Part 10 (2/2)

_Holford_, a village 6 m. E. from Williton, at the foot of the Quantocks. Its church is picturesquely situated; in the graveyard is an old cross with a mutilated figure on the shaft. Past the church, two pleasant combes may be reached, Tannery Combe and Hodder's Combe (the latter is perhaps a corruption of the name of Odda, the Earl of Devon who aided Alfred, see p. 201). The hill between them bears the name of _Hare Kanp_, possibly preserving the memory of the Saxon armies that once marched along the trackway that crosses it (M.E. and A.S. _here_, an army). Near Holford is _Alfoxden_, the residence of Wordsworth in 1797, when Coleridge was at Nether Stowey.

[Ill.u.s.tration: ALFOXDEN HOUSE, NEAR HOLFORD]

_Holton_, a village 2-1/2 m. S.W. of Wincanton. Its church is small and contains a stone 15th-cent. pulpit and a Norm. font. On the S. porch is an old sundial, and in the churchyard the base of a cross.

_Holms, The Flat and Steep_, two islands in the Bristol Channel, forming familiar objects to all visitors to the Somerset sea-board.

Geologically they belong to the county, for they are the last expiring protest of the Mendip chain against its final submergence in the sea.

The Steep Holm, the nearer and more conspicuous of the two islets, 5 m.

from the coast, is little better than a barren rock rearing its huge bulk precipitously, nearly 300 ft. above the waves. It is almost inaccessible, but has perhaps for this reason occasionally afforded an asylum to refugees from the mainland, although the statement that Gildas found security in this retreat appears to be an error. There still remain some fragments of a priory. The Flat Holm, 2 m. farther off, though of about the same circ.u.mference (1-1/2 m.), is a far less imposing object in the sea-scape, but is more amenable to the influences of civilisation. It is occupied by a lighthouse and a farm, and is sometimes made the excuse for a channel trip by visitors from the neighbouring watering-places, as it affords amongst other attractions some facilities for bathing.

_Hornblotton_, a parish 3 m. N.W. of Castle Cary Station. The church, which stands about a mile from the Fosse Way to Ilchester, is modern, but the tower of the old church is left standing, and a piscina has been removed from it to the new building.

[Ill.u.s.tration: HORNER WOODS AND PORLOCK VALE]

_Horner Valley_, one of the many charming walks which abound in the neighbourhood of Porlock. Follow the Minehead road for about a mile and then strike up the banks of the Horner Water by a lane on the R. On the way will be noticed spanning the stream a quaint pack-horse bridge beloved of photographers (cp. Allerford). At Horner village the road winds round to Luccombe, but a broad path follows the course of the Horner and leads up through the woods. The scenery is comparable with that of the E. Lynn. It is a delightful combination of wood, mountain, and rill, and is everywhere full of charm. The Horner Water descends from the moors and babbles its way through the valley to the sea. It receives on the right a contributary rill which flows through a combe that rivals the main valley in romantic beauty. The second plank-bridge across the water will lead up a very steep footpath to Cloutsham.

_Horrington, East and West_, two contiguous villages on the S. slope of the Mendips, 2 m. E. from Wells, and overlooking the city. At E.

Horrington there is a small modern church (1838).

_Horsington_, a largish village 1 m. N. of Templecombe. The church is s.p.a.cious and has been rebuilt (1884-85), with the exception of the tower. It contains a 15th-cent. octagonal font with, rudely carved figures of angels at the angles. Near the church is a cross (said to be 13th cent.) with the canopied figure of an ecclesiastic on the shaft.

_Huish Champflower_, a village 3-1/2 m. N.W. from Wivelis...o...b... The church is one of the few Dec. churches in the county, but not a pure example of the style, as the tower and window tracery are Perp. There is a good arcade of cl.u.s.tered columns with foliated capitals dividing the nave from the N. aisle. The window at the E. end of the aisle should also be observed, as the tracery is particularly good, and it retains some of its original gla.s.s. There is a barrow in the neighbourhood which has recently been excavated.

_Huish Episcopi_ is a parish situated E. of Langport, the two churches being less than half a mile apart. It is famed for its beautiful tower, which, however, is perhaps a little over-praised, for the crown of pinnacles, graceful in itself, does not seem to spring naturally from the summit, but to be super-imposed upon it. The belfry storey has double windows, and each stage is divided from the one below by bands of quatrefoils which produce rather a formal effect. The S. door is late Norm., its red colour being due to fire; in the upper corner of the porch traces of stone stairs are visible. Some Dec. windows remain in the chancel, but the majority are Perp.: the gla.s.s at the E. end of the S. aisle is by Sir E. Burne-Jones. Note (1) the stoup near S. door; (2) the piscina in the chancel; (3) the squint in the S. pier of the chancel; (4) the Jacobean pulpit (dated 1625).

_Huntspill_, a parish 1-1/2 m. S.S.W. from Highbridge, supposed to derive its name from Hun, a Somerset ealdorman in the reign of Egbert.

It has a very handsome church which has been rebuilt since it was destroyed by fire in 1878. The pillars of the arcade still show traces of the flames. The tower is good, with bold b.u.t.tresses. The church contains the effigies of a knight in armour and his lady, within a recess in the S. wall. Note (1) stoup in S. porch; (2) piscina in S.

chapel; (3) fine black oak pulpit.

_Hutton_, a small village 3-1/2 m. S.E. of Weston-super-Mare. It lies at the base of Bleadon Hill, and may be approached from Weston either through Uphill or by a path that leaves the Worle road. Its small but picturesque church has a good tower of three stages and preserves an excellent stone pulpit, reached by a recess in the wall (which once led to the rood loft), and two bra.s.ses to members of the Payne family (one will be found immediately in front of the altar, the other in a recess in the N. wall of the chancel). _Hutton Court_, which is close by, is a 15th-cent. building much altered.

ILCHESTER, a small, decayed town on the Ivel, 4-1/2 m. N.E. of Martock, which was formerly of considerable importance. Its name recalls the fact that it was a Roman station, and upon it several Roman roads converge. It was besieged in the strife between William Rufus and his brother Robert; and it was fortified in the Great Civil War. It once had a nunnery, and it was the birthplace of Roger Bacon, who was born here in 1214. But apart from its historic a.s.sociations it has little now to attract attention, its only noteworthy building being its church (the last remaining of five). This has a short tower which is octagonal throughout and does not rest, like others elsewhere, upon a square base. Some Roman bricks seem to be among the materials of which it is constructed, and there are a few old pieces of carving built into the walls. The oldest parts of the building appear to date from E.E. times, but it has undergone a good deal of restoration. Note (1) the E. window (three lancets under a hood moulding); (2) niches; (3) squint. There is a market cross, consisting of a cylindrical pillar supporting a sundial (cp. Martock). Though Ilchester is not now a borough, it was so once, and a very curious macehead (13th cent.) is still preserved.

_Ile (or Isle) Abbots_, a village 3-1/2 m. E. of Hatch Station. It gets its name from its position on the little river Ile (or Isle) and its former connection with Muchelney Abbey. It possesses an interesting church with a fine tower, having double windows in the belfry and numerous niches, which for the most part retain their statuary. The S.

porch has fair groining with a central pendant, and there are some beautiful pierced parapets. The windows are of various dates--E.E., Dec., and Perp. Note in the chancel (1) low side-window (cp. Bleadon, Othery), (2) piscina, surrounded by panelling, (3) triple sedilia. The font, rudely carved, is Norm. The arcade piers are encircled with the ”Devons.h.i.+re” foliage.

_Ile (or Isle) Brewers_ (the latter half of the name a corruption of _De Bruyere_, the family that once owned the manor) is a parish 5 m. E.

of Hatch Station. The church has been rebuilt (1861), and the tower (on the S.) is surmounted by a spire. Within is a Norm. font.

_Ilminster_, a small market town (with station) on the Ile, is a place of great antiquity but of little present importance, though it has some lace, s.h.i.+rt, and collar manufactories. It was attached to the Abbey of Muchelney until the dissolution of the monasteries. It possesses a n.o.ble church, the fine central tower having triple windows in double tier (cp. Mells and Leigh), and being surmounted by cl.u.s.tered pinnacles, whilst the vault is beautifully groined. The S. porch and the transepts are also excellently designed, these parts of the structure having been built by Sir William Wadham (15th cent.). The nave (rebuilt in 1824) is much inferior. Note (1) large ribbed squints; (2) font (probably once attached to a pillar); (3) vestry behind the E.

window (cp. N. Petherton, Kingsbury, Langport, and Porlock); (4) piscinas in transepts; (5) grotesque corbels. In the N. transept are the tombs and bra.s.ses of (1) Sir William Wadham (d. 1425) and his wife; (2) Nicholas and Dorothy Wadham (1609 and 1618), the founders of Wadham College, Oxford. In the S. transept is a monument to Humfrey Walrond (d. 1580). The communion plate includes two Elizabethan chalices. The only other building in the town of any interest is the Grammar School, N. of the church. It bears a motto and the date 1586, and owes its origin to Humfrey Walrond. It is now a girls' school, the boys having been transferred to new buildings (reached from the street S. of the church).

_Ilton_, a village on the Ile, 2 m. N. of Ilminster. It has a church of some interest. The windows are partly Dec. and partly Perp., and the tower is on the S. Note (1) piscinas in chancel and chapel; (2) bra.s.s of Nicholas Wadham (d. 1508); (3) effigy of ”Joan,” wife of another Nicholas Wadham (d. 1557).

_Keinton-Mandeville_, a large village 4 m. E.N.E. of Somerton, lying for the most part along the Castle Cary road, with a station on the Castle Cary and Langport loop-line. The church is in a field at the S.

extremity of the village. The nave was rebuilt in 1800, but the chancel retains some indication of its E.E. origin, and the old Norm. font is still preserved. The village was the birthplace of Sir Henry Irving, whose real name was Brodribb.

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