Wessex Chronicle (Blog)

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Wessex Attractions: Branscombe

Branscombe is a village at the Western end of Devon’s Jurassic Coast, It features a sand and shingle beach, and three National Trust properties: a blacksmith’s forge dating from around 1580; a 19th century watermill; and a thatched bakery which is now used as a tea room.

The name is Celtic in origin, from the personal name Bran, and the word “cwm”, a valley, which later became one of the few Brythonic loan words into Old English (as “combe”). The order of the syllables suggests that the name is Saxon in origin, as a Celtic name would have put the personal name element after the topographic one, as in Cwmbran in Wales.

Branscome was once the haunt of smugglers, and a network of tunnels was discovered in the first decade of the last century. More recently it was the site of the salvaging of the shipwrecked cargo ship MSC Napoli, a salvage operation that took two and a half years.

The village was formerly a centre for the lace industry, giving its name to Branscombe point, a style used by lacemakers to this day. Unlike neighbouring Honiton, Branscombe lace was made using needles rather than bobbins, The lace was thicker than Honiton lace, and slightly quicker to make.

The postcode for satnav purposes is EX12 3DB, and the village is served by Axe Vale Mini-Travel bus number 899, from Sidmouth to Seaton.

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Essential Wessex: Vernacular Architecture

Vernacular architecture can refer to any building designed without the aid of a professional architect, but in the context of this article, it refers to traditional styles built using local materials. One style distinctive to Wessex, but also found in the East Midlands and Cumbria, is the cob and thatch home, like the one in Hampshire illustrated above. Cob is unbaked clay covered with plaster. It is one of the oldest known building materials, dating back to 8000BC. The walls of Jericho are believed to have been built from cob, though perhaps that is not the best example to use!

Dartmoor, is one of only two places in England (Cumbria being the other) where traditional long houses can be found. These were once common among smallholders in the middle ages, with living space at one end of the building, and shelter for livestock in the other.

The Cotswold House is another distinctive style. Built from the local stone, with slate roofs, the walls are made of ashlar, stone blocks usually (though not always) laid in alternating horizontal and vertical layers. Some houses are built from irregularly shaped blocks, known as rubble masonry.

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Wessex Attractions: Treasurer’s House

Treasurer’s House is a small house in Martock dating back to the reign of Edward I, and now owned by the National Trust. It was built in 1293, though the kitchen and great hall were added in the 15th century. It is the second-oldest building in Somerset, after the Bishop’s Palace in Wells.

In 1995, the 16th-century whitewash was removed from a wall in one of the upper chambers, revealing an unusual fresco depicting the crucifixion. It seems likely that the whitewashing was a result of the Protestant reformation, with its strictures against religious images.

The Treasurer’s House is located along the B3165 Church Road in Martock, opposite the church and the village stocks! The nearest bus stop is The Pinnacle, served by routes 10C, 52 and 652. The postcode is TA12 6JL.

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Wessex Attractions: Mompesson House

Mompesson House is an 18th century townhouse in Salisbury’s Cathedral Close, owned by the National Trust and named after Charles Mompesson, for whom it was built in 1701. At the time of writing, it is closed for winter, but will reopen in the spring of 2023.

After Mompesson died in 1714, the house passed to his brother-in-law, Charles Longueville. and thereafter to a succession of different families, until it passed to the National Trust upon the death of its last owner, Denis Martineau, in 1975. It opened to the public in 1977.

The house is noted for its walled garden, and its collection of 18th century drinking glasses. Admission costs £8 for adults and £4 for children. Its postcode is SP1 2EL, and being in the Cathedral Close, it is not difficult to find.

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Wessex Attractions: Muchelney Abbey

Muchelney Abbey, two miles from Langport on the Somerset levels, was a Benedictine monastery founded by King Ine of Wessex around 700 and refounded by Athelstan in 939, making it the second-oldest religious foundation in Somerset. It was abolished by Henry VIII in 1538 as part of the dissolution of the monasteries, with many of its buildings being demolished. Those that remain are now the property of English Heritage.

Visitors can explore the foundations of the abbey, some of which date back to Anglo-Saxon times. Surviving buildings include the abbot’s house and cloister, and – holy shit! – a monastic latrine. The abbey has ample grounds where children can play and explore.

Admittance at the time of writing costs £7 (free to English Heritage members). The abbey is currently closed for winter, with no indication as to when it will reopen. When it does (probably around Easter), the satnav postcode is TA10 0DQ. Somerset County Transport bus 850 serves the site on Thursdays. Otherwise, the nearest bus stop is in Langport, a mile away, served by Buses of Somerset service 54, from Taunton to Yeovil.