Martock

Martock was known in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Mertoch. It means 'Rising bright from the shining sea' from the Old English 'meretorht'. It was the property of Queen Edith (Eagdith), wife of Godwin and mother of Earl Harold (Harold II). By 1066 it was the property of Queen Edith, wife of Edward the Confessor. The word root 'Mer-’ can also refer to 'a boundary or shore line' from the Old English 'maere'. It is possible that the name included the Old English element 'stoc' meaning 'by a lake'.{{cite book |last=Robinson |first=Stephen |title=Somerset Place Names |year=1992 |publisher=The Dovecote Press Ltd |location=Wimborne, Dorset |isbn=1-874336-03-2|page=95}}

An alternative theory to the origin of the name Martock comes from the Old English words "mart" meaning market and "ac" for oak. This might relate to an oak tree on the spot now occupied by the Market House{{cite book |title=West Country Churches |last=Robinson |first=W.J. |year=1915 |publisher= Bristol Times and Mirror Ltd|location=Bristol |pages=6–10 }} or more precisely the column there. Ekwall suggested that the name derives from 'merkestoc' meaning 'a place on a boundary'.{{cite book |last=Ekwall | first=Eilert |author-link=Eilert Ekwall |year=1940 |title=The Concise Dictionary of English Place-names |edition=2nd |location=Oxford |publisher=Clarendon Press |page=317}} However, Prebendary G.W. Saunders, vicar of Martock from 1917 to 1951, cites two more possibilities. Firstly, from Collinson, who wrote in 1790, that the name Martock is derived from 'market oak'. But unfortunately Martock was not granted a market until 1247 and long before that it was called by this name. His second suggestion is that the name is derived from a Celtic personal name 'Merti', who gave his name to a settlement, hence Merti-oc, the settlement of Merti. Both of these seem to be flights of fancy.'The Hundred of Martock', Prebendary G.W. Saunders, Yeovil (Western Gazette), 1933–34.

Bower Hinton was called 'Hanton Mertoc' in 1225 and 'Burhenton' in 1280. 'Hinton' meaning a poor enclosure, from the Old English 'hean' and 'tun'.

Newton means the new enclosure from the Old English 'niwe' and 'tun'. The medieval hamlet of Newton, which lay between Bower Hinton and Hurst, was first referred to in 1327. Stapleton was first recorded in 1195. It means the steep enclosure from the Old English 'steap' and 'tun'. Alternatively it may be from the Old English 'stapel' and 'tun', meaning 'settlement by a post'.

Martock had a single entry in the Domesday Book and expanded rapidly in the succeeding years to include dependent settlements at Bower Hinton, Hurst, Newton, Coat, Stapleton, Ash, Witcombe, Milton and Long Load, expanding between 1086 and 1302 from 89 tenants to more than 200.{{cite book|last=Havinden|first=Michael|title=The Somerset Landscape|publisher=Hodder and Stoughton|location=London|series=The making of the English landscape|pages=107–108|isbn=0-340-20116-9}} It was the only parish in the Martock Hundred.{{cite web|title=Hundred: Martock |url=http://opendomesday.org/hundred/martock/ |publisher=Open Domesday |access-date=4 June 2017 }}{{cite web|title=The Hundred of Martock |url=http://www.martockhistory.co.uk/joomla15/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=11:the-hundred-of-martock&catid=1:martock-general&Itemid=9 |publisher=Martock Local History Club |access-date=23 October 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120425083831/http://www.martockhistory.co.uk/joomla15/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=11%3Athe-hundred-of-martock&catid=1%3Amartock-general&Itemid=9 |archive-date=25 April 2012 }}{{cite web |url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=117084 |title=Martock Hundred: Introduction |editor=R.W. Dunning |author1=A.P. Baggs |author2=R.J.E. Bush |publisher=Institute of Historical Research |year=1978 |work=A History of the County of Somerset: Volume 4 |access-date=23 October 2011 }}

In 1810, 1,025 acres of common land were enclosed as a result of the Inclosure Acts.{{cite book|last=Havinden|first=Michael|title=The Somerset Landscape|year=1982|publisher=Hodder and Stoughton|location=London|series=The making of the English landscape|isbn=0-340-20116-9|page=133}}

The village was once a junction on local branches of the Great Western Railway, now dismantled.

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; it 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 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 Yeovil Rural District before 1974.{{cite web|title=Yeovil RD|url=http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10186286|work=A vision of Britain Through Time|publisher=University of Portsmouth|accessdate=4 January 2014}}

An electoral ward exists in the same name. Although Martock is the most populous area the ward stretches north to Long Load. The total population of this ward taken at the 2011 census was 5,724.{{cite web|url=http://www.ukcensusdata.com/martock-e05006840#sthash.Y9AHvTpv.dpbs|title=ward population 2011|access-date= 4 March 2015}}

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.

Local businesses include arts and crafts (stonemasonry, woodworking, silversmithing) a reclamation yard,{{cite web|url=http://www.castlereclamation.com/|title=Castle reclamation|publisher=Castle reclamation|access-date=5 May 2010}} and a fish and chip shop. Historically a market town, these days a monthly farmers market is held in Martock.[http://www.martockonline.co.uk/News/148/Martock-Farmers-Market-Martock-Shopping-Precinct.html Martock Online] Farmers Market

File:Martock Market Hall.jpg

The Treasurer's House is a National Trust-owned property, built from hamstone during the 13th century.{{NHLE |num=1225764 |desc=The Treasurer's House |access-date=30 October 2007}}

Notable dwelling houses include Church Lodge. Local places of interest include the Burrow Hill Cider Farm.

The Parrett Iron Works was a series of industrial buildings next to the River Parrett. The site was originally named Carey's Mill and the adjoining bridge is called Carey's Mill Bridge, which was built of hamstone in the 18th century.{{NHLE |num=1266523 |desc=Carey's Mill Bridge |access-date=12 February 2010}} The Iron Works was founded in 1855,{{NHLE |num=1225080 |desc=Mill at Parrett Iron Works |access-date=12 February 2010}}{{cite web |url=http://www.somersetheritage.org.uk/record/52616|title=Former rope walk, about 65 metres south-east of main building, Parrett Iron Works, Carey's Mill|work=Somerset Historic Environment Record|publisher=Somerset County Council|access-date=12 February 2010}} on the site of a former snuff mill.{{cite web|url=http://www.heritageexplorer.org.uk/web/he/searchdetail.aspx?id=7888|title=Mill at Parrett Iron Works, Martock, Somerset|work=Heritage Explorer|publisher=English Heritage|access-date=12 February 2010}}{{Dead link|date=March 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} The site included a foundry, with a prominent chimney,{{NHLE |num=1225752 |desc=Boiler Chimney |access-date=12 February 2010}} ropewalk,{{NHLE |num=1225754 |desc=Former Rope Walk etc, Carey's Mill |access-date=12 February 2010}} workshops{{NHLE |num=1266185 |desc=Workshop buildings etc, Carey's Mill |access-date=12 February 2010}}{{NHLE |num=1225753 |desc=Workshop building etc. Carey's Mill |access-date=12 February 2010}} and several smaller workshops and cottages.{{NHLE |num=1266186 |desc=Nos. 1 & 2 Parrett Works Cottages |access-date=12 February 2010}}{{NHLE |num=1225756 |desc=Nos. 3 & 4 Parrett Works Cottages |access-date=12 February 2010}}{{NHLE |num=1225757 |desc=Nos. 5 & 6 Parrett Works Cottages |access-date=12 February 2010}}{{NHLE |num=1225078 |desc=Carey's Mill Cottage |access-date=12 February 2010}} The sluice which powered the waterwheel{{NHLE |num=1266524 |desc=Waterwheel house |access-date=12 February 2010}} and sluice keepers cottage still exist.{{NHLE |num=1266221 |desc=Sluice and sluice keepers house |access-date=12 February 2010}}

The hamstone Market House on Church Street was completed about 1785.{{cite web|url=https://www.martock.org.uk/directory/martock-information-centre/ |title=Martock Information Centre|publisher=Martock Community Website| access-date=10 April 2022}} It is a Grade II listed building.{{NHLE |num=1225758 |desc=The Market House |access-date=14 May 2010}} A grant of £190,000 was obtained from the Heritage Lottery Fund to restore the building and establish a community office on the ground floor in 2008.{{cite web |url=http://www.somerset-rural-renaissance.co.uk/projects-martock-community-office.html |title=Martock Community Office |publisher=Somerset Rural Renaissance |access-date=14 May 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081123045304/http://www.somerset-rural-renaissance.co.uk/projects-martock-community-office.html |archive-date=23 November 2008 |url-status=dead}} In front of the Market House is a Market Cross, also known as The Pinnacle, with a column which dates from 1741 with a fluted Tuscan order column, on a stepped plinth, which supports a ball finial crowned with a wrought iron weathervane.{{NHLE |num=1266188 |desc=Market Cross |access-date=14 May 2010}}

Madey Mill is a Grade II* listed watermill with medieval origins. The current buildings date from the 17th century.{{NHLE|desc=Madey Mill |num=1226550 |access-date=19 October 2013}} It has suffered from a lack of maintenance and has been placed on the Heritage at Risk Register.{{cite web |title=Madey Mill, East Street, Martock – South Somerset |url=http://risk.english-heritage.org.uk/register.aspx?id=48512 |work=Heritage at Risk |publisher=English Heritage |access-date=19 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131022171729/http://risk.english-heritage.org.uk/register.aspx?id=48512 |archive-date=22 October 2013 |url-status=dead}}

The Church of All Saints dates from the 13th century. It was acquired by the Treasurer of Wells Cathedral in 1227 and he became the rector and patron of the church.{{cite book |title=Curiosities of Somerset |last=Leete-Hodge |first=Lornie |year=1985 |publisher=Bossiney Books |location=Bodmin |isbn=0-906456-98-3 |page= 81 }} The church was restored by Benjamin Ferrey, who was architect to the Diocese of Bath and Wells from 1841 until his death, and also in 1883–84 by Ewan Christian. The tower was built in four stages, to replace the previous one over the central crossing. It has offset corner buttresses to the full height of the tower. The church has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade I listed building.{{NHLE |num=1065888 |desc=Church of All Saints |access-date=2 March 2008}} It is said to be the second largest in Somerset and has unique carved wooden statues in the eaves.

South West Coaches operates the 52 bus route, which connects the village with Yeovil and Bower Hinton. There are also four routes to serve local school and college students.{{cite web |url=https://bustimes.org/localities/martock |title=Martock bus services |website=Bustimes.org |access-date=6 December 2024}}

Martock railway station was a stop on the Yeovil-Taunton line between 1853 and 1964; the station building has since been demolished but the Railway Hotel remains extant as a public house.{{cite web |url=http://www.martockhistory.co.uk/research/railway.php |title=The Martock Railway |website=Martock Local History Club |access-date=6 December 2024}}

The B3165 bisects the village from north to south; it connects the A372 with the A303.

• Arthur Lakes (1844–1917) Born in Martock. Geologist, paleontologist, artist, writer, teacher and minister. Accidentally involved in the Bone wars (Great Dinosaur Rush).

{{reflist}}

{{Commons category|Martock}}

• Community website: [http://www.martockonline.co.uk/index.php Martock Online]
• GENUKI: [http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/SOM/Martock/index.html Martock]
• The Somerset Urban Archaeological Survey: [https://web.archive.org/web/20110717062036/http://www1.somerset.gov.uk/archives/hes/downloads/EUS_MartockText.pdf Martock], by Miranda Richardson

{{Somerset}}

{{South Somerset}}

Category:Villages in South Somerset

Category:Civil parishes in Somerset