England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
High Ham St Andrew

The Parish

The parish of High Ham lies almost centrally within Somerset and is located roughly 3 miles north of the small market town of Langport. High Ham occupies a tongue of higher ground, as its name suggests, eating into the Somerset Levels, the nearest major road the A372 connecting Langport with Bridgwater skirts the western edge of that higher ground some 2 to 3 miles west of High Ham. High Ham, itself, is a rather linear village extending from north to south for a half mile or so from the centre with the church, in the wider parish area a number of small hamlets are dotted about the high ground. The increased height is a product of the underlying geology whereby Lias formations were exploited for building stone, lime burning and road making to supplement the largely pastoral farming of the district, sheep on the Lias and cattle on the Levels. Today the western portion of the ridge is dominated by the military with a number of firing ranges dotting the map and restricting access. High Ham's tongue of land sits between the Rivers Cary and Parrett, the two meeting to the northwest to pass through Bridgwater to the outer Bristol Channel. High Ham is sited at around 90 metres above the sea, the high ground rising but not reaching the 100 metre contour and sitting above Kings Sedge Moor to the north at just 6 metres. High Ham parish was one of the most extensive in Somerset, covering over 4,200 acres it was more reminiscent of a northern upland parish in size, within that acreage there would have been supported a population of almost 1,300 parishioners. High Ham is not, however, mentioned in Domesday Book.

The Church

St Andrew's church sits immediately west of the main lane running from north to south and is accessed from Field Road. The earliest extant part of the church is the western tower which Pevsner unjustifiably describes as "unremarkable". This is a 14th century Perpendicular piece with a 15th century top. The story of the remainder is the slightly fanciful one that the church was rebuilt in the course of a single year namely 1476. Pevsner points out that the chancel must be slightly later than the nave but the work was clearly done in a single campaign. Both nave and chancel have "considerable grandeur" according to Pevsner and they are certainly elaborate with the clerestory battlemented and with many gargoyles. Internally the c1500 rood screen is also described as outstanding and is certainly worth a visit in its own right. Thankfully a substantial car park sits off Field Road enabling an extended visit, the site is, however, rather cramped and well-wooded making for a challenge to the photographer as angles available are markedly restricted.