Dundry

DUNDRY - information extracted from Kelly’s 1914 Directory of Somerset

DUNDRY is a parish and village on a range of hill, or rather on one side on one vast hill, 790 feet above the level of the sea, 3½ miles south-east from Flax Bourton station on the main line of the Great Western Railway and 5 south-west of Bristol, 10 miles north-west from Wells and 138 from London.  The town stands on the line of the old Roman Road from Old Sarum to the Bristol Channel, south of, and immediately under, the Mendip Hills.

The soil is loamy, sub-soil is of oolite formation.  The land is chiefly in pasture.  The area is 2,897 acres of land and 373 of foreshore; rateable value £6,456; population in 1911, 670 in the civil parish and 599 in the ecclesiastical parish.

DUNDRY is in the

·         Northern district of the county [Somerset]

·         Hundred of Hartcliffe with Bedminster

·         Poor Law Union of Long Ashton

·         Long Ashton Petty Sessional Division

·         County Court District of Bristol

·         Rural Deanery of Chew

·         Arch-deaconry of Bath

·         Diocese of Bath & Wells

The CHURCH

The Church of St Michael rebuilt (with the exception of the tower) in 1861 is a substantial edifice of stone, consisting of chancel, nave, aisles, south porch and a fine embattled western tower of Perpendicular date, with pinnacles and containing 6 bells.  The tower was built in the reign of Edward VI by the Merchant Venturers of Bristol and being lofty and situated on so high an eminence forms a conspicuous object for many miles around; in 1890 the pinnacles were restored at a cost of £370: all the windows are stained: in the churchyard stands an ancient cross raised on four stone steps, the total height being about 24 feet. There are sittings for 300 persons.  The register dates from the year 1560.

The living is a vicarage, net yearly value £132, including 3 acres of glebe and residence, in the gift of the vicar of Chew Magna and held since 1912 by Rev George Fabian Evans

 NON-CONFORMIST

There is a Baptist Chapel, built in 1828

POST

Post Office: The nearest money order & telegraph office is at Chew Magna,3 miles distant.  Letters arrive from Bristol at 6.30a.m. & 3.00 p.m. and dispatched at 6.30a.m. via Chew Magna & at  5.50 p.m. to Bristol weekdays and Sundays at 4.50 p.m.

·         Sub-postmaster: Mrs Alice MARSHALL

Wall Letter Box: East Dundry, cleared at 7.15 a.m. & 5.00 p.m. and West Dundry at 7.15 a.m. & 4.45 p.m. and Barrow Common 8.00a.m. & 4.15 p.m.

SCHOOL

Public Elementary School (mixed & infants), built in 1857, and enlarged in 1912 for 150 children; average attendance 122

PRIVATE RESIDENTS

·         EVANS, Rev George Fabian (Vicar) Vicarage

·         ROBERTS, William Henry, East Dundry

·         SHORLAND, Jas Hellier, J.P. The Grove

 COMMERCIAL RESIDENTS