Welcome to our website
Witham Friary is a small village situated between Frome and Bruton. It's mentioned in the Domesday Book and gets its name from a Carthusian priory.
If you'd like to see the Domesday Book entry,
it's here.
The Village Hall, the Parish Church and the Seymour Arms are at the heart of village life here. There's always plenty going
on in Witham Friary, and visitors are always made to feel very welcome.
Wild Boar and Red Deer
There has recently been a release of wild boar and red deer in the Witham Friary area. Neither of these species is native to our locality and this release poses a number of problems.
Firstly the wild boar can be very dangerous. They are difficult to see at night as they are black, move at a surprisingly high speed and can cause significant damage to gardens and other tended spaces. If you are driving, walking or riding (and especially if you have children with you) please keep a good look-out for their presence. It is possible that, particularly as their food resources dwindle during winter, they may start to venture nearer to houses and gardens to seek out any available food (e.g. waste bins, fallen friut from trees etc).
Secondly, the red deer do not, as such, pose a hazard to domestic properties but can cause severe damage to local crops and displacement of our local roe and fallow deer. Also they can cause problems for drivers and horse riders. Remember, deer are flight animals and, if startled, may run unpredictably.
So that a record can be kept of where and how many there are (wild boar can increase their numbers very quickly), Beth Horstmann has agreed to act as co-ordinator to keep a record of sightings of both species and, to help her in this, it would be very helpful if you could provide details of any sightings (date, time, place, numbers and any pictures).
Her contact details are
beth@blackarabianstud.com (emails) and 07795 342913 (texts, whatsapp).
Local Corona Virus Information
Parish Council Meetings
Parish Council meetings will now be held as 'virtual' meetings until further notice. Please contact the Parish Clerk if you would like an invitation to attend a meeting. The Parish Clerk's contact details are on the Parish Council page under 'contact details'.
Re-opening of the Playpatch
From Saturday 4
th July 2020, following the latest guidance issued by the government,
the Parish Council will be re-opening the Village Playpatch for residents to use.
Although the risk of catching coronavirus is lower when outdoors, the virus can remain active on surfaces. So to protect the health of everyone when using the playpatch, the following instructions are to be followed:
- Children must be accompanied by an adult, who should ensure that the two metre social distancing rule is maintained.
One child only per equipment.
- If you or your child has any symptom related to coronavirus, such as a persistent cough or high temperature, do not go to the playpatch. Follow the instructions at www.gov.uk/coronavirus.
- Apply hand sanitizer before and after using the play equipment. Please bring this with you and wash your hands when you return home.
- If the area becomes too busy and spacing becomes a problem, please leave and return at a quieter time.
- Please limit your time in the playpatch to 30 minutes so that others can have a go.
- Do not take food or drink into the playpatch.
Enjoy and stay safe.
Somerset Waste Partnership 20/03/20
The Frome recycling site will reopen on 11/05/2020 but
please note the restrictions below:
Only make a journey if it is absolutely essential!
Opening hours will be Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays 0900 - 1800, Saturdays and Sundays 0900 - 1600
Access will be controlled by number plates: Odd numbers Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays and even numbers on the other days.
Maximum of 2 people per household and social distancing rules will be enforced.
No people with Covid-19 symptoms.
No large vehicles (3.5 tonne or heavier).
No Trailers.
No items that would be charged for, or commercial waste, asbestos or plasterboard.
Gloves to be worn outside vehicles.
Only items allowed: Refuse usually put in rubbish bin, furniture, garden waste, large electrical items (e.g. TVs, cookers, fridges) and hazardous chemicals such as those from garden sheds or garages.
...and...
Garden waste collection service will restart on 11/05/2020
Suspension of collection of bulky waste from
inside properties
Suspension of assistance in removing waste from vehicles at collection centres
Important information for our parishioners
Corona virus - Covid-19
Witham Parish Council notice - This is a potential problem which may affect you and others you know in the
local community - please follow the
government guidance (document opens in a new page).
This link should be the latest guidance but we can't guarantee
that as it depends on the government updating their web page, so please search the Internet if you believe
it may not be.
Following the very recent government announcements, please can I emphasise that Witham Friary has a growing group of people who are happy to help if you need support - for shopping, dog walking or a chat (phone or at least 2 metres between the chatters).
All you need to do is to contact Maddy Ferrari who can arrange this for you. Her contact numbers are 07809 254989 or 01749 850790 and her email address is maddyferrari@btinternet.com.
We are already aware of people talking to neighbours and offering help (which is what we would expect in such a great village) however
please be aware that there are already scammers in other parts of the country offering to shop for people, so be wary of accepting help from people you don't know. Perhaps ask them their name, where in Witham Friary they live, to describe their home, provide their postcode or please feel free to check their name with Maddy.
And, most importantly, lets not forget that good things carry on even through a crisis, so (while excercising or driving to get essential items) enjoy the lovely primroses and the first bluebells that line the village lanes!
Witham Water
The Parish Council is actively engaged with Bristol Water regarding alternative arrangements for the supply
of water to the village. The Duke of Somerset's Estate are as keen as we are to achieve a seamless transition
to different management of our supply and are aware that may take some time. We are awaiting a written report
from Bristol Water and will advise and discuss with all interested parties when we have identified viable options.
Pubs and Clubs - see here what this lovely village has to offer
A very warm welcome awaits all cricket lovers.
Witham Friary Cricket Club exists for the benefit of the residents of Witham Friary in Somerset.
Membership not only allows you to play for the club, but will give you access to the nets whilst supporting
the great English tradition that is village cricket.
Please don't view lack of ability or experience as a reason for not joining as all are welcome. All we ask is a love of cricket,
a willingness to join in, and from those of you who have already mastered the art,
a tolerance of those who have never played before or haven't picked up a bat since school days.
See details about this great club
here
on Yahoo Goups!
They do a lot of good work for local charity and also run really fun events in the village.
You can link to their Facebook page by clicking
here
. Warning - I've found this rather slow to load so please be patient!
The Sustainable Witham Group
This is a local group dedicated to promote ideas on how Witham Friary villagers can individually
and as a community achieve zero carbon emissions by 2030, increase biodiversity and wildlife in the
village and work cooperatively to help the village become more sustainable.
Their website is here.
This amazing village pub is one of the rarest types of its kind in the country.
Built in the 1860's, partly as a farm, and partly as a hotel to serve the nearby Mid-Somerset GWR branch railway station,
it was originally part of the Duke of Somerset's estate.
Beer, cider and spirits are served from a glass panelled hatch in the central hallway in the traditional way.
You'll find a warm welcome from the locals who frequent this pub!
This is CAMRA's description of this very special pub.
See below for a YouTube video made in this pub in 2009.
If you want to contact the Seymour Arms they are on 01749 850742. They do have an alternative number which is 01749 684280.
The original building dates from around 1200. It was altered in a transitional style in 1828, and then rebuilt and extended 1875 by William White in "Muscular Gothic" style.
Service details can be found here.
'Village Voices' - Reminiscences of Witham Friary
Recorded by the Witham Friary History Project and published for the first time in this collection, residents of the parish recount life in the village from the 1920s onwards; country courtships; wartime; Beeching's axe; farm, school and pub.
Edited with a wry sense of humour and a powerful sense of history, the collection contains 12 evocative transcripts on England through seasons and years.
'Village Voices' is available for purchase from the Seymour Arms, price £10.00
To order a copy of Village Voices by post please send a cheque made payable to The Witham Friary History Society for £12.50 (£10 + £2.50 p&p) to:
The Witham Friary History Society, Friarsmede, Witham Friary, Somerset BA11 5HD