Cucklington
{{Short description|Village and civil parish in Somerset, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2012}}
{{Infobox UK place
| country = England
| coordinates = {{coord|51.0463|-2.3508|display=inline,title}}
| official_name = Cucklington
| population = 173
| unitary_england = Somerset Council
| lieutenancy_england = Somerset
| region = South West England
| constituency_westminster = Glastonbury and Somerton
| post_town = WINCANTON
| postcode_district = BA9
| postcode_area = BA
| dial_code = 01963
| os_grid_reference = ST755275
| static_image_name = Cucklington - geograph.org.uk - 498012.jpg
| static_image_alt = Thatched and red roofed houses along a road with a patchwork of fields behind.
| static_image_caption = Cucklington
| static_image_2_name = Church of St Lawrence - Cucklington - geograph.org.uk - 398273.jpg
| static_image_2_width = 240px
| static_image_2_caption = Church of St Lawrence
}}
Cucklington is a village and parish in Somerset, England, situated on a hill {{convert|3|mi|km|1}} south east of Wincanton and {{convert|4|mi|km|1}} north west of Gillingham, near the Dorset border. The village has a population of 173.
The nearest railway station is in neighbouring Gillingham, Dorset. Trains run on the Exeter to Waterloo line.
History
File:Shanks House - geograph.org.uk - 398314.jpg
The name Cucklington comes from Old English meaning the settlement of Cucola's people.{{cite book|last=Bush|first=Robin|title=Somerset: The Complete Guide|publisher=Dovecote Press|date=1994|pages=[https://archive.org/details/somersetcomplete0000bush/page/78 78]|isbn=1-874336-26-1|url=https://archive.org/details/somersetcomplete0000bush/page/78}}
The parish of Cucklington was part of the Norton Ferris Hundred.{{cite web|title=Somerset Hundreds|url=http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/SOM/Miscellaneous/|publisher=GENUKI|accessdate=18 October 2011}}
Shanks House has medieval fragments, but had major works in the 17th and 18th centuries, including refitting by Nathaniel Ireson. It has been designated as a Grade I listed building.{{NHLE|num=1222369|desc=Shanks House|accessdate=2008-10-12}}
Governance
The parish council has responsibility for local issues, including setting an annual precept (local rate) to cover the council's operating costs.
For local government purposes, since 1 April 2023, the parish comes under the unitary authority of Somerset Council. Prior to this, it was part of the non-metropolitan district of South Somerset (established under the Local Government Act 1972). It was part of Wincanton Rural District before 1974.{{cite web|title=Wincanton RD|url=http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10202474|work=A vision of Britain Through Time|publisher=University of Portsmouth|accessdate=4 January 2014}}
It is also part of the Glastonbury and Somerton 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.
Religious sites
The parish church of St Lawrence dates from the 13th century.{{NHLE|num=1274765|desc=Church of St Lawrence |accessdate=2008-10-12}}
References
{{reflist}}