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	{{Short description\|Village and civil parish in Somerset, England}}		{{Short description\|Village and civil parish in Somerset, England}}
	{{Use dmy dates\|date=October 2019}}		{{Use dmy dates\|date=October 2019}}
			{{Use British English\|date=June 2025}}
	{{Infobox UK place		{{Infobox UK place
	\|static_image_name = StAugustineWMonkton.jpg		\|static_image_name = StAugustineWMonkton.jpg

imported>Thirdman: Adding short description: "Village and civil parish in Somerset, England", overriding automatically generated description

2025-03-14T19:08:38Z

Adding short description: "Village and civil parish in Somerset, England", overriding automatically generated description

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{{Short description|Village and civil parish in Somerset, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Infobox UK place
|static_image_name = StAugustineWMonkton.jpg
|static_image_alt = Stone building with square tower, partially obscured by trees
|static_image_caption = [[Church of St Augustine, West Monkton|St Augustine's Parish Church]]
|country = England
|coordinates = {{coord|51.051|-3.045|display=inline,title}}
|official_name = West Monkton
|population = 2,787
|population_ref = ''(2011)''
|civil_parish = West Monkton
| unitary_england = [[Somerset Council]]
| lieutenancy_england = [[Somerset]]
|region = South West England
|constituency_westminster = [[Taunton and Wellington (UK Parliament constituency)|Taunton and Wellington]]
|post_town = TAUNTON
|postcode_district = TA2
|postcode_area = TA
|dial_code = 01823
|os_grid_reference = ST2628
}}
'''West Monkton''' is a village and [[civil parish]] in [[Somerset]], England, situated {{convert|2|mi|km|1}} north east of [[Taunton]]. The parish includes the [[Hamlet (place)|hamlet]]s of '''Monkton Heathfield''', '''Bathpool''', and '''Burlinch''' and the western parts of '''Coombe''' and '''[[Walford, Somerset|Walford]]''',<ref>The eastern parts of Coombe and Walford are in the parish of [[Creech St Michael]].</ref> and had a [[population]] of 2,787 at the 2011 census.<ref>{{cite web|title=Statistics for Wards, LSOAs and Parishes — SUMMARY Profiles|url=http://www.somersetintelligence.org.uk/files/Somerset%20Census%20Key%20Statistics%20-%20Summary%20Profiles.xls|publisher=Somerset Intelligence|access-date=4 January 2014|format=Excel}}</ref>

==History==
The charter for West Monkton was given to [[Glastonbury Abbey]] by the [[Anglo-Saxons|Saxon]] king [[Centwine of Wessex|Centwine]] in 682.<ref name="havinden">{{cite book|last=Havinden|first=Michael|title=The Somerset Landscape|publisher=Hodder and Stoughton|location=London|series=The making of the English landscape|isbn=0-340-20116-9|page=858}}</ref> The monks from the abbey gave the village its name Monkton, and it was called West as being west of the other estates of the abbey.<ref name="bush">{{cite book|last=Bush|first=Robin|author-link=Robin Bush (historian)|title=Somerset: The Complete Guide|publisher=Dovecote Press|year=1994|pages=[https://archive.org/details/somersetcomplete0000bush/page/229 229]|isbn=1-874336-26-1|url=https://archive.org/details/somersetcomplete0000bush/page/229}}</ref>

The parish of West Monkton was part of the [[Whitley (hundred)|Whitley]] [[Hundred (county subdivision)|Hundred]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Somerset Hundreds|url=http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/SOM/Miscellaneous/|publisher=GENUKI|access-date=22 October 2011}}</ref>

After the [[dissolution of the monasteries]] the manor was granted to William Paulet, Marquess of Winchester, passing in 1616 to the Warres of Hestercombe and in 1872 to Viscount Portman of [[Orchard Portman]].<ref name="bush"/>

Milling at Bathpool in the [[River Tone]] had a chequered history. There had been a mill at this location for several centuries, which had been rebuilt or adapted as required. In March 1812, the structure was burnt down by a fire, caused, according to the ''Taunton Courier'', by ''"the excessive friction excited in the stones used in the process of shelling clover seeds"''. Stocks of flour, grain and flax valued at £2,500 were destroyed. The mill was rebuilt and later owned by Captain George Beadon. The mill was purchased by Thomas Redler in 1889 on the death of Beadon, but another fire damaged much of it two years later. Redler rebuilt it with safety in mind, and installed a steam-driven turbine as water levels were often inadequate to power the wheels. Two more turbines followed, and the water wheels were removed. Steam from the turbines was also used to heat bread ovens, which were amongst the first in the country to be heated in this way. In September 1915, another fire gutted the building, which was not rebuilt, and the ruins were demolished in the 1920s.<ref name=haskell>Tony Haskell, (1994), ''By Waterway to Taunton'', Somerset Books, {{ISBN|0-86183-260-4}}</ref>

In the 1820s the [[Bridgwater and Taunton Canal]] was constructed. The work included the construction of several bridges to carry roads over the canal,<ref>{{NHLE|num=1177277|desc=Hyde Bridge Road bridge over Bridgwater and Taunton Canal.|access-date=2009-02-11}}</ref> one of which is now the [[A38 road]].<ref>{{NHLE|num=1060459|desc= Bridge on A38 over canal at NGR ST 2545 2603|access-date=2009-02-11}}</ref> During the restoration of the canal in the 1980s the condition of the swing bridge at Bathpool caused a change in policy. There were objections to the plan to replace it with a fixed bridge with limited headroom, and the planning application was deferred.<ref name=haskell/>

==Governance==
The [[Parish councils of England|parish council]] has responsibility for local issues, including setting an annual precept (local rate) to cover the council’s operating costs and producing annual accounts for public scrutiny. The parish council evaluates local planning applications and works with the local police, district council officers, and [[Neighbourhood Watch (UK)|neighbourhood watch]] groups on matters of crime, security, and traffic. The parish council's role also includes initiating projects for the maintenance and repair of parish facilities, as well as consulting with the district council on the maintenance, repair, and improvement of highways, drainage, footpaths, public transport, and street cleaning. Conservation matters (including trees and listed buildings) and environmental issues are also the responsibility of the council.

For [[local government in England|local government]] purposes, since 1 April 2023, the village comes under the [[Unitary authorities of England|unitary authority]] of [[Somerset Council]]. Prior to this, it was part of the [[non-metropolitan district]] of [[Somerset West and Taunton]] (formed on 1 April 2019) and, before this, the district of [[Taunton Deane]] (established under the [[Local Government Act 1972]]). From 1894-1974, for local government purposes, West Monkton was part of [[Taunton Rural District]].<ref name=tauntonrd>{{cite web|title=Taunton RD|url=http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10166688|work=A vision of Britain Through Time|publisher=University of Portsmouth|access-date=5 January 2014}}</ref>

There is an [[Wards and electoral divisions of the United Kingdom|electoral ward]] with the same name. Although ''West Monkton'' parish covers certain additional hamlets the ward extends to [[Cheddon Fitzpaine]]. The total population of the ward at the [[United Kingdom Census 2011|2011 census]] was 4,304.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ukcensusdata.com/west-monkton-e05006882#sthash.PiKJyGOS.dpbs|title=Ward population 2011|access-date= 3 March 2015}}</ref>

It is also part of the [[Taunton and Wellington (UK Parliament constituency)|Taunton and Wellington]] [[county constituency]] represented in the [[British House of Commons|House of Commons]] of the [[Parliament of the United Kingdom]]. It elects one [[Member of Parliament|Member of Parliament (MP)]] by the [[first past the post]] system of election.

==Landmarks==
[[File:Hestercombe House and Garden.jpg|thumb|[[Hestercombe House]]]]
Within the parish is [[Hestercombe House]] and gardens designed by Sir [[Edwin Lutyens]].<ref>{{cite web | title = Welcome to Hestercombe Gardens | publisher = Hestercombe Gardens | url=http://www.hestercombegardens.com/ | access-date = 2006-11-27 }}</ref> Its restoration to [[Gertrude Jekyll]]'s original plans (1904–07) have made it "one of the best Jekyll-Lutyens gardens open to the public on a regular basis",<ref>[http://www.gardenvisit.com/garden_tour/somerset GardenVist.com: Somerset].</ref> visited by approximately 70,000 people per year. The estate is Grade I [[Listed building|listed]] on the [[English Heritage]] [[National Register of Historic Parks and Gardens|Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://project.eghn.org/downloads/EGHN_Access%20Review%20Hestercombe%20Gardens.pdf |title=Hestercombe Gardens |work=European Garden Heritage Network |publisher=European Garden Heritage Network |access-date=2008-12-09 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110726020220/http://project.eghn.org/downloads/EGHN_Access%20Review%20Hestercombe%20Gardens.pdf |archive-date=2011-07-26 }}</ref> The site also includes a 0.08 [[hectare]] [[biological Site of Special Scientific Interest]] as it is used as a roost site by [[Lesser Horseshoe Bat]]s and has been designated as a [[Special Area of Conservation]] (SAC).<ref>{{cite web | title=Hestercombe House | work=Joint NatureConservation Committee| url=http://www.jncc.gov.uk/protectedsites/SACselection/sac.asp?EUCode=UK0030168 | access-date=2007-03-03}}</ref> The house was used as the headquarters of the British [[VIII Corps (United Kingdom)|8th Corps]] in the [[World War II|Second World War]], and has been owned by [[Somerset County Council]] since 1951.
[[File:The Creech Castle Hotel. Taunton - geograph.org.uk - 86611.jpg|thumb|left|120px|Creech Castle]]
[[Walford house]] was built in the late 18th century but in 1985 was converted into flats. It is a Grade II* [[listed building]].<ref>{{NHLE|num=1060421|desc=Walford House|access-date=2009-02-11}}</ref>

Creech Castle was built around 1850 and was the home of the Beadon family, but was converted into a hotel<ref>{{NHLE|num=1307532|desc=Creech Castle Hotel|access-date=2009-02-11}}</ref> and is now a managed office.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.flexioffices.co.uk/Taunton/Creech-Castle-Business-Centre---TA1_id0013Y00002p1JhOQAU | title=Serviced Office the Keep, Creech Castle, Taunton, TA1 2DX | Flexioffices }}</ref> It is named after the characteristic shaped hill opposite it.<ref>{{cite web |title=Creech Castle |url=http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-270733-creech-castle-hotel-west-monkton |publisher=britishlistedbuildings.co.uk |access-date=2011-05-27}}</ref>

==Education==
Monkton Heathfield is home to [[Heathfield Community School]] a [[Community school (England and Wales)|state]] [[secondary school]] with 1,181 students aged 11 – 16 and has an [[Arts College]] specialist status.<ref>[http://www.qca.org.uk/14-19/110_1819.htm Monkton Heathfield] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070824081407/http://www.qca.org.uk/14-19/110_1819.htm |date=2007-08-24 }}. Qualifications and Curriculum Authority. Retrieved on 2008-03-03.</ref>

==Religious sites==
[[File:West Monkton Church- 267-1989-5.jpg|thumb|''West Monkton Church'', Watercolour on paper, painted by Harry Frier in 1887]]
The [[Church of St Augustine, West Monkton|parish church of St Augustine]] has an 88-foot tower, four stories, with no pinnacles or fancy tracery on the windows, giving the tower a slender, austere look compared to the medieval [[Somerset towers]] of churches in nearby [[Taunton]], for example. [[Nikolaus Pevsner]] proposes that St Augustine's tower is older than the surrounding church towers, with a tower arch that may date to 1300 as part of a previous church building.<ref>{{cite book|last=Pevsner |first=Nikolaus |title=The Buildings of England: South and West Somerset |year=2003 |publisher=Yale University Press |location=New Haven, Connecticut |isbn=0-300-09644-5}}</ref> The churchyard includes a [[stocks]] and whipping post under a canopy.<ref>{{NHLE|num=1060426|desc=Stocks and whipping post under canopy|access-date=2009-02-11}}</ref>

==Sports==
West Monkton is home to the West Monkton Cricket Club, who play on Saturdays in the 1st and 4th divisions of the West Somerset Cricket League.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://westmonkton.play-cricket.com/home/home.asp|title=West Monkton Cricket Club|publisher=Play-Cricket|access-date=12 February 2010}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist |colwidth=30em}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|West Monkton}}
* [http://www.westmonkton.net/ West Monkton parish website].
* [http://www.westmonktoncubs.btik.com/ West Monkton Cubs Pack].

{{Taunton Deane}}

[[Category:Villages in Taunton Deane]]
[[Category:Civil parishes in Somerset]]

West Monkton - Revision history

imported>Keith D: Add BOT tag

imported>Thirdman: Adding short description: "Village and civil parish in Somerset, England", overriding automatically generated description