History

The village abounds in picturesque cottages, mainly eighteenth century. and the centre of the village was declared a conservation area a few years ago. This measure had its effect in preserving the character of the village, preventing inapptopriate or incompatible building development. At the same time, lorries and other heavy vehicles were re-routed to avoid the village, mainly thanks to the efforts ofMaj.Gen. Ralph Cruddas. who led the fight against the regrettable tendency of commerce to disregard antiquity, and to whom a great debt of gratitude is owed by the village. Property values have soared, and prices reflect the high regard in which the village is held. In the early 1960s it was still possible to buy a cottage for as little as fifty pounds, and at an auction sale held at the ‘George’ Inn in 1962, several were sold at or near that price.
A.W.Coysh in his informative book, “The Mendips”, tells us that in 1950 the castle, together with its moat, lawns and water, and described in the auctioneer’s catalogue as ‘a valuable relic of domestic architecture of the late fourteenth century or Plantagenet era’ was put up for auction. The bidding opened with an offer of only £150. and finally the castle, together with the title ‘Lord of the Manor’, was knocked down to its present owner, Mr. Rob Walker, for £600.
Mr.Walker lives at Nunney Court, an imposing house built, or rebuilt, by Isaac Fussell, who took over the Nunney iron works from his uncle, John Fussell, and whose works now rust away in the grounds.
As one would expect, the village contains many interesting characters. There are still several survivors from World War I, perhaps the best known being an elderly gentleman who campaigned in what was known as Mesopotamia — now Iraq — and some whose memories carry them back to the days before man first took to the air. One lady treasures the recollection of the day when, as a child of three, her parents having impressed her with the importance of the occasion, she was present to see Queen Victoria come ashore at Holyhead after a Jubilee visit to Ireland in 1897.
Nunney men have served in far places, and ‘some there be which have no memorial. .’ It is probable that some saw service with the old Thirteenth Foot, the Somersets, in the Afghan wars of the nineteenth century. In one of the north windows of the church some fine stained glass depicts the regimental crests of the Somersets, with the mural crown inscribed with the legend ‘Jellalabad’ and the Royal Artillery with its grandiose claim ‘Ubique’, being memorials to Nunney men of those regiments who died in the South African war.
An active village values its traditions, and seeks properly to maintain them, In 1959 the Nunney Fair was revived. Its main purpose was to acquire funds for the reclamation and restoration of the old Nunney cross, which many years before had been removed to Whatley. The cross was recovered and re-erected on a conspicuous riverside site between the castle and the church, and the Fair has now become a popular and profitable annual event. Similarly the Flower Show once again enjoys the enthusiastic support it received in former times.

In the Beginning Page1 Page2
The Last Invasion Page3 Page4 Page5 Page6 Page7 Page8 Page9

	History The village abounds in picturesque cottages, mainly eighteenth century. and the centre of the village was declared a conservation area a few years ago. This measure had its effect in preserving the character of the village, preventing inapptopriate or incompatible building development. At the same time, lorries and other heavy vehicles were re-routed to avoid the village, mainly thanks to the efforts ofMaj.Gen. Ralph Cruddas. who led the fight against the regrettable tendency of commerce to disregard antiquity, and to whom a great debt of gratitude is owed by the village. Property values have soared, and prices reflect the high regard in which the village is held. In the early 1960s it was still possible to buy a cottage for as little as fifty pounds, and at an auction sale held at the ‘George’ Inn in 1962, several were sold at or near that price. A.W.Coysh in his informative book, “The Mendips”, tells us that in 1950 the castle, together with its moat, lawns and water, and described in the auctioneer’s catalogue as ‘a valuable relic of domestic architecture of the late fourteenth century or Plantagenet era’ was put up for auction. The bidding opened with an offer of only £150. and finally the castle, together with the title ‘Lord of the Manor’, was knocked down to its present owner, Mr. Rob Walker, for £600. Mr.Walker lives at Nunney Court, an imposing house built, or rebuilt, by Isaac Fussell, who took over the Nunney iron works from his uncle, John Fussell, and whose works now rust away in the grounds. As one would expect, the village contains many interesting characters. There are still several survivors from World War I, perhaps the best known being an elderly gentleman who campaigned in what was known as Mesopotamia — now Iraq — and some whose memories carry them back to the days before man first took to the air. One lady treasures the recollection of the day when, as a child of three, her parents having impressed her with the importance of the occasion, she was present to see Queen Victoria come ashore at Holyhead after a Jubilee visit to Ireland in 1897. Nunney men have served in far places, and ‘some there be which have no memorial. .’ It is probable that some saw service with the old Thirteenth Foot, the Somersets, in the Afghan wars of the nineteenth century. In one of the north windows of the church some fine stained glass depicts the regimental crests of the Somersets, with the mural crown inscribed with the legend ‘Jellalabad’ and the Royal Artillery with its grandiose claim ‘Ubique’, being memorials to Nunney men of those regiments who died in the South African war. An active village values its traditions, and seeks properly to maintain them, In 1959 the Nunney Fair was revived. Its main purpose was to acquire funds for the reclamation and restoration of the old Nunney cross, which many years before had been removed to Whatley. The cross was recovered and re-erected on a conspicuous riverside site between the castle and the church, and the Fair has now become a popular and profitable annual event. Similarly the Flower Show once again enjoys the enthusiastic support it received in former times. In the Beginning Page1 Page2 The Last Invasion Page3 Page4 Page5 Page6 Page7 Page8 Page9