Wick St. Lawrence Explained

Static Image Caption:Ancient cross and Church of St Lawrence
Country:England
Coordinates:51.384°N -2.912°W
Official Name:Wick St. Lawrence
Population:1,331
Unitary England:North Somerset
Lieutenancy England:Somerset
Region:South West England
Constituency Westminster:Weston-super-Mare
Post Town:Weston-super-Mare
Postcode District:BS22
Postcode Area:BS
Dial Code:01934
Os Grid Reference:ST365655

Wick St. Lawrence is a civil parish and village in Somerset, England. It falls within the unitary authority of North Somerset. The population of the parish, which includes Bourton, Icelton and Ebdon, in the 2011 census was 1,331.[1]

History

The parish of Wick St Lawrence was part of the Winterstoke Hundred, while Bourton was in Portbury Hundred.[2]

The 15th century village cross stands on an area of grass opposite the parish church, raised up on five ascending octagonal stone platforms.[3] The crosshead was destroyed during the time of the English Civil Wars. It is a Grade II* listed building and Scheduled Ancient Monument.[4]

The Ebdon Bow Bridge which carries the road from the village to nearby Worle over the River Banwell was built in the late 18th or early 19th century.

In the hamlet of Ebdon there is a pub (The Ebdon), Ebdon Hair and Beauty and a playing field. There is a caravan park in Ebdon Farm.

[5]

Governance

North Somerset's area covers part of the ceremonial county of Somerset but it is administered independently of the non-metropolitan county. Its administrative headquarters are in the town hall in Weston-super-Mare. Between 1 April 1974 and 1 April 1996, it was the Woodspring district of the county of Avon.[6] Before 1974 that the parish was part of the Axbridge Rural District.[7]

Religious sites

The windows of the church are in the Perpendicular style, while the modest tower has a peal of six bells; the oldest of which were cast in 1655. The intricately carved stone pulpit came from Woodspring Priory in 1536 following the Dissolution of the Monasteries.[8]

It has been designated as a Grade II* listed building.[9]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2011 Census Profile . North Somerset Council . 4 January 2014 . Excel . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140104204530/http://www.n-somerset.gov.uk/Environment/Planning_policy_and-research/researchandmonitoring/Documents/North%20Somerset%20Small%20area%20geography%20profiles%20tool.xls . 4 January 2014 .
  2. Web site: Somerset Hundreds. GENUKI. 19 October 2011.
  3. Web site: Village cross. historicengland.org.uk. English Heritage. 18 January 2010.
  4. Web site: Village Cross 5 Yards East of Banksea Cottages. Listed Buildings Online. English Heritage. 2 January 2011.
  5. Web site: Ebdon Bow Bridge. historicengland.org.uk. English Heritage. 13 February 2009.
  6. Web site: The Avon (Structural Change) Order 1995 . 9 December 2007 . HMSO . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080130105206/http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si1995/Uksi_19950493_en_1.htm . 30 January 2008 .
  7. Web site: Axbridge RD. A vision of Britain Through Time. University of Portsmouth. 4 January 2014.
  8. Smith, Rosie & Howard. North Somerset Coast in Watercolours. The Garret Press, Weston-super-Mare.
  9. Web site: Parish Church of St. Lawrence. historicengland.org.uk. English Heritage. 13 February 2009.