MIDDLEZOY, SOMERSET, UK.

 

This web site contains mainly photos or pictures of Middlezoy in Sedgemoor, Somerset, and is primarily intended for people with an interest in the village but who are unable to visit it. There are also links to other sites with photos of the village. It was set up as a joint venture by two local photographers and so there are two home pages to look at. As each photographer had their own thoughts and idea’s on how best to portray the village they may have approached the task in different ways. We hope you enjoy the different views and the information supplied with each picture.     

Last updated: 7th Feb 2008.

 


GO TO    Tonyspages.htm        Contact him at

 

 


GO TO    Davespages.htm        Contact him at

 

 

The question most people ask, if they’ve never been to Middlezoy, is, ‘What’s Middlezoy like?’.

 

Middlezoy is a village in the area known as Sedgemoor, and is about 6 miles SE from the town of Bridgwater. The nearest village of Othery is about 2 miles South East. The church, dedicated to the Holy Cross, is an ancient structure, with a tower containing six bells. The heaviest the tenor is 14cwt, the lightest, the treble is 5cwt. The memorable Battle of Sedgemoor, between the forces of James II and the Duke of Monmouth, took place about 3 miles to the NW at Westonzoyland in July 1685.

 

The 1875 version of Kelly’s Trade Directory described Middlezoy as follows: ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

MIDDLEZOY is a parish and village, 6 miles south-east from Bridgwater, 4 1/2 north from Athelney station, in the Western division of the county, Whitley hundred, Bridgwater union and county court district, Glastonbury rural deanery, Wells archdeaconrv, diocese of Bath and Wells, situated on the river Parrett, and on the high road to Bridgwater. The church  named The Holy Cross is an old building, in the Early English style and has a chancel, nave, south aisle, trancept, tower with 6 bells, clock and porch. The register dates from the year 1756. The living is a vicarage, yearly value £300, with residence and 21 acres of glebe land, in the gift of the Bishop of Worcester and held by the Rev. Joseph Smith, M.A,  of Trinity College, Dublin ad eundem, Oxford. There is a School Board school for boys and girls, and there is a Sundav school, endowed with £10 yearly. There is also a chapel for Wesleyans. There are charities of £32 yearly value for fuel and clothing, left by wills of Thomas Bailey and Thomas Perrett. Richard Meade-King, esq is lord of the manor. The principal landowners are Richard Meade-King, John Oliver, Thomas Meade, W. Biddlecombe, and J. Barnstable, esqrs. The soil is clayey; the subsoil is limestone. The chief crops are wheat, beans, and barley. The acreage is 2,520; rateable value, £5,550; the population in 1871 was 681.

Long ACRE is a hamet, a mile north; THORNGROVE is 1 mile south-west; GRAYLAKE  1 mile north-east; MOOR­LAND, partly in this parish and part in North Petherton, is 2 miles south-west from the parish church.

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Obviously it has changed a bit since then with quite a lot of new buildings, particularly in the last 10 years.

 

To get an impression of what it was like in the early part of the 1900’s, you can take a look at some old postcard views at              Middlezoy cards   or Old Somerset for views of the surrounding area

 

Tony has a few pictures from the 60’s at http://middlezoy.tripod.com/tonyspics.htm

 

 

Here are a few recent pictures……….

 

A view looking south from the top of the church tower. The inset view is from a postcard from the early part of the 1900’s.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Below:  A view inside the ancient Holy Cross Church .

 

 

 

 

In the pages of this web site we will investigate how the village has changed over the years, with pictures of how it looks today, and a look back at some pictures of yesteryear.

 

IMPORTANT NOTES REGARDING COPYRIGHT:

1:  Whilst you are welcome to copy and print the photos displayed on these web pages for your own use, copyright remains with us.

2:  The photos must not be used for commercial purposes or re published on other web sites without our prior written agreement.

3:  You may contact us at either of the email addresses listed above.