Upton, Somerset

This article is about the village in West Somerset. For the village in South Somerset, see Long Sutton, Somerset.

Upton
Church of St James, Upton
Upton Location within Somerset
Population	250 (2011)[1]
OS grid reference	SS993287
District	Somerset West and Taunton
Shire county	Somerset
Region	South West
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	Taunton
Postcode district	TA4
Police	Avon and Somerset
Fire	Devon and Somerset
Ambulance	South Western
UK Parliament	Tiverton and Minehead

Upton is a village and civil parish north of Skilgate in Somerset, England. It is situated on a hill above the eastern end of Wimbleball Lake.

History

The parish of Upton was part of the Williton and Freemanners Hundred.^[2]

Pepperpot Castle, which is also known as Haddon Lodge, was built By Lady Harriet Acland, during the long period of her widowhood, 1778–1815, as a lodge to the drive to connect Pixton Park in Dulverton where her daughter the Countess of Carnarvon lived, with her own estates near Wiveliscombe.^[3]

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.

The village falls within the non-metropolitan district of Somerset West and Taunton, which was established on 1 April 2019. It was previously in the district of West Somerset, which was formed on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, and part of Dulverton Rural District before that.^[4] The district council is responsible for local planning and building control, local roads, council housing, environmental health, markets and fairs, refuse collection and recycling, cemeteries and crematoria, leisure services, parks, and tourism.

Somerset County Council is responsible for running the largest and most expensive local services such as education, social services, libraries, main roads, public transport, policing and fire services, trading standards, waste disposal and strategic planning.

It is also part of the Tiverton and Minehead 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 remains of the Old Church of St James, which dates from the 14th century can still be seen.^[5] The current parish church of St James was built in 1870.^[6]

The non conformist Ebenezer Chapel dates from 1878.^[7]

References

1. "Statistics for Wards, LSOAs and Parishes — SUMMARY Profiles" (Excel). Somerset Intelligence. Retrieved 4 January 2014.
2. "Somerset Hundreds". GENUKI. Retrieved 23 October 2011.
3. Historic England. "Pepperpot Castle (1248097)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 13 December 2008.
4. "Dulverton RD". A vision of Britain Through Time. University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
5. Historic England. "Remains of the Church of St James (1248084)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 13 December 2008.
6. Historic England. "Church of St James (1263817)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 13 December 2008.
7. Historic England. "Ebenezer Chapel (1248095)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 13 December 2008.

External links

Media related to Upton, Somerset West and Taunton at Wikimedia Commons