Medieval Period
The manor of “Hache” dates from Saxon times and the word itself means a gate or bar across a woodland path. In this case it was the gateway to the ancient forest of Neroche. The manor was granted to Robert, Count of Mortain at the time of the Norman Conquest (1066) who was a half-brother of William. At that time the population was ‘three servants, eleven villanes, four cottagers with three ploughs’. Later the manor is recorded as being in the hands of Robert de Beauchamp who may be the same person. The Beauchamp family were loyal allies of William and were granted large estates in Somerset and Bedfordshire. Hence the modern name of the village ‘Hatch Beauchamp’
There was a church on the same site as the current St John’s by the end of the 12th century, and the Dean and Chapter of Wells held estates in the area at that time.
John de Beauchamp obtained a licence for a market every Thursday in 1301 and there was also permission for a fair. The literature notes that this has ‘long since been discontinued’, although nowadays there is a thriving Produce Market held monthly in the village hall.
The Black Death spread to Somerset from Dorset in the mid 14th century and devastated the population perhaps with as high as 50% mortality. It explains the current location of the main part of the village, the original settlements around the site of Hatch Court and the church would have been abandoned.
Tudor to Georgian times
By the end of the 14th century the male line of Beauchamps had died out and Hache Court passed to Roger Seymour who had married the sister of John Beauchamp III. His descendant was Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset and brother of Jane Seymour, Henry VIII’s wife, who later became Lord Protector of England during the minority of Edward VI. He would have lived at Hache Court before this time. After his death, although in possession of the Seymour family for a further five generations, there is evidence the mansion fell into decay.
Large parts of the current church building (including the tower) date from the late 15th and early 16th century although the main part of the chancel is earlier.
Towards the end of the 17th century the lands of Hatch passed to the Bruce family by marriage but only briefly as it appears they were sold to John Collins as evidenced by the Church rate book of 1726. Around this time John Uttermare owned Hatch Green Farm. The Collins family of Ilminster had become wealthy through the wool and cloth making trade. In 1755 the Palladian style Hatch Court was built for John Collins the son of the 1726 Collins above, the architect being Thomas Prowse. John Collins was High Sheriff of Somerset in 1757, (an office held in 2012 by Pat Hunt of the village). Further wealth came to the family by marriage to Jane Langford who benefitted from the West Indian sugar trade.
Victorian
Two generations later in 1822, the daughter Dorothea married William Gore-Langton. This family has been closely associated with the area to this day. Around this time there is mention of a new mansion at Hatch Park owned by H.P. Collins who had enlarged or completed the house for occupation. He was active in the Church and was responsible for the addition of the south aisle and vestry. On his death his grandson William Henry Powell Gore Langton succeeded to Hatch Park.
In 1866 Hatch Beauchamp was connected to the national railway network as part of the Bristol and Exeter railway. Earlier in 1842 the Chard canal had been opened between and Taunton and Chard without any commercial success and early proposals to convert it to a railway never materialised. The Bristol and Exeter railway instead built the single track line parallel to the canal. It bought the little-used canal and closed it down.
Colonel John Chard won the Victoria Cross for his role in the battle of Rorke’s Drift in 1879 and is buried in Hatch Beauchamp. He spent his final days in 1897 at the Rectory (now Close House) with his brother the Reverend C. E. Chard.
Modern
A veteran of both the Boer War and the Great War, Brigadier Andrew Hamilton Gault lived in Hatch Court from 1923. He was a wealthy Canadian who founded Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry which distinguished itself during the First World War. He was MP for Taunton until 1935, played a part in the preparations for D-Day and died in 1958. His wife continued to live at Hatch Court until her death in 1972.
Commander Hubert Edwin Gore-Langton was awarded the DSO and French Croix-de-Guerre in the First World War. He married Lady Alice, daughter of the Earl Temple of Stowe. In memory of his wife he presented the Lady Alice Gore-Langton Memorial field to the village in 1964, the centrepiece of life in the village to this day.
A memorial to those in the village and surrounding area who died in the First and Second World Wars stands at the edge of the field next to Village Road. Memorial services take place around 11th November each year.
THE CHURCH as it stands today is mainly late medieval with some 19th century additions in matching style. It is built for the most part of blue lias stone. The Patent Rolls of 1206 establish that an earlier church existed at the close of the I2th century. There is no record of the date of this earlier church but it was certainly standing on the same site during the Norman period.
The Age of the Present Church
The tower, the nave and the north aisle are late I5th/early 16th century. The chancel is earlier, but many alterations have been made to it through the ages. The chancel arch is 19th century.
19th Century Additions and Restorations
The north aisle of the chancel is early 19th century. The Faculty for erecting a “Private Pew” by H P Collins Esq. is dated July 6th 1825, and this extension to the church must have been carried out very soon thereafter
(2) The south aisle and the transept-like vestry were added in 1834. A board will be found in the vestry describing these enlargements to the church.
(3) 1867 Restorations. From a contemporary account quoted in Edward Jeboult’s “West Somerset” (published 1873) “The church of Hatch Beauchamp as it stood a year or two ago was in a very ruinous condition. It was built of Curry Mallet stone which in many parts was literally crumbling away.” According to Jeboult the following restoration work was done: The coat of rough-cast which covered the whole of the walls was taken off, all repairs were effected with “Langport stone”, and the whole carefully pointed. The buttresses of the tower were removed and rebuilt, and the parapets and pinnacles taken down and refixed. The old chancel arch with its zig-zag ornamentation indicating a Norman date was replaced by the present chancel arch which was erected to the east of the old arch. This has resulted in the nave being extended slightly eastwards at the expense of the chancel. To effect this work the small pointed arch of the arcade of the south aisle, and the small eastern arch of the north arcade had to be inserted. Finally a 1 singer’s gallery in the lower part of the tower was removed, thus opening the tower and the western window to the church. These restorations were done under the direction of George Gilbert Scott, and they cost £1,500. Towards this the parish paid by rate £200, and the remainder was by subscription, W H P Gore Langton Esq. bearing the larger share.
(Note: In the old church guide the north and south aisles are both dated as 1530. The south aisle was definitely added in 1834 because inter a/ia the 1832 Buckler drawing shows no south aisle whilst the 1842 drawing shows both the south aisle and the transept-like vestry. The old guide also states that the north aisle of the chancel was added in 1867 when the correct date is as stated above.)
The Tower
Peter Poyntz Wright, an authority on Somerset church towers, has classified the Hatch Beauchamp tower as belonging to the “West Somerset generation”, and as having been built by the masons responsible for the towers of this great period of architecture, which began with Taunton St. James and Bishops Lydeard, and ended with the beautiful tower of Huish Episcopi. The Huish Episcopi tower is depicted on the 9p stamp issued in June,1972. By comparing the pinnacle arrangement, the merlons (upright parts of the battlement), the parapet, and tower belfry, and windows, with other Somerset towers, the lineage and date of the Hatch Beauchamp tower can be established very accurately. Poyntz Wright gives the date as circa 1493, with a tolerance of plus or minus five years.
The Pinnacle Arrangement. This is a perfect example of the fully developed West Somerset pinnacle plan. It consists of a cluster of five pinnacles at each corner, made up of a large pinnacle set square with the tower plan and surrounded by four subsidiaries, each one attached lightly to each corner of the main shaft. In the centre of each face is a single diagonally set pinnacle rising through the central merlon.
The Merlons and Parapet. The merlons are each pierced with a single arch, and the parapet itself is pierced with quatrefoils with a shield in the centre of each quatrefoil.
The Belfry Windows are of the wide three light type, and over each window are fairly heavy mouldings, or dripstones, which run sideways into each buttress. The two mullions dividing the three lights run the full length of the window from top to bottom. This indicates a late date. Except in the case of the two-light window on the north side, the secondary tracery in the lights of the belfry windows has no mouldings, and may be regarded as never having been completed.
The Tower Buttresses. To support the tower, diagonal buttresses are used, and not angle buttresses, which are found on all other West Somerset towers. An interesting feature is that the buttresses, which finish in the belfry stage, support small detached shafts which rise upwards to form the outside subsidiary pinnacles of each corner cluster. These shafts run up clear of the corner of the tower, and are crossed by grotesques at upper string course level.
The Staircase Turret is semi-octagonal and is embattlemented with pinnacles at each angle and is capped by a spirelet.
The West Doorway consisting of a 15th century arch under a square head has no carving on the spandrels. The work is therefore incomplete.
The West Window above the west door has four cinquefoiled ogee headed lights with trefoiled headed tracery above.
The West Porch. There are three surviving springers inside the tower which were for vaulting which was never completed. Instead the tower porch has a wooden ceiling. In Collinson’s “History of Somerset” the author writes: “The singers’ gallery is placed in the belfry, and behind it is the front of an organ.” It was removed in 1867. The glass in the west window is 19th century and is in memory of Lydia King Raban.
The Tower Arch or West Arch of the Nave has small moulded capitals to the shafts and is 15th century in style.
The Nave
The nave has three bays on each side plus the two narrow arches at the eastern end which were inserted in 1867 when the old chancel arch was replaced by a new one. The three arches of the northern arcade are late medieval. The arcades have depressed arches, clustered pillars with wreathed capitals, and normal arch mouldings. The capitals are nearly vertical in section and are slightly hollowed on each side. The southern arcade (3 arches) was constructed in 1834 when the south aisle was added. It matches the northern arcade except that the capitals are fully vertical.
The waggon roof with only a single purlin may date from the early 17th century. New timbers can be seen at the east end where the 1867 reconstruction was done.
The Pulpit is of Caen stone and is 19th century
The Chancel Arch is the work of Sir George Gilbert Scott and was built in 1867.
The Dove on the lectern is in memory of Rear Admiral Hugh Webb Faulkner, CB, CBE, DSO, DL.(See Historical Note page 12)
The North Aisle of the Nave
The West window has three lights with ogee cinquefoiled heads and tracery divided into three divisions by mullions carried up direct to the arch, the tracery consisting of four trefoiled lights. The splays of the window have trefoil headed stone panels. The window has been heavily restored. The glass in the window is 19th century in memory of Lt. Colonel W Raban and his son Lieut. W G Raban .
The oak screen at the west end of the aisle seems to be made from 17th century carved pulpit panelling.
The North Doorway. It is suggested that this narrow doorway, now blocked up, was the entrance to the family pew of the Lord of the Manor, which was in the north aisle of the nave.
The Three North Windows all have three lights with ogee trefoiled heads. The spandrels of the windows are richly carved with foliage. Immediately above the windows are flat wooden lintels, giving an unusual effect. Medieval glass. In the tracery lights of these windows are some interesting fragments of medieval glass. In the eastmost window is a figure of the Virgin Mary from an Annunciation scene. The other figure represents St. Paul. The middle window contains fragments of glass including the head of a male saint in profile. The westernmost window contains a male head high up in the tracery, and below, portions of two figures of angels of suns, and of canopy work. The date of the glass is circa 1500 AD.
The Aisle Roof is of low pitch with moulded beams forming panels which are divided and subdivided by lesser ribs without bosses It is largely late medieval.
The Eastern Arch leading into the north aisle of the chancel was built soon after 1825.
The South Aisle
The south aisle was added in 1834.
The Windows. The two south windows and the west window are very similar to the west window of the north aisle.
The glass in the west window is 19th century and the work or A. Gibbs. It is in memory of Ellen, widow of Lt. Colonel W Raban.
The roof is of similar construction to the roof of the north aisle.
The font is octagonal, with quatrefoiled panels, and has narrow trefoil headed panels on the shaft. It is probably of the 15th century. The arch leading into the south transept vestry is 19th century.
Brigadier Hamilton Gault Bronze (1882-1958). in the floor of the south aisle is a bronze tablet in memory of Brigadier A Hamilton Gault, DSO, ED, CD.
The South Doorway viewed from the porch has a depressed pointed arch under a square head with the date 1530 on a shield in one of the spandrels. The other spandrel -has a floral device. This doorway was probably the entrance to the nave and was moved to its present position when the south aisle was added.
List of Rectors. Inside the church near the south door is a list of Rectors going back to the year 1311. There is an earlier record of a rector dated 1206.
The Chancel
The Chancel Arch was built in 1867. The north arch leading into the north aisle was built soon after 1825.
The waggon roof has a central purlin and two lateral ones. At fifteen points where the purlins and rafters cross are bosses in the form of flowers. The bosses and purlins are brightly painted.
The East window with three cinquefoiled headed lights is early 15th century. The glass is 19th century.
The Altar and Reredos are 19th century and so are the floor tiles near the altar.
The Kneelers were embroidered by the ladies of Hatch Beauchamp in the 1960’s.
The South Window near the west end was formerly an outside window. It is rather sharply pointed and has two cinquefoiled ogee headed lights. It is in the 15th century style. The mullion has been removed because of the addition of the south transept where the organ is now situated. The North window near the east end is similar in style and was formerly thought to be a 15th century window heavily restored. However, a plan of the church by George Gilbert Scott shows no window in this position and it must therefore be a 19th century window put in after 1867.
The Aumbry or Credence below is also 19th century, and so is the Piscina in the south wall near the east end. The door in the south wall with a pointed arch formerly led to the outside. It is the oldest architectural feature of the church and is 14th century or possibly earlier. The wall through which it leads is 3 feet 3 inches thick, which could indicate a 13th century date for the masonry.
The Painting is thus described by Collinson in his “history of Somerset” (1791): “In the Chancel over the altar is a tine painting of Our Saviour just taken down from the cross. This painting is 8 ft. by 9′ 6″., in a gilt frame, and above is painted a crimson festoon curtain, fringed with gold, which fills up the whole end wall.” The painting is in the Flemish 17th century style. The identity of the artist has not been satisfactorily established. The picture was moved to its present position in the 19th century.
The Chard Memorial Window is the large three-light window on the south side of the chancel near the altar. It was installed in 1899 replacing an earlier window and it is in memory of Colonel J R M Chard, VC.
The Sedilia below was erected at the same time as the window.
NORTH AISLE OF CHANCEL
North Aisle of Chancel
The faculty for building a ‘Family Pew’ by H P Collins is dated July 6th 1825. This extension to the church must have been done soon after this date, and almost certainly before 1827, when H P Collins was High Sheriff
The two arches, the one leading into the north aisle of the nave and the other into the chancel are both early 19th century. The east window of this aisle was formerly the east window of the north aisle of the nave, and was moved to its present position when the “family pew” was built.
The north window is early 19th century and is a copy of the north windows of the north aisle of the nave. The glass in the north window is in memory of W H P Gore Langton, and the glass in the east window is in memory of Lady Anna Eliza Mary Gore Langton.
The South Transept
The Vestry room was added to the chancel in 1834. It has the old chancel doorway leading into it, and a new doorway to the outside in its east wall. It has a gable and a south window modelled on the windows of the south aisle but greater in height. The organ by Osmond of Taunton is in memory of Mr I T Johnston, a churchwarden, who died in 1936.
The Board in the vestry describing the enlargement of the church in 1834 should be noted.
Bench-Ends
There are some remarkable bench-ends and seat-backs with vigorous and unusual carving. Approximately one third are late medieval, and the rest were carved in the 19th century by Samuel Blackmore, a member of the congregation. In the Churchwardens’ accounts of 1839/40 it is recorded that a sum of £35.18.33/4d was paid to Mr. Samuel Blackmore “for renewing part of the church and setting up the oak seats.” Samuel Blackmore died in 1886, aged 86. His grave is in the churchyard. Amongst the subjects illustrated on the bench-ends are St. John the Baptist, St. George and the Dragon, and the Resurrection. There are also three bench-ends depicting cocks fighting.
The 18th century oak chest with plain panels should be noted.
The Bells
There are five bells viz: (I) Treble Bell 1951 by Mears and Stainbank,
Whitechapel Bell Foundry Ltd; (2) Secoirci Bell by Thos. Purdue of Closworth 1681: (3) Third Bell by Ceo. Purdue of Taunton 1622/3: (4) Fourth Bell Pre-Reformation, Exeter Foundry; (5) Tenor Bell by Thos. Bilbie of Cullompton 1804. The treble bell was paid for by voluntary subscription which was organised by Mr. William Mills. He died in 1968, having been a member of the choir for 72 years. The bell has engraved upon it ‘All Safe Home” in gratitude for all the men of the village having returned home alive from the 1939-45 war. In the 1914-18 war 12 men of the village were killed. Their names are recorded on the Cross in the Lady Alice Gore Langton Memorial Field (see page II).
The Church Plate
This consists of: (1) Silver 9″ Communion Paten 1839; (2) Silver Communion Flagon 1790. This is made from a Hester Bateman lidded tankard to which has been added a lip and a base; (3) Silver 8 Tazza 1714. made by Thos. Port; (4) Silver Communion Chalice, 1755.
The Church Records and Registers
The older ones consist of: (I) Baptisms 1760-1811(2)1760 Marriage. one entry; (3) Burials 1761-1812; (4) Marriages and Banns 1779-1812; (5) Marriages 1813-1840; (6) Marriage Licences 1816-1870; (7) Church-wardens’ Accounts 1726-1919; (8) Faculty for Family Pew 1825; (9) Plan of Church by George Gilbert Scott; (10) Vestry Minute Book 1828-1879. These records are in the Somerset County Record Office and can be seen on application.
The Benefice
The united benefice of Hatch Beauchamp with Beercrocombe is in the patronage of the Church Trust Fund Trustees of London.
The Church Yard
On the south side of the church is a curious monument. It bears the following inscription on its west side: “In memory of John Symes, who departed this life March 19th, 1798, aged 67. He lived a servant with ye late John Collins Esq. of this Parish upwards of 34 years.” On the north side will be found: “W.H. 1688.” The significance of the latter inscription is not known, but the period of the obelisk and base seem to be 17th century. To the north west of the tower is an early gravestone in memory of Frances Peres, son of Thomas Peres. The interest of this is that the oldest house situated in the village, part of which dates back to 1500, is called by this name but now spelt Perris.
The Chard Canal and Hatch Beauchamp Railway
Ian McKen, 9th March 2015
Passenger services on the Taunton-Chard railway were withdrawn in 1962 and the line closed completely in 1964. Some of the features of the railway such as bridges and embankments are visible in the vicinity of Hatch and part of the line is used as a cycle path near Ilminster. In 1986 the A358 bypass was opened providing great relief from the heavy traffic that used to pass through the village.
The Chard canal was built to link the Taunton and Bridgwater canal at Creech St Michael to the Chard Basin. This is the piece of land now occupied by B & Q and the adjacent housing development on Furnham Road.
The proposal was put forward by a group of wealthy Bristol businessmen, Isaac Cooke, John and William Cave, Joseph Cookson and Joseph Reynolds. This group not only had an interest in the development of Chard and its growing industries which included wool and lace mills, but also in the continued success of the Bridgwater and Taunton canal in which they also held interests.
In 1830 they commissioned James Green the county surveyor for Devon to carry out a feasibility study for the building of a canal. This study wasn’t completed until 1833.
They then applied for and received the necessary Acts of Parliament in 1834, 1840 and 1841 and work began on building the canal at Wrantage in 1835. The initial cost was estimated at £57,000 but by completion of the canal in May 1842 it had risen to £147,000.
The 13 ½ mile canal was technically advanced in that it used inclined planes in place of locks to gain height. There were four of these, at Chard Common, Ilminster, Wrantage and Thornfalcon. There were also two aqueducts, one at Creech and the other at Wrantage. Two tunnels were constructed at Crimson Hill and Lillesdon. The total difference in height between Creech and Chard was 231 feet.
By the time the canal opened in May 1842 the railway had reached Taunton and had the project been delayed for 5 years it is probable that it would never had been built.
The only surviving records of goods carried on the canal come from the British Transport Records office for the years of 1855 to 1856. Goods carried were stated as coal, coal slack, stone, slate, pig iron grain, wool and salt.
These goods would probably have been transported by rail after 1866.
By the 1860’s the canal was in decline and heavily mortgaged. It was finally bought by the Bristol and Exeter Railway (B & ER) for £5,945 and closed completely in 1866.
The Chard and Taunton Railway Company, born out of the Chard Canal Company, was granted parliamentary authority on 6th August 1861 to build a new railway line from Chard to Taunton thus joining the L&SWR ( London & South West Railway) at Chard and the B & ER ( Bristol & Exeter Railway) line at Creech St Michael. The act gave both the B&ER & L&SWR powers of subscription. However, due to the lack of investment the B&ER was granted a further Act of Parliament in 1863 allowing it to take over the Chard & Taunton Railway company and build a broad gauge single line track ( 7ft ¼ inch wide) .The plans for the construction of the railway were drawn up by Henry Conybeare esq, Engineer, of 20 Duke Street Westminster. The plans can be seen at the Somerset Heritage Centre.
Lady Anna Gore-Langton performed the ceremony of cutting the first sod in September 1863. The appointed contractors were Logan & Rennie and the engineer , a local man, was John Fox of Hatch. All the engineering works , including the 154yard long Hatch Tunnel, were built to accommodate double track but only one was ever laid. The line was opened to passenger traffic on 11th September 1866 and to goods traffic the following March.
Stations were built at Hatch, Ilminster and Chard. A further station was built at Thorne Falcon in 1871, renamed Thorn in 1890 and Thornfalcon in 1902. Two Halts were built in 1928 at Ilton & Donyatt.
The GWR ( Great Western Railway) absorbed the B&ER on 1st January 1876. Most other railway companies had built their lines in narrow gauge (4ft 8 1/2inches). With an eye on being able to gain access and running rights on other lines the GWR gradually changed all its broad gauge track to standard gauge ( 4ft 8 ½ inches). The Taunton to Chard line was one of the last to be converted and this was completed in one day ,19th July 1891, by 400 men. A considerable feat given that the line was almost 13 miles long!
Hatch Station had a goods shed and a signal box built around 1892. They were removed from service in 1956. The line was nationalised in 1948 and became a victim of the Beeching cuts of 1962. The passenger service was withdrawn on 10th September 1962, the line was closed completely on 6th July 1964 and the removal of the track was completed by December 1967.
Hatch Station is now used as an industrial unit by Sterling Products. The station building and the Goods Shed are now designated as Grade 2 listed buildings.
Amongst other goods the line was used to transport coal from South Wales which had been unloaded at Dunball Wharf, Bridgwater, and it appears that a coal merchant’s business was set up at the station by a Richard Bulpin around 1872 and seems to have changed ownership around 1910 when G Small and Sons took it over. (Kelly)
The first mention of a Station Master at Hatch is in 1872 and states a William Meer as Station Master who was in post until 1875. The next entry in 1889 identifies an Alexander Hillier as Station Master and from 1894 until around 1914 the Station Master in named as John Smallridge.
The 1923 entry names Edward Cole as Station Master and again in 1935. (Kelly)
The railway was never a huge commercial success and had to compete against the ever increasing and cheaper bus services and heavy goods vehicles now plying the ever improving road sytems.
Kelly. (n.d.). Kelly’s directory of Somerset 1872 to 1935. , Oakley, M. (n.d.). Somerset Stations.
Spellers, J. (n.d.). GWR Broadgauge., Wikipedia. (n.d.). , Maggs, C. (n.d.). Branch lines of Somerset
Chard History Group. 1967