Weston Bampfield
| Sparkford | |
|---|---|
 The Sparkford Inn |
|
 Sparkford
Sparkford shown within Somerset
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| Population | 617 (2011) |
| OS grid reference | ST604264 |
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Yeovil |
| Postcode district | BA22 0 |
| Dialling code | 01963 |
| Police | Avon and Somerset |
| Fire | Devon and Somerset |
| Ambulance | South Western |
| EU Parliament | South West England |
| UK Parliament | |
Sparkford is a village and civil parish in the South Somerset district of Somerset, England. The parish includes the village of Weston Bampfylde.
It is situated near the junction of the A303 from London to Exeter and the A359 from Frome to Yeovil. In 1986 a bypass was built to take the main traffic on the A303 around the north of the village. The population is 617 mostly living along the old A303 and Church Road, which runs down to the former water mill and the church.
There is evidence for continuous occupation from Roman to Saxon times. The village is listed in the Domesday Book for Somerset as Spercheforde. It was held in 1086 by Fulwin from Walter de Douai having been held by Alwakin before the Norman conquest.
The parish was part of the hundred of Catsash.
In about 1335 the manor was held by Nicholas de Hanyton, while by 1370 it was held by John Lovel of Titchmarsh. The next known owner is Sir Thomas Essex who held the manor in about 1554. Richard Newman acquired Sparkford manor in 1610 and this family held it until 1792. It then passed to the Bennett family of North Cadbury.
The village appears formerly to have been situated south of the church, rather than to the north of it as at present. There are still signs of earthworks in the field that used to be called Lickhill. Some archaeological investigations have recently been carried out but the results are not yet known.
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