History

In 1968 the village suffered a serious blow: the ‘George’ Inn was suddenly closed by the brewery, and for a time the heart seemed to go out of the community. Fortunately a far-sighted purchaser bought the empty premises, extended them tastefully, and re-opened them as a free house, thus restoring an important local amenity. The inn, with its sign suspended by special permission from an iron arch spanning the road, continues to thrive, with the present owners making a major contribution to the life of the village. As well as encouraging local trade, their hostelry plays an essential role in providing hospitality and accommodation for the many British and overseas visitors who come to enjoy a picturesque corner of British history.
The main event of recent years was the Nunney Festival. This was held in 1971, and served to indulge that love of the past which lies deep in most of us. Events included a procession in hisitorical costumes, the dramatic floodlighting of the castle and church, a medieval banquet, and a son et lumiere, recounting the history of the village, as the climax of the celebrations.
The castle provides a constant reminder of days gone by, helping to put present trouhles, national or personal, in perspective. Perhaps best seen in silhouette against the northern sky as daylight fades, it offers a grim and massive permanence strangely comforting in a restless age. It has endured. Behind it, across the Mendips, the old chiefs sleep in their monumental mounds: the legions have long departed, and the dispossessed Saxons have absorbed their Norman conquerors.

‘The traffic passes along Ridgeway, where the feet of the tribes fell. . .‘ and Nonna’s village rests in its comfortable hollow.

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

	History In 1968 the village suffered a serious blow: the ‘George’ Inn was suddenly closed by the brewery, and for a time the heart seemed to go out of the community. Fortunately a far-sighted purchaser bought the empty premises, extended them tastefully, and re-opened them as a free house, thus restoring an important local amenity. The inn, with its sign suspended by special permission from an iron arch spanning the road, continues to thrive, with the present owners making a major contribution to the life of the village. As well as encouraging local trade, their hostelry plays an essential role in providing hospitality and accommodation for the many British and overseas visitors who come to enjoy a picturesque corner of British history. The main event of recent years was the Nunney Festival. This was held in 1971, and served to indulge that love of the past which lies deep in most of us. Events included a procession in hisitorical costumes, the dramatic floodlighting of the castle and church, a medieval banquet, and a son et lumiere, recounting the history of the village, as the climax of the celebrations. The castle provides a constant reminder of days gone by, helping to put present trouhles, national or personal, in perspective. Perhaps best seen in silhouette against the northern sky as daylight fades, it offers a grim and massive permanence strangely comforting in a restless age. It has endured. Behind it, across the Mendips, the old chiefs sleep in their monumental mounds: the legions have long departed, and the dispossessed Saxons have absorbed their Norman conquerors. ‘The traffic passes along Ridgeway, where the feet of the tribes fell. . .‘ and Nonna’s village rests in its comfortable hollow. ----------------------------------------- In the Beginning Page1 Page2 The Last Invasion Page3 Page4 Page5 Page6 Page7 Page8 Page9