England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Compton Pauncefoot St Mary

The Parish

The parish of Compton Pauncefoot lies in southeastern Somerset roughly 5 miles west of the market town of Wincanton. Compton Pauncefoot sits immediately south of the busy A303 road which links London with Exeter. Compton Pauncefoot is an estate village with much of the parish sitting within the grounds of Compton Castle, actually a Gothic castle-like mansion built in 1821, which sits within landscaped grounds south of the few properties that otherwise make up this small community. A few properties sit alongside the lane which passes through headed for South Cadbury. Compton Pauncefoot would have chiefly been a pastoral farming parish with some exploitation of the local stone for building and road mending. Modern developments have come to the parish, the A303 being upgraded to fast dual-carriageway taking traffic to and from the southwest. Compton Pauncefoot is drained westwards by the infant River Cam which meets the Yeo at Yeovilton, in its turn the Yeo joins the Parrett at Langport and after crossing the level reaches the outer Bristol Channel. Compton Pauncefoot sits at around 70 metres above the sea at the foot of an impressive limestone escarpment from the Jurassic era, land rises to 196 metres at The Beacon on Corton Hill roughly 2 miles to the southwest.Compton Pauncefoot was one of Somerset's smallest parish covering only 670 acres and supporting around 250 parishioners. In Domesday times Compton Pauncefoot was equally small and rural, held by one Rolf's son Turstin, presumably both being Saxon survivors, its assets of 4 ploughs, meadows & woodland and a mill were typical of such small communities.

The Church

St Mary's church sits to the northwest of the lane which connects the village with the A303. Much of the church was constructed and financed by Sir Walter Pauncefoot who died in 1485 and who's family gave the surname to the village, As such most is of the later Perpendicular era and largely built in the local Maperton limestone. Whilst stil 15th century the tower portion of the western tower is earlier than the main body of nave and chancel, it is rarity in its county for bearing a spire, here stone-built. There has been little change to the main body of the church since its late 15th century construction with the exception of the northern aisle which was replaced in 1864 as part of a typical Victorian restoration. The approach to the church is as landscaped as the estate of Compton Castle, with lawns leading to the gates neatly crossed by gravelled paths, there being ample parking spaces. The photographer will be disappointed to find a large tree in the favoured southeast position but all other angles are available.