Fivehead
{{Short description|Village and civil parish in Somerset, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Infobox UK place
| static_image_name = Fivehead church.jpg
| static_image_alt = Stone building with square tower, separated from the road in the foreground by a stone wall.
| static_image_caption = Church of St Martin, Fivehead
| country = England
| coordinates = {{coord|50.9982|-2.9205|display=inline,title}}
| official_name = Fivehead
| population = 609
| civil_parish =
| unitary_england = Somerset Council
| lieutenancy_england = Somerset
| region = South West England
| constituency_westminster = Glastonbury and Somerton
| post_town = TAUNTON
| postcode_area = TA
| postcode_district = TA3
| dial_code =
| os_grid_reference = ST355225
}}
Fivehead is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated on the Fivehead River, {{convert|8|mi|km|1}} east of Taunton. In 2011 the parish, which includes the hamlet of Swell, had a population of 609.
History
The name of the village comes from a Domesday manor which measured five hides (about {{convert|600|acre|ha|1}}.{{cite book|last=Bush|first=Robin|title=Somerset: The Complete Guide|publisher=Dovecote Press|year=1994|pages=[https://archive.org/details/somersetcomplete0000bush/page/100 100–101]|isbn=1-874336-26-1|url=https://archive.org/details/somersetcomplete0000bush/page/100}}
Fivehead was part of the hundred of Abdick and Bulstone.{{cite web|title=Abdick and Bulstone Hundred Through Time |url=http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/relationships.jsp?u_id=10133830 |work=A Vision of Britain Through Time |access-date=9 September 2011 }}{{cite web|title=Abdick and Bulstone in South Somerset|url=http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/place_page.jsp?p_id=21175|work=A Vision Britain Through Time|access-date=9 September 2011}}
Swell Court Farmhouse dates from the mid to late 15th century.{{NHLE|num=1249582|desc=Swell Court Farmhouse|access-date=12 October 2008}}
Cathanger manor house dates from 1559,{{NHLE|num=1263673|desc=Cathanger |access-date=11 January 2009}} with Langford Manor having been built around the same period.{{NHLE|num=1263649|desc=Langford Manor |access-date=11 January 2009}}
Nearby was RAF Merryfield, a World War II airfield.
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 Langport Rural District before 1974.{{cite web|title=Langport RD|url=http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10054928|work=A vision of Britain Through Time|publisher=University of Portsmouth|access-date=4 January 2014}}
Fivehead is also part of a 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.
Geography
There are two nearby Sites of Special Scientific Interest at Fivehead Arable Fields and Fivehead Woods and Meadow.
Religious sites
The Church of St. Catherine in Swell Lane dates from the 12th century,{{NHLE|num=1249584|desc=Church of St. Catherine|access-date=12 October 2008}} while the Church of St. Martin in the village is slightly more recent dating from the 13th century.{{NHLE|num=1249564 |desc=Church of St. Martin |access-date=12 October 2008 }} Both are grade I listed buildings.
Notable residents
- John Barnwell – Somerset cricketer died in the village in 1998.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category|Fivehead}}
- [http://www.fivehead-village.org.uk/ Fivehead village website]
{{South Somerset}}