1852 Slater's Directory - Wincanton, Somerset

Wincanton is a market town and parish, in the hundres of Norton Ferris, 108miles west by south from London, 29 south from Bath, 5 south south east from Bruton, and 14 south from Frome. Its ancient name was Wyndcaleton , derived from its situation - a town on the 'winding Cale', a river that runs at the lower or west end of town. It subsequently was called Wincalton and Wincaunton, but for many years past has been spelt as it is in this work. It is a town of great antiquity, and was the scene of many actions between the Britons, Saxons and Danes. A great part of the town was destroyed by fire in 1747, but since rebuilt in an uniform and handsome style. Formerly there was a great trade cariied on here in the manufacture of linen and bed-ticks, but it was entirely migrated to the north of England. The principal inn here is the 'Greyhound,' a comfortable commercial house, as well as a posting establishment. The parish of Wincanton comprises the market town, the inbounds of which are designated 'the borough' and the circumjacent parts are called 'the tything.' Two constables for the former and a tything-man for the latter are appointed at the manorial court, and a court leet is held annually for the hundred, of which the Marquess of Anglesey is lord, but the court for the manor is not held regularly.
The parish church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul (situated at the western extremity of the town), is a very neat edifice, and much improved of late years within and without. There are two chapels for dissenters. The charities are some trifling donations to the poor on Saint Thomas' day and on Good Friday. The only gentlemans seats in the immediate vicinity worthy of notice are 'Roundhill house', 'Bayford Lodge', one mile east, and 'Holebrook House', one mile and a half west. The country about here is very pleasant, and the land very productive. Towards the south an extremely fine view is obtained, the eye being carried over the fertile vale of Blackmore to the extent of 20 miles or more. About a mile south east of the town rises a mineral spring, resembling the waters of Cheltenham. The market is held on Wednesday, for corn (by sample), cattle, butter, cheese etc: The fairs are Tuesday in Easter week and Michaelmas day. The parish contained in 1841, 2296 inhabitants, and at the last census (1851), 2488.

Post Office, High street, John Chilton MUSGROVE, Post Master. - Letters from London, Bath etc: arrive every morning at half past six, and are despatched every evening at twenty minutes past six. Letters from Weymouth, Dorchester, Sherborne, Frome, Bath, etc: arrive and are despatched daily, at half past twelve.

Gentry and Clergy	SMITH Samuel, (and Draper), Charlton Horethorn
ABARROW Miss, High St	TRASK Charles, (and Draper), Charlton Horethorn
BAILWARD John, Esq, Horsington	Hair Dressers
BAKER Mr James, South St	ANDREWS William, (and Umbrella maker), High St
BARTON Charles, Esq, Holbrook House	BIOLETTI Albert, High St
BASTARD Thomas Charles, Esq, Charlton Musgrove	CHICK Richard, South St
BEWSEY William Mogg, Esq, South Cheriton	Inns (see also Taverns & Public Houses)
BROWN Mr Joseph, Batch	Bear (Commercial) - Thomas GRIST, Market Place
BROWN Mrs Nicholas, Batch	Greyhound (Commercial & Posting House & Inland Revenue Office) -
COLLINS Rev. Henry, North St	John BAILEY, Market Place
COOMBS Mr, Horsington	Ironmongers
DAVIS Mr John, South St	DENT Jane, High St
DAY Rev. George, High St	DOWN Jonas, Market Place
DEANE Mr Edwin, South St	NEWMAN William, Market Place
DODINGTON, William Manning, Esq, Horsington	RICHARDS Thomas, High St
DROVER Rev. John W., South St	Linen Drapers
FENWICKS Miss, Market Place	DAY Ira, High St
FEATING Captain, R.N., High St	HAMILTON James & William, High St
FITZGERALD H.T.G., Esq, Maperton Hse	LONGMAN Samuel Hine, Market Place
GATEHOUSE Mr John, West Hill	RUSSELL George & Co., High St
GATEHOUSE Rev. Tho., North Cheriton	SNOOK Henry, South St
GEORGE Miss Jane, Colyton Terrace	Maltsters
HANSFORD Mr Benjamin, Mill St	SLY Samuel (and Wine & Spirits Merchant), High St
KING Mr William, Rodborse House	SLY William (and Brewer), North St
LEIR Rev. C.M., Charlton Musgrove	Milliners and Dress and Straw Bonnet Makers
MARINDIN Rev. S., Shanks House	COX A.L. & A., High St
MESSITER George, Esq, Bayford Hill	CROACH Emmeline, High St
MESSITER Henry, Esq, High St	CURTIS Ellen, North St
MESSITER John, Esq, Church St	FROST Elizabeth, Mill St
PHABAYNE Rev. John F., Charlton Horethorn	HUNT Susan & Louisa, High St
PHELIPS Rev. Richard C., Cucklington	JACOBS Elizabeth, North St
RAWLINGS Mr Stephen, Mill St	MAIDMENT Corinna, High St
RING Mr Richard, High St	PARSONS Mary, Mill St
STANLEY Mrs., Littiford House	RAWLINGS Mary Ann, High St
WICKHAM Rev. Thomas Whalley, Horsington	Painters, Plumbers and Glaziers
WYNDHAM George D., Esq, Roundhill House	EDWARDS John, High St
WYNDHAM Henry, Esq, Roundhill House	FRANCIS Thomas, High St
Academies and Schools	GOODFELLOW John, Market Place
DAY Alfred, High St	MATTHEWS Charles, High St
GOODFELLOW Jane, Market Place	Saddlers
GOODFELLOW Mary, High St	CURTIS William, South St
JEANES Susan, Church St	DOWDING Charles, High St
National School, North St -	FOWLER James, Silver St
Edwin CROUCH - master, Susan CROUCH - mistress	WILLIAMS John, Bayford
PHILLIPS Mary, Coylton Terrace	Shopkeepers & Dealers in Groceries & Sundries
Attorneys	DOVE Benjamin, Mill St
BIGING William R., High St	GILBERT Edward, High St
COOPER Edward Yalden, High St	HANNAM Robert, Charlton Horethorn
JILLARD John Welman, High St	LEACH Henry, High St
MESSITER George & Henry & John (and clerks to the magistrates), High St	LONG John, Cucklington
Auctioneers	MOGER William, Horsington
HANNEN William, Coylton Terrace	NICHOLAS Walter, North Cheriton
MOODY Thomas, Ireson House	ROGERS William, Silver St
Bakers	Surgeons
DARE Philip, Church st	BRUORTON William, High St
HUNT Charles, High St	EASTMENT & SURRAGE, High St
HUNT Henry, Silver St	Tailors
VINING Charles M., High St	BOTTLE Henry, North St
VINING Uriah, North St	HALL WILLIAM, (and Draper), High St
WILLIS William, High St	HANSFORD John, Mill St
WINTER William, South St	HUTCHING Richard, (and Draper), High St
Bankers	JACOBS Uriah, Market Place
Stuckey's Banking Co., South St - (draw on Robarts, Curtis & Co., London)	KING John, Church St
- Richard CAINES, agent	KING Richard, Mill St
Savings Bank, High St - Thomas PHILLIPS, actuary	MASTERS James, Charlton Horethorn
Blacksmiths	RUSSELL George & Co., High St
BATEMAN John, Bayford	Taverns & Public Houses
RICHARD Thomas, High St	Dolphin - Thomas WHITE, High St
VINING Harry, Church St	Half Moon - Jos. DAVIDGE, Horsington
Booksellers & Stationers	Kings Arms - John DAVIES, Charlton Horethorn
CORBEN Henry William, High St	New Inn - Samuel STACEY, South St
DAVIS John, High St	Red Lion - Gideon GALE, Market Place
PHILLIPS Thomas, High St	Red Lion - Richard TAYLOR, Charlton Horethorn
Boot and Shoe Makers	Red Lion - Silas WHITE, North Cheriton
AXTIES John, Charlton Horethorn	Trooper - James STAY, Market Place
BOND Elizabeth, High St	Unicorn - Samuel KNAPTON, Bayford
BOND George, Market Place	White Horse - William KEEPING, Bayford
CAYFORD Thomas, South St	Retailers of Beer
KENISTON Joseph, Bayford Hill	GREEN George, Bayford Hill
KING Francis, High St	GUTCH Robert, North St
PARSONS John, High St	HANNAM William, Horsington
PARSONS William, High St	LINDSEY Rachael, Mill St
PITMAN Elijah, Church St	WILLIAMS John, Bayford
PUOD George, North St	Veterinary Surgeon
VINCENT James, High St	SYMES Charles, Church St
Butchers	Watch & Clock Maker
BENJAFIELD George, High St	WEARE Joseph, Church St
OBORN Benjamin, High St	Wheelwrights
Cabinet Makers and Upholsterers	GOODFELLOW John, South St
GREEN Elias, Market Place	HIGDON Jonas, South St
GREEN Robert, High St	Miscellaneous
JAMES John, South St	ANDREWS William, Wood Turner, High St
MATTHEWS William, High St	BLAKE John, Confectioner, High St
Carpenters & Builders	BRACHER William, Cheese Factor, South St
AMES Silas, Market Place	CREWE James, Cattle Dealer, Tything
GARRATT Robert, Batch	FRY William & Sampson, Millers & Marine Store Dealers, South St
GOODFELLOW John, (& Coach Maker), South St	HANNAM James, Basket Maker, South St
GREEN George, Bayford Hill	JACOBS Uriah, China & Glass dealer, Market place
GREEN Robert, High St	LONG John Marsh, Inspector of Weights etc:, Church St
Chemists & Druggists	TIZARD Edwin, Brazier and Tinman, Mill St
CORBEN Henry William, High St	VINING Henry, Licensed to let post horses, South St
PHILLIPS Thomas, High St	Places of Worship and their Ministers
Coopers	St. Peter & St. Paul's Church - Church St, Rev. Henry COLLINS
BATEMAN John, Bayford	St Lawrence's Church - Cucklington, Rev. C. PHELIPS, rector
HORSEY James, North St	Stoke Church - Stoke, Rev. R. C. PHELIPS, rector
Curriers and Leather Sellers	St. Stephens Church - Charlton Musgrove, Rev. C. M. LEIR, rector
GEORGE James, (& Tanner), High St	St John's Church - Horsington, Rev. Thomas W. WICKHAM, rector
ROYCE George, Church St	St John's Church - North Cheriton, Rev. Thomas GATEHOUSE, rector
Fire & Office Agents	St. Peter's Church - Charlton Horethorn, Rev. John F. PHABAYNE, rector
Albert (Life) - Richard CAINES, South St	Baptist Chapel - Mill St
Alliance - Richard CAINES, South St	Independent Chapel - Mill St
Atlas - James BRACHER, High St	Wesleyan Methodist Chapel - Charlton Horethorn
Church of England - Robert CLARKE, Market Place	Poor Law Union - Workhouse, West Hill
Crown (life) - William K. BIGING, High St	Governor - James SEALEY
Farmers & General - Edward Y. COOPER, South St	Matron - Sarah W. SEALEY
General - James HANNAM, South St	Schoolmaster - George PRICE
Law (life) - George & Henry & John MESSITER, High St	Schoolmistress - Emma CURTIS
Legal & Commercial - Richard CAINES, South St	Clerk to th Board of Guardians - Robert CLARKE
Liverpool & London - Richard CAINES, South St	Chaplain - Rev. Henry COLLINS
Medical, Invalid & General (life) - Henry Wm. CORBEN, High St	Surgeon - William BRUORTON
Metropolitan (life) - Thomas PHILLIPS, High St	Relieving Officers - Richard BORD, Joseph COX, Edmund READ
Norwich Union - Robert CLARKE, Market Place	Registrars of Births, Deaths & Marriages
Royal Exchange - John DAVIS, Market Place	Superintendent Registrar - Robert CLARKE, Market Place
Sun - James BRACHER, Market Place	Registrar of Marriages - James HANNAM, South St
West of England - George & Henry & John MESSITER, High St	Registrar of Births & Deaths - Edmund READ, Bayford Hill
Gardeners and Seedsmen	County Court - Held at the Town Hall
GREEN Thomas, High St	Judge - John Monson CARROW, Esq.
MARTIN Silas, Mill St	High Bailiff - Edward Charles COLON
WHITE Thomas, High St	Clerk - Edward LOVELL
Grocers & Tea Dealers (see also Shopkeepers)	Assistant Clerk - John MESSITER
ARNOLD Richard Mogg, Church St	Bailiff - William HANNEN
BRACHER James, High St
HANNAM James, South St	Stamp Office - Market Place, Robert CLARKE, Distributor
KEDDLE Thomas, Bayford	Town Hall - Market Place
RICHARDS Thomas, High St	Wincanton Reading Society - Market Place, Edwin CROUCH, Librarian