Timberscombe

Timberscombe
St. Petrock's church
File:Bickham - geograph.org.uk - 269829.jpg Bickham
Timberscombe  Timberscombe shown within Somerset
Population	402 (2011)
OS grid reference	SS924387
District	West Somerset
Shire county	Somerset
Region	South West
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	MINEHEAD
Postcode district	TA24
Dialling code	01643
Police	Avon and Somerset
Fire	Devon and Somerset
Ambulance	South Western
EU Parliament	South West England
UK Parliament	Bridgwater and West Somerset
List of places UK England Somerset

Timberscombe is a village and civil parish on the River Avill 2.5 miles (4 km) south-west of Dunster, and 5.5 miles (9 km) south of Minehead within the Exmoor National Park in Somerset, England. The parish includes the hamlet of Bickham.

History

The parish was part of the hundred of Carhampton.

Governance

The parish council has responsibility for local issues, including setting an annual precept (local rate) to cover the council’s operating costs and producing annual accounts for public scrutiny. The parish council evaluates local planning applications and works with the local police, district council officers, and neighbourhood watch groups on matters of crime, security, and traffic. The parish council's role also includes initiating projects for the maintenance and repair of parish facilities, as well as consulting with the district council on the maintenance, repair, and improvement of highways, drainage, footpaths, public transport, and street cleaning. Conservation matters (including trees and listed buildings) and environmental issues are also the responsibility of the council.

The village falls within the Non-metropolitan district of West Somerset, which was formed on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, having previously been part of Williton Rural District. The district council is responsible for local planning and building control, local roads, council housing, environmental health, markets and fairs, refuse collection and recycling, cemeteries and crematoria, leisure services, parks, and tourism.

Somerset County Council is responsible for running the largest and most expensive local services such as education, social services, libraries, main roads, public transport, policing and fire services, trading standards, waste disposal and strategic planning.

It is also part of the Bridgwater and West Somerset county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election, and part of the South West England constituency of the European Parliament which elects seven MEPs using the d'Hondt method of party-list proportional representation.

Geography

The 13 ha (33 acres) Bickham Wood, which is run as a nature reserve by the Somerset Wildlife Trust, comprises very wet, ancient, semi-natural woodland on the edge of the Brendon Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Landmarks

Knowle Manor is a Grade II listed country house that is let as an exclusive use holiday and wedding venue.Dating from 1878 on the site of an earlier building, it was built by J. D. Sedding, the architect to the Diocese of Bath and Wells, for Mr Hole.

Religious sites

Main article: Church of St Petrock, Timberscombe

The church is dedicated to Saint Petroc, who probably visited the parish in the 6th century. The church has a 15th-century tower, the rest of the building dating from 1708. It has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade I listed building.

Notable residents

• J. P. Martin (1879–1966) Methodist minister and children's author

External links

• Village website