stable at c. 30 until 1901. It had fallen to 24 by 1931 (fn. 12) and was only c. 10 in 1984. (fn. 13)