Descriptive Gazetteer Entry for BATH and WELLS

BATH and WELLS, a diocese comprehending all Somerset except Bedminster. Acres, 1,043,059. Pop., 422,527. Houses, 83,600. The see sprang from a college at Wells, founded in 704 by King Ina; was constituted there, in 905, by Edward the Elder; was removed to Bath, in the time of William Rufus, by John de Villula; was for some time designated of Bath only, and altogether administered there; but in the 13th century, after long contention, was reconstituted of both Bath and Wells, with cathedral at each. It numbers among its bishops, Lord Chancellor Burnell, Lord Treasurer De la March, Viceroy Drokensford, Lord Keeper Beckington, Lord Chancellor Stillington, Cardinals De Castello and Wolsey, Henry VIII. 's confidant Clerk, President Bourne, Montague, Land, Ken, and Baron Auckland. The bishop's palace is at Wells. The dignitaries and officials are a dean, four canons, three archdeacons, a sub-dean, a chancellor of the diocese, a chancellor of the church, a treasurer, forty-four prebendaries, and three minor canons. The income of the bishop is £5,000; of the dean, £1,000; of one of the canons, £30; of two of the archdeacons, £65 and £250; of the chancellor of the church, £31; of the treasurer, £65; and of six of the prebendaries, aggregately £86.

The diocese is divided into the archdeaconries of Wells, Bath, and Taunton. The archdeaconry of Wells comprises seven deaneries; that of Bath comprises two deaneries, each in two districts; and that of Taunton comprises four deaneries; Many of the livings in the several deaneries have recently been raised in status,-chiefly p. curacies raised to vicarages; and they are named according to their present rank in the separate articles on them in the Gazetteer; but all will be named here as they ranked in 1861.

The deanery of Wells contains the rectories of Binegar, Dinder, and Litton; the vicarages of Wells, Wookey, Pilton, Westbury, and East Harptree; and the p. curacies of Coxley, Easton, Henton, Horrington, North Wootton. and Theale. The deanery of Axbridge contains the rectories of Axbridge, Allerton, Badgworth, Biddisham, Blagdon, Bleadon, Breane, Christon, Hutton, Locking, Loxton, Lympsham, Rowberrow, Rodney-Stoke, Shipham, Uphill, and Weston-super-Mare; the vicarages of Banwell, Berrow, East Brent, South Brent, Burnham, Cheddar, Bishop-Compton, Congresbury, Kewstoke, Weare, Wedmore, Winscombe, and Worle; and the p. curacies of Churchill, Highbridge, Mark, Puxton, Blackford-Wedmore, Christ Church Weston, Trinity-Weston, and Emmanuel-Weston. The deanery of Carey contains the rectories of Alford-with-Hornblotton, Ansford, Babcary, North Barrow, Batcombe, Blackford, Bratton, North Cadbury, South Cadbury, Charlton-Musgrove, Compton-Panncefoot, Croscombe, Cucklington-with-Stoke-Trister, Ditcheat, Holton, Keinton-Mansfield, Kilmington, Kingweston, Lamyatt, East Lydford, West Lydford, Maperton, Milton-Clevedon, Penselwood, Pylle, Shepton Mallett, Sparkford, Sutton-Montague, Weston-Bamfylde, Wheathill, and Yarlington; the vicarages of Barton-St. David, Castle-Carey, Doulting, Evercreech, and East Pennard; and the p. curacies of South Barrow, North Brewham, South Brewham, Bruton, Lovington, Pitcombe, Redlynch, Shepton-Montague, Stoke-Lane, Wincanton, and Wyke-Chamflower. The deanery of Frome contains the rectories of Babington, Beckington with-Standerwick, Berkley, Cameley, Camerton, Combe Hay, Dunkerton, Elm, Farley-Hungerford, Foxcot, Hemington-with-Hardington, Laverton, Mells, Merston-Bigot, Holcombe, Nunney, Orchardleigh, Radstock, Road-with-Wolverton, Stratton-on-the-Fosse, Tellisford, Wanstrow, Whatley, and Writhlington; the vicarages of Buckland-Dinham, Chewton-Mendip, Cloford, Frome, Wellow, Kilmersdon, Midsomer-Norton, and Norton St. Philip; and the p. curacies of Ashwick, Chilcompton, Christ Church-Frome, Trinity Church-Frome, Hinton-Charterhouse, Coleford, Lullington, Vobster, Clandown, Downside, Paulton, Rodden, Chantry, Emborough, Stone-Easton, Farrington, and Witham-Friary. The deanery of Ilchester contains the rectories of Ilchester, Aller, Brimpton, Charlton-Mackrell, East Chinnock, Middle Chinnock, Chiselborough, High Ham, Hardington, Kingsdon, Lufton, Limington, Norton-sub-Hamden, Odcombe, Pendomer, North Perrot, Pitney, Podimore-Milton, Thorne-Coffin, and Yeovilton; the vicarages of Charlton-Adam, Chilthorne-Domer, Compton, Dundon, Haslebury-Plucknett, Huish-Episcopi-with-Langport, Martock, Montacute, Northover, Somerton, and Long Sutton; and the p. curacies of Nether Ham, Ash, Muchelney, West Chinnock, Stoke-sub-Hamden, and Tintinhull. The deanery of Merston contains the rectories of Abbas-Combe, Ashington, Barwick, West Camel, North Cheriton, Chilton-Canteloe, Closworth, East Coker, West Coker, Corton-Denham, Goathill, Horsington, Kingston or Pitney, Pointington, Rimpton, Sandford-Orcas, Stowell, Sutton-Bingham, and Trent; the sinecure rectory of Socke; the vicarages of Charlton Canfield, Henstridge, Merston-Magna, Milborne-Port, Mudford, and Queen-Camel; and the p. curacy of Hendford. The deanery of Pawlet contains the rectories of Bawdrip, Cossington, Greinton, and Huntspill; the vicarages of Pawlet and Woollavington-with-Puriton; and the p. curacy of All Saints-Huntspill. The deanery of Glastonbury contains the rectory of Street; the vicar ages of Butleigh, Middlezoy, Meare, Moorlinch, Othery, Shapwick, and Weston-Zoyland; and the p. curacies of Burtle, Glastonbury-St. John, Glastonbury-St. Benedict, Godney, Chilton-on-Polden-with-Edington, Catcott, and West Pennard.

The deanery of Bath, in its Bath district, contains the rectories of St. Peter and St. Paul, St. James, St. Michael, Walcot, St. Saviour, Trinity, Bathwick, Claver ton, Farmborough, Freshford, Marksbury Priston, Stanton-Prior, and Timsbury; the vicarages of Lyncome, Widcombe, Bathampton, Englishcombe, and Weston; and the p. curacies within the city. The deanery of Bath, in its Keynsham district, contains the rectories of Burnett, Charlcombe, Kelston, Langridge, Newton-St. Loe, North Stoke, Saltford, and Swainswick; the vicarages of Batheaston, Bathford, Corston, Keynsham, South Stoke, and Twerton; and the p. curacies of Brislington, Combe-Down, Monkton-Coombe, Queen-Charlton, and Woolley. The deanery of Chew, in its Chew-Magna district, contains the rectories of Butcombe, Chelwood, Chew-Stoke, Clutton, Compton-Martin, Hinton-Bluett, Norton-Malreward, Ubley, and Winford; the vicarages of Chew Magna, Compton-Dando, High Littleton, Stowey, Stanton-Drew, and West Harptree; the p. curacies of Dundry, Nempnett, and Whitchurch; and the donatives of Barrow-Gurney and Publow. The deanery of Chew, in its Portishead district, contains the rectories of Portis head, Brockley, Chelvey, Clapton, Kingston-Seymour, Nailsea, Walton-in-Gordano-with-Weston-in-Gordano, Wraxall, and Wrington; the sinecure rectory of Back well; the vicarages of Backwell, Clevedon, Easton-in Gordano, Long Ashton, Portbury, Tickenham, and Yatton; and the p. curacies of Burrington, Cleeve-in-Yatton, Christ Church-Clevedon, East Clevedon, Flax-Bourton, Kenn-in-Yatton, Christ Church-Nailsea, and Redhill-Wrington.

The deanery of Taunton contains the rectories of Angersleigh, Ashbrittle, Bathealton, West Bagborough, Cheddon-Fitzpaine, Combe-Florey, Heathfield, Kittesford, Lydeard-St. Lawrence, West Monkton, Norton-Fitzwarren, Oake, Orchard-Portman, Runnington, Staple-Grove, Stawley, and Thorn-Falcon; the vicarages of Bradford, Creech-St. Michael, North Curry, Halse, Kingston, Bishops-Lydeard, Milverton, Nynehead, Pitminster, Sampford-Arundell, St. Mary Magdalene-Taunton, and Wellington; and the p. curacies of Ash-Priors, Bishops-Hull, Corfe, Cothelstone, Hillfarrance, Otterford, Ruishton, St. Gregory-Stoke, St. Mary-Stoke, St. James-Taunton, Trinity-Taunton, St. Margaret-Thorn, Thurlbere, Trull, and Wilton. The deanery of Bridgewater contains the rectories of Aisholt, Chilton, Charlynch, Chedzoy, Crowcombe, Dodington, Enmore, Fiddington, Goathurst, Holford, Kilve, Otterhampton, East Quantoxhead, Spaxton, and Thurloxton; the vicarages of Bridgewater, Cannington, Kilton, Stringston, Lyng, Over-Stowey, North Petherton, Stockland-Gannts, Stogursey, Nether-Stowey, and Wembdon; the p. curacies of Eastover-Bridgewater, Trinity-Bridgewater, Broomfield, Burrow-Bridge, Michaelchurch, North-Newton, and Northmoor-Green; and the donatives of Durleigh and Durston. The deanery of Crewkerne contains the rectories of Beercrocome, Buckland-St.Mary, Chaffcombe, Cricket-Malherby, Cricket-St. Thomas, Curry-Mallet, Donyatt, Dowlish-Wake-with-Dowlish-West, Drayton, Earnshill, Eastham, Hatch-Beauchamp, Hinton-St. George, East Lambrook-in-Kingsbury-Episcopi, Puckington, Seaborough, Seavington-St. Michael, Shepton-Beauchamp, Staple-Fitzpaine-with-Bickenhall, Stocklinch-Magdalene, Stocklinch-Ottersea, South Brayton, Wayford, White-Staunton, and Winsham; the vicarages of Ashill, Chard, Combe-St. Nicholas, Curry-Rivell, Fivehead, Ilminster, Ilton, Isle-Abbots, Isle Brewers, Kingsbury-Episcopi, White-Lackington, Meriott, Misterton, South Petherton, and Swell; and the p. curacies of Barrington, Broadway, Tatworth, Chillington, Crewkerne, Cudworth, Courland, Dinnington, Hambridge, Kingstone, Knowle, Lopen, and Seavington-St. Mary. The deanery of Dunster contains the rectories of Brompton-Ralph, Brushford, Chipstable, Clatworthy, Elworthy, Exford, Exton, Hawkridge, Huish-Champ-flower, Kitnor, Luckham, Monksilver, Nettlecombe, Oare, Porlock, West Quantoxhead, Raddington, Sampford-Brett, Selworthy, Skilgate, Stock-Pero, Tolland, Treborough, Withycombe, and Wootton-Courtney; the vicarages of Brompton-Regis, Carhampton, Old Cleeve, Cutcombe, St. Decuman's, Dulverton, Minehead, Stogumber, Timberscombe, Winsford, and Wiveliscombe; and the p. curacies of Bicknoller, Dunster, Fitzhead, Leighland-in-Old Cleeve, Upton, Williton-in-St. Decuman's, Withypool, and Withiel-Florey.


(John Marius Wilson, Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales (1870-72))

Linked entities:
Feature Description: "a diocese"   (ADL Feature Type: "countries, 2nd order divisions")
Administrative units: Somerset AncC
Place: Bath

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