West Buckland

infobox UK place
country = England
latitude= 50.9779
longitude= -3.1765
official_name= West Buckland
population = 999ref|population
shire_district= Taunton Deane
shire_county = Somerset
region= South West England
constituency_westminster= Taunton
post_town= WELLINGTON
postcode_district = TA21
postcode_area= TA
dial_code= 01823
os_grid_reference= ST175205

West Buckland is a village and parish in Somerset, England, situated five miles south west of Taunton in the Taunton Deane district. The village has a population of 999ref|population.In 710 AD, on the hills above West Buckland, a major battle was fought, with the victor the Saxon King Ine, whose castle was in Taunton. [See ‘The Battle of Buckland Hill’] .

In 904, certain lands were the basis of a charter to Asser, Bishop of Sherborne, later confirmed in 908; [see Boundary web page] . It is thought that Buckland, was perhaps known then as Bocland; the name for ‘chartered land’. Following on this charter, or even earlier, the name West Buckland was established. But why West was added is unknown – perhaps to distinguish it from Buckland St. Mary to the east? Or did it lie to the west of Buckland Abbey in Durston, near Taunton. This author once saw an old map showing a Buckland Nunnery somewhere between Heatherton and Rumwell, while he has come across a reference on the Internet to ‘Buckland (Minchin Buckland) Preceptory and nunnery (Order of St John of Jerusalem or Knight Hospitallers), West Buckland, Somerset.’ Does this have a bearing on the name of West Buckland?

References

# Somerset County Council, 2002. [http://www.somerset.gov.uk/somerset/statistics/contents/population/estimates/2002mye/ Population estimates] .