Ashcott

Coordinates: 51°07′N 2°49′W / 51.12°N 2.81°W / 51.12; -02.81

Ashcott
Chapel Hill, Ashcott
Ashcott  Ashcott shown within Somerset
Population	1,280 [1]
OS grid reference	ST4337
District	Sedgemoor
Shire county	Somerset
Region	South West
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	TAUNTON
Postcode district	TA7
Police	Avon and Somerset
Fire	Devon and Somerset
Ambulance	South Western
EU Parliament	South West England
UK Parliament	Bridgwater
List of places: UK • England • Somerset

Ashcott is a small village and civil parish located in the Sedgemoor area of Somerset in the south-west of England. The village has a population of 1,280 (As of 2002^[update] estimate).^[1] The parish includes the hamlets of Buscott, Berhill and Ashcott Corner.

The village has five pubs and its own brewer, Moor Beer. The Ring O' Bells pub is located at the heart of the village. It has a church, shop and a primary school.

History

The village used to have a station on the Evercreech Junction to Burnham-on-Sea branch of the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway. The station was two miles away from the village, and was originally called "Ashcott and Meare", reflecting the fact that Meare was also nearby (in fact, nearer). "Meare" was dropped from the official name in 1876, though the station "running board" – the large sign on the platform – continued to give the double name until the railway line closed in 1966 under the Beeching Axe.^[2]

Governance

The 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 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.

The village falls within the Non-metropolitan district of Sedgemoor, which was formed on April 1, 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, having previously been part of Bridgwater Rural District,^[3] who are responsible for local planning and building control, local roads, council housing, environmental health, markets and fairs, refuse collection and recycling, cemeteries and crematoria, leisure services, parks, and tourism.

Somerset County Council are responsible for running the largest and most expensive local services such as education, social services, libraries, main roads, public transport, policing and fire services, trading standards, waste disposal and strategic planning.

It is also part of the Bridgwater county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and at the next general election in 2010 will become part of the Bridgwater and West Somerset constituency. It elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election, and part of the South West England constituency of the European Parliament which elects seven MEPs using the d'Hondt method of party-list proportional representation.

Religious sites

The Anglican parish Church of All Saints dates from the 15th century and has been designated as a Grade II* listed building.^[4]

Notable residents

Ashcott was the birthplace of Joseph Trutch, a Canadian engineer, surveyor and politician.

References

External links

• Ashcott primary school
• Ring O' Bells