Stanton Prior

Stanton Prior
View of Stanton Prior village, August 2007
Stanton Prior is located in Somerset
Stanton Prior
Stanton Prior
Location within Somerset
Population60 
OS grid referenceST675628
Civil parish
District
Shire county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townBATH
Postcode districtBA2
Dialling code01761
PoliceAvon and Somerset
FireAvon
AmbulanceSouth Western
UK Parliament
List of places
UK
England
Somerset
51°21′52″N 2°27′48″W / 51.3644°N 2.4633°W / 51.3644; -2.4633

Stanton Prior is a small village within the civil parish of Marksbury, in the Bath and North East Somerset district, in the ceremonial county of Somerset, England. It is set in Duchy of Cornwall countryside between Newton St Loe and Marksbury, 6 miles (9.7 km) west from the UK city of Bath. In 1931 the parish had a population of 85.[1] On 1 April 1933 the parish was abolished and merged with Marksbury.[2]

Stanton Prior derives its name from the Old English 'Stantona'[3] (meaning Stone Town) and is reputed to be one of the smallest villages in Somerset,[4] consisting of two farms, 21 houses and the Church of St Lawrence, which has its origins in the 12th century but is mainly 15th century and underwent heavy restoration in 1860. The church has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade II* listed building.[5]

The village was the property of Saxon Kings who gave it to Bath Abbey before the Norman Conquest and it was held by the Prior until the dissolution of the monasteries. It was then granted to Thomas Horner, who sold it to General Erington in 1544.[6] The parish of Stanton Prior was part of the Keynsham Hundred.[7]

Close by, on Stantonbury Hill, are the remains of an Iron Age hill fort known as Stantonbury Camp,[8] which lies on the line of Wansdyke.[9] Stanton is home to a rare chain pump, albeit without its chain.[10][failed verification]

References

  1. ^ "Population statistics Stanton Prior CP/AP through time". A Vision of Britain through Time. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
  2. ^ "Relationships and changes Stanton Prior CP/AP through time". A Vision of Britain through Time. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
  3. ^ Notes and Queries, s6-IX: 101-120 (1884) Oxford Journals
  4. ^ "Population Profile of Somerset 1961". Retrieved 22 September 2007.
  5. ^ Historic England. "Church of St Lawrence (1129527)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 22 September 2007.
  6. ^ Robinson, W.J. (1915). West Country Churches. Bristol: Bristol Times and Mirror Ltd. pp. 169–173.
  7. ^ "Somerset Hundreds". GENUKI. Retrieved 15 October 2011.
  8. ^ "Stantonbury Hill". Retrieved 22 September 2007.
  9. ^ "Stanton Prior". British History Online. Retrieved 22 September 2007.
  10. ^ "pumps somerset". www.villagepumps.org.uk.
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