Bishop's Hull#Geography
{{Short description|Village and civil parish in Somerset, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2012}}
{{Infobox UK place
|static_image_name=Church Bishop's Hull.jpg
|static_image_caption=St Peter and St Paul's Church
|static_image_2_name = Manor House, Bishop's Hull - geograph.org.uk - 1004769.jpg
|static_image_2_alt=Yellow stone house with tall chimneys behind brick wall.
|static_image_2_caption = Manor House, Bishop's Hull
|country = England
|coordinates = {{coord|51.01522|-3.13897|display=inline,title}}
|official_name= Bishop's Hull
|population = 2,075
| unitary_england = Somerset Council
| lieutenancy_england = Somerset
|region= South West England
|constituency_westminster= Taunton and Wellington
|post_town= TAUNTON
|postcode_district = TA1
|postcode_area= TA
|dial_code= 01823
|os_grid_reference= ST202246
}}
Bishop's Hull is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, in the western suburbs of Taunton. It includes the areas of Rumwell, Rumwell Park, Roughmoor and Longaller and is close to the River Tone. The parish, which includes the hamlet of Netherclay, has a population of 2,975 in total.{{cite web|title=Statistics for Wards, LSOAs and Parishes — SUMMARY Profiles|url=http://www.somersetintelligence.org.uk/files/Somerset%20Census%20Key%20Statistics%20-%20Summary%20Profiles.xls|publisher=Somerset Intelligence|accessdate=4 January 2014|format=Excel}}
The A38 and the A3065 pass through it.
History
The parish of Hull-Bishop's was part of the Taunton Deane Hundred.{{cite web|title=Somerset Hundreds|url=http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/SOM/Miscellaneous/|publisher=GENUKI|accessdate=21 October 2011}}
Historically the parish included the castle precincts in the centre of Taunton.{{cite web |url=http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/12969 |title=Bishops Hull Somerset|website= A Vision of Britain |access-date=10 May 2024}}
In June 2008, the village celebrated the 400th anniversary of the church bells with a week of events.{{cite web|title=Bells Week: Programme of Events |url=http://www.bishopshull.org.uk/Events/Bells_Week_Prog.pdf |accessdate=2008-05-06 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717143138/http://www.bishopshull.org.uk/Events/Bells_Week_Prog.pdf |archivedate=17 July 2011 }}
Governance
The 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 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 purposes, since 1 April 2023, the village comes under the unitary authority of Somerset Council. Prior to this, it was part of the non-metropolitan district of Somerset West and Taunton (formed on 1 April 2019) and, before this, the district of Taunton Deane (established under the Local Government Act 1972). Bishop's Hull was part of Taunton Rural District before that.{{cite web|title=Taunton RD|url=http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10166688|work=A vision of Britain Through Time|publisher=University of Portsmouth|accessdate=5 January 2014}}
It is also part of the Taunton and Wellington county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election, and was part of the South West England constituency of the European Parliament prior to Britain leaving the European Union in January 2020, which elected seven MEPs using the d'Hondt method of party-list proportional representation.
Geography
Netherclay Community Woodland is a woodland with oak, ash, black poplar, dogwood and hazel. It is a local nature reserve.{{cite web|title=Netherclay Community Woodland|url=http://www.lnr.naturalengland.org.uk/Special/lnr/lnr_details.asp?C=35&N=&ID=901|publisher=Natural England|accessdate=25 August 2015}}
Landmarks
The manor house dates from 1586, with a mid-19th century addition and internal alterations, and further restoration in 1901.{{NHLE |num=1060535 |desc=Manor House |accessdate=18 November 2008 }}
=Rumwell Park=
Rumwell Park house is a Grade II listed rococo mansion dating from 1857. It is located on Stonegallows, between Bishop's Hull and Galmington.
=Rumwell Hall=
Rumwell Hall is an historic manor house now a business centre. A new house on the site was built for Sir Edward Seymour in 1733. The current house was built for William Cadbury and completed about 1815. It was altered in the early 20th century for Charles Leslie Fox J.P. and restored in the late 20th century as an hotel.{{cite web |title=History timeline |url=http://www.rumwellhall.com/history-timeline/#.XEi5KFz7TIU |website=Rumwell Hall}}
=Hospice=
Bishop's Hull is home to St Margaret's Somerset Hospice, which provides palliative care to cancer patients from across the area.
=Frank Bond Centre=
The Frank Bond Centre, established in 1983, is named after its benefactor, a local builder who had two hobbies: collecting theatre organs and keeping exotic birds. He opened his garden once a year to the general public and all money that was raised went to charity. On his death he left his house and garden (now the centre) and land to the community.{{cite web|url=http://www.bishopshull.org.uk/Facilities/frankbond.asp |title=The Frank Bond Community Centre |publisher=Bishops Hull Website |accessdate=2008-12-18 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081201023504/http://www.bishopshull.org.uk/Facilities/frankbond.asp |archivedate= 1 December 2008 }} The land was used for development, some for housing and some for the building of St Margaret's Hospice.
Religious sites
The St Peter and St Paul's Church, on Bishop's Hull Hill, which is a Grade II* listed building dating from the 13th century,{{NHLE |num=1060537 |desc=Church of St Peter and St Paul |accessdate=18 November 2008 }} and has an octagonal tower.
Until March 2005{{cite web |title=Bishops Hull Village Website - Taunton Somerset |url=http://www.bishopshull.org.uk/History/URC.asp |website=Bishops Hull Village Website |publisher=Bishops Hull Parish Council |accessdate=27 December 2019}} Taunton United Reformed Church had a church on Bishop's Hull Road,{{NHLE |num=1308184 |desc=United Reformed Church and adjoining Hall to North |accessdate=18 November 2008 }} the church was built in 1718{{cite web |title=HISTORY - United Reformed Church |url=https://tauntonurc.org.uk/pop-in/ |website=Taunton United Reformed Church |date=3 March 2010 |accessdate=27 December 2019}} and the building is a Grade II* listed building.{{NHLE |desc=UNITED REFORMED CHURCH AND ADJOINING HALL TO NORTH, Bishop's Hull |num=1308184 |accessdate=27 December 2019}} After the United Reformed Church in Bishop's Hull closed, services were moved to St Peter and St Paul's Church until 2013 when the United Reformed Church minister retired.{{cite web |title=St Peter and St Paul - About Us |url=https://www.stpeterandstpaul.org.uk/welcome/ |website=St Peter and St Paul |accessdate=27 December 2019}}
Notable people
- Ernest Coxon (1857–1924), cricketer
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category|Bishop's Hull}}
- [http://www.bishopshull.org.uk Village website]
{{Taunton Deane}}