Milborne Port, Somerset

Description
Milborne Port, a small town and a parish in Somerset. The town stands at the foot of a hill, on a small affluent of the river Yeo, three-quarters of a mile WNW of the boundary with Dorsetshire, and has a station on the L. & S.W.R., 114 miles from London, and 2 3/4 NE by E of Sherborne, and has a post, money order, and telegraph office. It took its name from its situation on a mill-stream, and from the Saxon word port, signifying a borough; was a place of some consequence prior to the Norman conquest; is a borough by prescription, having still nine capital bailiffs; sent two members to Parliament in the time of Edward III., and from that of Charles I. till the passing of the Act of 1832, but then was disfranchised ; was long a market-town, but has ceased to be so; possesses still the pediment and steps of an ancient market-cross ; has also a curious old town-hall, half a cottage, with a Norman doorway; has likewise a ball-court, erected by Sir William Medlycott for the use of its inhabitants; was occupied for some time by a party of Cromwell's soldiers, who provoked the townspeople to rise against them, and drive them from the town; consists now chiefly of detached houses; and has a good inn, a church, and Congregational and Wes-leyan chapels. The church is Norman; was restored in 1869; consists of nave, aisles, transept, and chancel, with a large tower; and contains monuments of the Medlycotts. Fairs are held on 5 June and 28 Oct.; a manufacture of cloth, dowlas, and stockings was formerly considerable; but glove-making, leather-dressing, and shoemaking are now the staple trades. The parish contains also the tithing of Kingsbury Regis and the hamlet of Milborne Wick. Acreage, 3381; population, 1951. Venn House, a red brick mansion of somewhat unique appearance, built by Inigo Jones, is the seat of the Medlycotts, who are lords of the manor. An ancient camp is at Milborne Wick. The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Bath and Wells; value, £110 with residence.