Ilminster

infobox UK place
country= England
latitude= 50.9262
longitude= -2.9114
official_name= Ilminster
population= 4,781
shire_district= South Somerset
shire_county = Somerset
region= South West England
constituency_westminster= Yeovil
post_town= ILMINSTER
postcode_district = TA19
postcode_area= TA
dial_code= 01460
os_grid_reference= ST359145

Ilminster is a country town and civil parish in the countryside of south west Somerset, England, with a population of 4,781. [Somerset County Council, 2002. [http://www.somerset.gov.uk/somerset/statistics/contents/population/estimates/2002mye/ Population estimates] .] Bypassed a few years ago, the town now lies just east of the intersection of the A303 (London to Exeter) and the A358 (Taunton to Chard and Axminster). The parish includes the village of Peasmarsh.

Ilminster is mentioned in documents dating from 725 and in a Charter granted to the Abbey of Muchelney (10 miles to the north) by King Ethelred in 995. Ilminster is also mentioned in the Domesday Book (1086) as Ileminstre meaning 'The church on the River Isle' from the Old English ysle and mynster. By this period Ilminster was a flourishing community and was granted the right to hold a weekly market, which it still does.

The town contains the buildings of a sixteenth-century grammar school, the "Ilminster Meeting House", which acts as the town's art gallery and concert hall. There is also a Gospel Hall

Church

Ilminster takes its name from the River Isle and its large church of St Mary, which is known as "The Minster". The Hamstone building dates from the 15th century, but was refurbished in 1825 by William Burgess and the chancel restored in 1883. Further restoration took place in 1887-89 and 1902. Among the principal features are the Wadham tombs; those of Sir William Wadham and his mother, dated 1452 and Nicholas and Dorothy Wadham 1609 and 1618.

The tower rises two storeys above the nave. It has three bays, with a stair turret to the north-west corner. The bays are articulated by slender buttresses with crocketed finials above the castellated parapet. Each bay on both stages contains a tall two-light mullioned-and-transomed window with tracery. The lights to the top are filled with pierced stonework; those to the base are solid. The stair turret has string courses coinciding with those on the tower, and a spirelet with a weathervane. It contains a bell dating from 1732 made by Thomas Bilbie and another from 1790 made by William Biblie of the Bilbie family. [cite book |last=Moore |first=James |authorlink= |coauthors=Roy Rice & Ernest Hucker |title=Bilbie and the Chew Valley clock makers |year=1995 |publisher=The authors |location= |isbn=0952670208 ] The church has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade I listed building. [cite web | title=Parish Church of St Mary | work=Images of England | url=http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/search/details.aspx?id=383479 | accessdate=2007-10-06]

hopping

The town has a selection of shops including a traditional Edwardian-style clothing and soft furnishings store called Dyers. A Tesco store opened in November 2007.

In November the town celebrates the lighting of the Christmas lights with a Victorian evening. This is normally accompanied by lots of local shops serving rum and cakes.

Twinnings

* Riec-sur-Belon, France

References

External links

* [http://www.ilminstertownfc.co.uk/ "Ilminster Football Club"] local football club
* [http://www.chardandilminsternews.co.uk/ "The Chard & Ilminster"] local newspaper
* The Somerset Urban Archaeological Survey: [http://www.somerset.gov.uk/somerset/cultureheritage/heritage/projects/eus/ilminster Ilminster] , by Clare Gathercole
* [http://www.somerset3d.co.uk/gallery.htm#i Photos of Ilminster in 3D (Anaglyphs)]