The Manse

manse

The Manse

Home is ‘The Manse’, Wiveliscombe, Somerset, England. We moved into this brand new house on February 12th 2007, which is next door to the historic chapel and the purpose built Silver Street Centre. What a wonderful view we share, out over the memorial garden, to the surrounding countryside and hills.

Wiveliscombe is it a town or a village? Although strictly speaking it is a village, having a parish council, it is proud of the fact that it was a former market town serving the surrounding villages and district. Four miles from the Devon border, Wiveliscombe is a small town (population 2650) in West Somerset, England. Historically, it has been a focal point for the villages and settlements of the Brendon Hills. Romans, Saxons, the church, agriculture, the woollen industry and brewing have all helped shape the present day ‘working’ town. 

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Wiveliscombe from Greenway

‘Wiveliscombe – A History of a Somerset Market Town’ by Susan Maria Farrington and the Wiveliscombe Book Group (ISBN 0-09540992-1-4) provides a well researched insight into the life and history of the town and makes excellent reading.

At one point in its rich history the town had the ‘biggest “brewery” in the West of England’. After more than twenty years, brewing returned to the town in 1980 and today there are two brewers of ‘Real Ale’. But, for a real cup of coffee you cannot beat the Courthouse in the Market Square. The Courthouse is owned by Tia and Hoss Fatemi and is probably the largest and most fascinating independent shop in West Somerset. One of the top “100 shops to visit before you die” is located right here in Wiveliscombe – Thorne’s the butchers.
Just as Stirling in Scotland is said to be the ‘Gateway to the Highlands’ so Wiveliscombe is the ‘Gateway’ between the Vale of Taunton Dene and the uplands of the Brendon Hills and Exmoor lying to the North and West. To the South, there are the Blackdown Hills and to the East, there are the Quantock Hills. No matter what route you take, you always drop down into the town.
What a glorious location and place to live.

 

 
 
 

 

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