Shepton Beauchamp
| Shepton Beauchamp | |
|---|---|
 Village School |
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 Fives court wall |
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 Shepton Beauchamp
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| Shepton Beauchamp shown within Somerset | |
| Population | 728 (2011) |
| OS grid reference | ST403173 |
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | ILMINSTER |
| Postcode district | TA19 0 |
| Dialling code | 01460 |
| Police | Avon and Somerset |
| Fire | Devon and Somerset |
| Ambulance | South Western |
| EU Parliament | South West England |
| UK Parliament | |
Shepton Beauchamp is a village and civil parish, 1 mile (2 km) from Barrington and 4 miles (6 km) north east of Ilminster between the Blackdown Hills and the Somerset Levels in the South Somerset district of Somerset, England.
The first part of the name of the village has Saxon origins meaning sheep settlement. The second part was added to honour the Beauchamp family (pronounced ‘Beecham’), who held the manor from the mid 12th century. The parish of Shepton Beauchamp was part of the South Petherton Hundred.
It passed to the Seymours in 1361, and Sir John Seymour lived here when High Sheriff of Somerset 1515–16, possibly with his young daughter Jane Seymour, later third Queen of Henry VIII.
In 1755 about half the land was in unenclosed strips, but enclosure by private agreement began in 1807 and was largely complete by 1850.
In 1791 the parish was described as having 85 houses and "lying in a rich, flat and inclosed country". The first census in 1801 recorded the population as 439, and the area of the parish was 836 acres (3.38 km2).
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.
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Wikipedia