Stoke St Gregory History Pages
A Visit From a Victorian Traveller
Part 2 - 23/02/2025 - Click HERE
Charles Raymond Booth Barrett (1850-1918), was one of those Victorian travellers who recorded and published their trips around Britain. The material in this post is taken from his book, now out of copyright, “Somersetshire: Highways, Byways, and Waterways”, 1894. He also produced the drawings for the book. We start as he leaves Langport railway station on the old broad gauge branch line that linked Taunton with Yeovil.
“My first excursion was to Athelney, Boroughbridge and Stoke St Gregory. The traditional tales of Aelfred and Athelney are well known . . . Here, on the little rising ground, a marsh island, the fugitive king made a secret refuge for his wife and family during his wanderings - solitary wanderings undertaken for the purpose of reorganising his scattered powers. Here, later, out of gratitude, he erected the little abbey, of which, save a few tiles and fragmentary stone carvings, not a trace remains. . . . It is stated that, ultimately, the place was fortified, just before his final victory over Guthrun. To me it seems far more probable that the site of this stronghold was the knoll of Boroughbridge nearby. . . . Of the abbey buildings no trace remains, but the spot is marked by a small monument on which a tablet comemorates its historic association with the Saxon king.
"From Athelney I proceeded to Boroughbridge, crossing the river by the new bridge which has been built near the junction of the rivers Parret and Tone. At Borough bridge is one of those tors or knolls which rise suddenly out of the marshes. The top is crowned by what is stated to be an eighteenth century church which was commenced but never completed.
"Most of the carved details, especially the pinnacles belong to this late date . . . but the gargoyles and two carved heads bear evidence of age, and to me appear to have belonged to some earlier building. One point in the ruin seems worthy of note, and that is the door or window which looks into the nave, not on the ground level, but high up in the wall at the north-west corner.
"From the top there is a beautiful view and I could not resist again snatching a sketch of the Somersetshire plains and distant Glastonbury."
New 23/02/2025 - And now, Mr Barrett arrives in Stoke
From Boroughbridge I returned to Athelney Station, and crossing the line took my way to the little village of Stoke St Gregory, noticing as I went the picturesque tower of Ling church, which lies not far away on the other side of the River Tone, and in close juxtaposition to the Isle of Athelney. In Stoke St Gregory there are two things worth consideration. One is the old moated manor house, now known by the name of Slough Farm, and the other is the church. At Slough Farm I was most kindly received by the occupier, and was at once permitted to view the house.
My sketch shows the exterior and the remains of the gateway, now entirely ivy clad, and the moat, partly filled up and crossed by a causeway. As will be seen this old gabled house is by no means unpicturesque. Within I found some old arches and windows in odd corners, heavily beamed ceilings, and in one room some curious flat oak arches supported by stone pillars and mouldings. The remains of the oak screen in the hall - a very plain one - are still visible. One or two doors yet retain their linen-pattern panels both back and front, and in this district I may observe that the linen panelling is of a very good type indeed.
In ony tiny room I came across the small piece of carved tabernacle work of which I give a sketch. By its side were two other fragments of carved stone, one of which was a head. The tabernacle work still retains its colouring - red, black, and gold, and was found beneath the staircase when the old stair was replaced by a new one. It is evidently the relic of some portion of the long-vanished chapel, and appears to me to be part of a canopy and niche.
From Slough Farm I proceeded to the church of Stoke St Gregory, where I found several details which were worthy of notice. Of these the chief perhaps is the curious arrangement of the stone belfry supports within the tower. Now it is to be remarked that the tower is octagonal, and that the belfry floor is sustained by corner vaulting brackets not made of one solid block, but composed of some ten or a dozen stones, and regularly built out in a curved shape. The effect is very odd, and is not one, in my opinion, to be imitated.
A cupboard in the vestry is decorated with the carving and panelling of the former reading desk. This carving bears two dates, viz, 1595 and 1628. Certain plaques thereon, five in number, each show the figure of a woman holding some utensil, rather like a dustpan, in one hand, and in the other a rolling pin. As there are five of these it has been suggested that they represent the five wise or the five foolish virgins.
See more details of the church interior HERE