Editing Merriott

{{Short description|Village in Somerset, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{infobox UK place
|static_image_name=All Saints Merriot.jpg
|static_image_alt=Stone building with square tower.
|static_image_caption=[[Church of All Saints, Merriott|All Saints Church, Merriott]]
|country=                 England
|coordinates = {{coord|50.9092|-2.7907|display=inline,title}}
|official_name=             Merriott
| population = 1,979
| population_ref = (2011)<ref name="popn"/>
 |civil_parish=              
| unitary_england          = [[Somerset Council|Somerset]]
 | lieutenancy_england      = [[Somerset]]
 | region                   = South West England
|constituency_westminster=      [[Yeovil (UK Parliament constituency)|Yeovil]]
|post_town=        MERRIOTT
|postcode_district=       TA16
|postcode_area=            TA
|dial_code=      01460
|os_grid_reference=     ST445125
}}
'''Merriott''' is a village and [[civil parishes in England|civil parish]] in [[Somerset]], England, near the town of [[Crewkerne]] and {{convert|7|mi|km|1}} west of [[Yeovil]] in the [[South Somerset]] district.  The village has a [[population]] of 1,979.<ref name="popn">{{cite web|title=Statistics for Wards, LSOAs and Parishes&nbsp;— 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>

On Church Street, there is a well-preserved [[tithe barn]], which is used by local organisations including the playgroup, badminton club and a Morris dancing side (Dr Turberville's Morris). The village is home to [[Merriott Rovers F.C.]] who play in the [[Perry Street and District League]], spanning Somerset, Dorset and Devon. Also situated in Merriott is Budgens an all-purpose food store. It has one [[Public house|pub]]: the 17th century ''King's Head''<ref>{{NHLE|num=1366440|desc=King's Head Inn|access-date=26 January 2009}}</ref>

The parish boundary includes the [[River Parrett]] which is crossed by the Bow Bridge.<ref>{{NHLE|num=1056101|desc=Bow Bridge|access-date=26 January 2009}}</ref> Next to it is Bow Mill House, with its attached [[watermill]] which dates from the 17th century.<ref>{{NHLE|num=1366476|desc=Bow Mill House, with attached mill|access-date=26 January 2009}}</ref> Tail Mill was used for sail cloth manufacture.<ref>{{NHLE|num=1380160|desc=Tail Mill|access-date=26 January 2009}}</ref>

==History==

The name Merriott means ''boundary gate'' from the Old English ''Maergeat''.<ref name="bush">{{cite book|last=Bush|first=Robin|title=Somerset: The complete guide|publisher=The Dovecote Press Ltd|location=Wimborne|year=1994|pages=[https://archive.org/details/somersetcomplete0000bush/page/142 142]|isbn=1-874336-26-1|url=https://archive.org/details/somersetcomplete0000bush/page/142}}</ref>

The manor was held at the time of the [[Domesday Book]] in 1086 by Harding son of Eadnorth whose descendants took the name of the village and continued until the death of Sir John de Meriet in 1391. The good quality of the soil led to the development of market-gardening, with the first use in England of the word [[Plant nursery|nursery]] (''noresire'') occurred at Merriot in 1369.<ref name="bush"/>

The parish was part of the [[Hundred (county subdivision)|hundred]] of [[Crewkerne (hundred)|Crewkerne]].<ref name=genuki>{{cite web|title=Somerset Hundreds|url=http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/SOM/Miscellaneous/|publisher=GENUKI|access-date=8 October 2011}}</ref>

Major rebuilding took place in the village following a fire in 1811.<ref name="havinden">{{cite book|last=Havinden|first=Michael|title=The Somerset Landscape|year=1982|publisher=Hodder and Stoughton|location=London|series=The making of the English landscape|isbn=0-340-20116-9|page=139}}</ref>

The school building dates from 1876,<ref>{{NHLE|num=1056111|desc=Merriott First School |access-date=26 January 2009}}</ref> and now incorporates the former Sunday school which was built in 1834.<ref>{{NHLE|num=1308221|desc=Former Sunday School|access-date=26 January 2009}}</ref>

==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 parish comes under the [[Unitary authorities of England|unitary authority]] of [[Somerset Council]]. Prior to this, it was part of the [[non-metropolitan district]] of [[South Somerset]] (established under the [[Local Government Act 1972]]). It was part of [[Chard Rural District]] before 1974.<ref name=chardrd>{{cite web|title=Chard RD|url=http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10001535|work=A vision of Britain Through Time|publisher=University of Portsmouth|accessdate=4 January 2014}}</ref>

The village falls within Eggwood [[Wards and electoral divisions of the United Kingdom|electoral ward]]. ''Merriott'' is the most populous area but the ward stretches to [[Dinnington, Somerset|Dinnington]] in the west. The total population for this ward taken at the [[United Kingdom Census 2011|2011 census]] was 2,421.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ukcensusdata.com/eggwood-e05006834#sthash.WGJc0hRb.dpbs|title=Eggwood ward 2011|access-date= 4 March 2015}}</ref>

It is also part of the [[Yeovil (UK Parliament constituency)|Yeovil]] [[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.

==Religious sites==

The [[Anglican]] parish [[Church of All Saints, Merriott|Church of All Saints]] dates from the 13th century, with modifications in the late 15th or early 16th century, and major [[Victorian restoration|restoration]] including the extension of the [[nave]], a new [[chancel]] and chapels by [[Benjamin Ferrey]] in 1860. It has been designated as a Grade II* [[listed building]].<ref>{{NHLE|num=1175447|desc=Church of All Saints |access-date=26 January 2009}}</ref>

==Notable people==
* [[Francis Trask]] (1840 – 6 April 1910) was a 20th-century Member of the [[New Zealand]] Legislative Council and Mayor of [[Nelson, New Zealand|Nelson]].

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category-inline|Merriott}}

{{South Somerset}}

[[Category:Villages in South Somerset]]
[[Category:Civil parishes in Somerset]]