Westonzoyland

infobox UK place
country = England
latitude= 51.106153
longitude= -2.922665
official_name= Westonzoyland
population =
shire_district= Sedgemoor
shire_county = Somerset
region= South West England
Ambulance= South Western
constituency_westminster= Bridgwater
post_town= BRIDGWATER|postcode_district = TA7
postcode_area= TA
dial_code=
os_grid_reference= ST352348

Westonzoyland is a village and civil parish in the Somerset Levels, four miles south east of Bridgwater.

Geography

The parish includes the hamlet of Andersea. Westonzoyland has a population of approximately 1,600 people and is the larger of the three 'Zoys', the others being the villages of Middlezoy and Chedzoy. There is one public house in the village - the Sedgemoor Inn which has been the village pub since the time of the battle in 1685.

History

The last (so far) battle in England, Sedgemoor, was fought near to the Bussex area of the village in 1685. It was the final battle of the Monmouth Rebellion.

Church

St Mary’s Parish Church, with its 15th Century carved timber roof, has a link with both conflicts. It served as a prison for around 500 troops after the Battle of Sedgemoor [cite web|url=http://www.battlefieldstrust.com/media/139.pdf|title=Sedgemoor Battle|last=Foard|first=Glen|date=2003|publisher=Battlefields Trust|accessdate=2008-08-06] and now contains a corner dedicated to local airmen who lost their lives in the 1940s conflict.

The 4 stage tower has an embattled parapet with quatrefoil arcading, and set-back buttresses which terminate in pinnacles on the bell-chamber stage. [cite web |url=http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/Details/Default.aspx?id=269612 |title=Church of St Mary the Virgin, Westonzoyland |accessdate=2008-03-05 |format= |work=Images of England ] The current clergyman for the church is the Reverend Christopher Keys.

Airfield

To the East of the village is sited the former RAF Weston Zoyland (1926 - 1968), which was used for a variety of duties, including in World War II for air combat, and for the transport of airborne ground troops to France.

It now houses the Westonzoyland Microlight Aircraft Club - the 'Zoyboyz'. Microlight aircraft fly from the base for both recreation and as part of Sky Watch - Civil Air Patrol, whose mission is "Keeping an eye out from the air for anyone in distress either on land or sea".

Pumping Station Museum

Westonzoyland is home to Somerset's earliest steam-powered pumping station, built in 1830. Once a guardian of the Somerset Levels, now a small museum displaying stationary steam engines and exhibits of land drainage history. Pride of place goes to the station's pumping engine, the Easton and Amos. It is still in the main engine house, built in 1861 to replace an earlier engine that had been carrying out the pumping work since 1831.

References

External links

* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FoyAl9NDJ7o Video of WW2 airfield and control tower]