England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Cutcombe St John

The Parish

The parish of Cutcombe lies in the extreme west of Somerset being not too far from the border with neighbouring Devon and the broad extra-parochial area that is Exmoor. Cutcombe is located roughly 5 miles south west of the large village of Dunster and sits on the A396 road which connects Dunster all the way through to Tiverton in Devon. Cutcombe, itself, is a little hilltop hamlet between a quarter and a half mile east of the A396, the more notable settlement being Wheddon Cross which grew up where the A396 road is crossed by the cross Exmoor route of the B3224. Wheddon Cross was a major meeting point and location of inns such as the notable Rest & Be Thankful Inn so named by grateful patrons relieved to have completed their crossing of the desolate moors. Wheddon Cross was also the location of annual September fairs, usually riotous affairs celebrating the end of the farming year and a successful harvest. Both settlements are in an upland area with farming dominated hereabouts by rough moorland grazing with some limited extraction of the local limestone for building. Cutcombe sits upon a distinct watershed with water running southwards into the River Quarme and then Exe to the English Channel through the latter's estuary whilst northward flowing water meets the River Avill for the shorter journey northeastwards to meet the Outer Bristol Channel through Dunster. Cutcombe is sited at around 290 metres above the sea, a very great height for southern England but within the extnsive parish lies one of the highest points in the south, Dunkery Beacon which tops out at 519 and lies some 3 miles northwest of Wheddon Cross. Cutcombe parish was one the most extensive in its county, an acreage of over 7,200 acres with almost 1,900 acres described by early gazetteers as "waste" or open rough moorland, within that acreage would have been almost 850 parishioners, That the major route and drove-way across Exmoor was already important in Domesday times is reflected in Cutcombe, a holding of one William de Mohun, being one of the largest 20% of settlements recorded in that book, its assets were smaller with only 12 ploughs but extensive meadows, pastures and woodland backed up by a mill made it a profitable holding, indeed.

The Church

St John's church sits to the northeast of the small settlement of Cutcombe on the northern side of Ashwell Lane which cuts off a corner of the looping A396. The church is one which has had major Victorian change but some features of the medieval do remain allowing some dating to be determined. The western tower appears to be the earliest remaining portion of the building, its plain two stage construction having been covered by yellow lime-wash in more recent times, Pevsner cites its western doorway and tower arch as evidence for a possible 13th century dates either from the later part of the early English Gothic era or from the short Transitional era that followed. The Perpendicular period of the late 14th century and early 15th is well represented by the the northern aisle and northeastern chapel. Its opposite numbers, the southern aisle and southeastern chapel are Victorian additions giving a little symmetry if nothing else. The major restoration of 1862 determines much else of the building too. Ashwell Lane is rather narrow so it is fortunate that a large parking area immediately east of the entrance has been carved into the fields allowing many cars to comfortably get off road. The churchyard sits well above road level with rising curbed paths joining at the wooden gattes through the local stone walling. Once within the re are few obstacles to concern the photographer.