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Somerset around Ilminster which is south of Taunton the county Town
Donyatt at Domesday - 1068 4 villagers. 17 smallholders. And extensive woodland
Tenant-in-chief in 1086: Abey of Athelney (St Peter) Lords in 1086: Ralph of Limésy; Count Robert of Mortain; Roger of Courseulles. passed from the de Vaux family to Sir Thomas Moulton by 1317, and then through the Stretche and Beauchamp families to the Spekes who built Jordans as their mansion, which was demolished in the 1960s
The Montacute family held the manor of Donyatt in the 1300's and built a castle or fortified manor house there.
19TH CENTURY
Samuel Pomeroy of Broadway Bachelor married by banns 19 April 1775 to Sarah Davy of Donyatt
From where did this Samuel originate ?
Samuel Pomeroy Banns of Marriage at Donyatt 5 Mar 1809 wife Jane Phillips witnesses Edward Dinham & Elizabeth Pomeroy
Baptisms of twins John & Jane Bb 17 Jan 1810 -at Donyatt Somerset to Samuel and Jane - I think Jane may have died at the same time because
12 Feb 1811 a widowed Samuel Pomeroy married at Donyatt 2nd wife Mary Diamons from Ashhill
Son John Bb 1 April 1812 to Sam & Mary in Donyatt
1811 John Pomeroy b ABOUT 1811 died age 24 - buried 8 Nov 1835 in Broadway Som, Click HERE to enlarge Map
Rowland's Mill is a hamstone watermill dating from the 17th century - seen here before restoration in 1995
lace makers -
Blue fields of flax
DONYATT an ancient village with an interesting history, 2½ miles S.W. of Ilminster, - its 19th C inhabitants chiefly employed in the potteries and woollen-mills.
At Dowlish Ford, possibly in the latter part of the 17th century, a silk Mill was operating 'throwing' silk . The silk arrived from China, India or Turkey as the raw cocoons or as a mass of extracted fibres. These delicate fibres were& still are, washed to remove the glue, sericin gum, by what the silk worms formed their cocoons . It is then reeled into skeins , given a twist and wound onto bobbins. After that the threads are twisted together into a single fibre called doubling.
Locally to Donyatt in the C18th woollen mills and quarrying were also important industries and in Ilminster and Dunpole these were called marl pits .
The row of 6 Almshouses on Church Street, which still serve their original purpose, were built in 1624 , using the honey coloured Bath stone , by a successful London Clothier. Their purpose was the maintenance and support of three unmarried men of at least 56 plus three unmarried women over 50 . With its income it provided each almshouse resident with 3/0 shillings (15 p) a week to buy fuel and necessities with a bonus at Christmas of 10/0s (50)A and in addition, each man was given a blue great coat and each woman a cloak.
Susanna ??P ? dau of John & Sarah Bb at Combe St Nicholas Som 17 Aug 1735 Combe St Nicholas is 3 miles north of Chard
Susanna Pomeroy Buckland St Mary Som Banns of marriage to John Hitchcock 1755 Buckland St Mary if 6 miles to the W. of Ilminster
Susanna Pomeroy of Broadway spinster marriage by banns to John Gillet widower of Broadway 5 August 1772 witnesses William Colman & Henry Warry
1812 John Pomeroy died buried at Buckland St Mary Som 20 Dec 1812
Daughter Betty Bb 1816 to Sam & Mary
DONYATT
Elizabeth Pomeroy 1834 marriage to William Trower at Donyatt
Elizabeth Pomeroy Born 1805 (place unknown) died 1878 buried at Chard Som
Jane born 1809 (place uncertain) died age 22 buried 25 Sept 1831 at Broadway
Samuel Pomeroy of Donyatt born 1779 died age 52 buried in Broadway Som 20 Nov 1831 b
The Alms Houses
From the C12th there were potteries in Donyatt making ordinary everyday pottery items . Now prized examples of rustic ceramics examples of Donyatt pottery have been found such far flung places as Virginia and Maryland in USA ; http://www.donyatt.com/Pottedhistory.htm
Nearby Dowlish was certainly a hive of industry with glove making in individual cottages; a flax factory at Higher Farmhouse productiong Dowlas Linen. Whilst at Moolham a field name , Silk Factory Yard , suggests that there was a silk industry there too. However they were not growing mulberry trees or using their own silk worms. In the fields when teams of oxen ploughed the land the fields had names such as Ox Barton, Oxenlease and the hamlet Oxenford. More here
C16th Higher Farmhouse was a flax factory producing Dowlas Linen.
Blue fields of flax in bloom were familiar sight all across England.
https://catalogue.millsarchive.org/rowlands-mill-ilminster.
Donyatt still has the old clay puddling house, ( Google Maps street level) The circular thatched building, which was part of the pottery & located around Crock Street where pottery making continued until after WWII.
Crock Street about a mile from the village to the south but nothing is now identifiable as potteries or kilns. The distinctive ceramics from this pottery & dating from the C18th has been identified in the USA, in Virginia & Maryland. More here
Another principal industry in all England in both the medieval and post-medieval period was the woollen textile industry which continued to flourish in the late 18th century.
The woollen mills around the village were usually located on streams which facilitated the washing of the raw wool before combing. Locals people would have found employment in the mills processing raw wool into woollen cloth.
A familiar name in places where wool was processed is Rackfield and field names such as “Rack close”
The cloth was 36 inches wide, the reach of a mans arm, & after it had been fulled ( shrunk) was hung on racks lengthwise, on tenter hooks. Although the main mills were along the river to the north and west, there is evidence that land close to Ilminster was being used for cloth-drying.
Racks for drying cloth are shown on 1768 map of the Ilminster area ( which I have yet to locate )
Racking fields exampled here in a 18th C map of Exeter
There is additional local information and a lovely old photo of haymaking & a haywain here
Connections to other places
Somerset. Record Office 1474-1687
Regarding North Wyke, "One messuage and four furlongs of land in North Wyke. (Could this be Rowden?)
3799M-0/ET/2/36 Date: 1376 Week. Grant for life. John of la Pomeray son of Henry of la Pomeray to 2. Stephen ate Brygg 3799M-0/ET/2/37 Date: 1396 Week. Lease for 60 years; John of la Pomeray knt., and Johanna his wife: to 2. Thomas Glaas:
c 1/944 Date 1538-1544: Somerset. This is sister of Anne, daughter of William: She married Humphrey Barnehous.
Humphrey BARNEHOUS, husband of Alice, daughter of William Wykes of Nynehead, v. William WYKES, son and executor of the said William.: Money promised to complainant on his marriage by the said William, who died possessed of the manor of Withiel Florey (Withyll) and lands there and in Ilchester, Uphill, Matcombe (i.e. Mackham, near Dunkeswell ?), and Hemyock.: SOMERSET, DEVON.
Note: Sir Richard Pomeroy (c 1441-1496) had a daughter Elizabeth, who married William Barnhouse. They had two daughters..
Agnes, b c 1510 married John Rowe of Totnes.
The Humphrey Barnhouse in the above record was born circa 1510-1520...wonder how he is related to William Barnhouse?
I wonder if he is brother in law of the Richard Pomeroy, esq who married Anne Wykes Artur?
Luttrell Family of Dunster Manustcipts
DD\L/P37 Series Box 37.
Repository Somerset Heritage Centre
Level Item
Ref No DD\L/P37/60
Title Deeds concerning lands in Colyton, Devon.
Description 37/60/1 Conveyance of lands etc in Northcote in Inworthy in the hundred of Blaketoryton and Shaketail Morecokkeeshayes Envorland and Trehill in the Hundred of Colyton co. Devon.
1 Joan widow of John Crakeham, daughter and heir of John Luttrell
2 George duke of Clarence, Thomas lord of ?Matrefas, lord John Arundel Kt, William Cortenay Kt, Thomas Selanger Kt, Philip Courtenay Kt, Humphrey Canberry, Richard Pomeroy, Robert Palmer, Richard Chichester, John Toke, John Hayes, Nicholas Stukele, esquires, Nicholas Southcote, Richard Ayer, Robert Sporeway and Thomas Boys, gents.
Seal: broken [as next]. Morecokkeshayes 18 Feb 1475
Q/SR/42 Item Sessions roll for 1623. 1623
Repository Somerset Heritage Centre
Level Piece
Ref No Q/SR/42/137
Title Examination.
Description Examination of Daniel Higgins of [Taunton?] St James, worsted comer and William Pomeroy of the same place, concerning the theft of worsted wool and yarn. JP: Thomas Brereton. 17 Mar 1322/3.
Date 17 Mar 1623
SOMERSET ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY COLLECTION c.995-20th cent
Bargain and Sale by Mary Pomeroy of Wells widow to her daughter Mary of all the pewter and brass, bedding and furniture in her dwelling house, and 'all manner of hucksters ware'. 23 Mar 1730
Limited Probate of the Will of Jane the wife of Charles Pomercy of Wells, hatter, 6 Mar 1760, proved PCC 11 Nov 1771 1760-1771.
being a hatter evidently had its rewards
Her Husband 's Will.
A little simple research reveals that both Henry VIII & James 1 attempted to establish silk production in England. Around 100,000 mulberry trees were bought and planted in the first quarter of the 17th century. The project failed not only because the species of tree they chose was unsuited to silk worms but the silkworms didn’t like the English climate
Silk weaving was introduced here in the 17th Century when Huguenots, fleeing persecution on the Continent, settled and created a thriving market at Spitalfields, in London. The raw silk had to be imported from China, India and Turkey and in the English countryside local women and children worked in their homes to make small silk items such as silk buttons and ribbons.
There was a thriving cottage industry of women sitting on their doorstep making lace, silk buttons (called buttony ) and ribbons, sewing gloves or , in Donyatt and around, making collars for the nearby factory at Dowlish Ford.
Flax was used to make linen, an essential fine cloth for mens shirts, nightshifts, ladies under garments such as petticoats and shifts, as well as table clothes & napery and it seeds - linseed once of the most ancient of crops - was ground into oil and for medicine . Flax is also used to make sails for sailing boats, ropes for those sailing boats and a variety of other working items.
Hogsboro, Woodbury St Thomas 1851. near Exeter
JAMES: B 1812: IN HAMLET OF Hoggsbrook. Woodbury, Devon.
A SAMUEL POMEROY, LABR. 1791 Had a lease along the stream on the Commons; 1791,
Married in Donyat. Samuel Pomeroy m 12 Feb 1811.
John Pomeroy b 1786 Ilminster, m Woodbury, Sarah Lindsey. 1812.
ASHILL Somerset -
Samuel Pomeroy from Broadway bachelor Banns date 12 Mar 1775 for marriage to Sarah Davy from Donyatt spinster
Marriage date 19 Apr 1775 Denomination Anglican Place Broadway witness William Upstill & Henry Warry Somerset
1809 Samuel Pomeroy of Doddington Bachelor married at Bruton to Jane Phillips spinster of Donyatt on 5 March 1809
Witnessed by Edward Dinham & Elizabeth Pomeroy
Jane Pomeroy Bb 17 Jan 1810 at Donyatt father Samuel Mother Jane but
Also found
Jane Pomeroy Bb 17 Jan 1810 at Donyatt father James mother Jane
No death entry in Somerset other than
Joane Pomerye buried Taunton St James 29 Dec exact year not given (BTs 1606 to 1812
Samuel Pomeroy of Donyat marriage married 12 Feb 1811 Mary Dimon at Ashill Phillimores
The on- line entry says ? 1785 Phillimore records it as 1811
Variations
Samuel Pomeroy of Donyatt Widowed 20 Jan 1811 BANNS of marriage at Ashill to Mary Demond of Ashill on 20 Jan 1811
One entry for these two had him from a non-existent place called Doner and her from Aller which does exist
All these are only 4 or so miles south of North Curry Curry Rivel & Fivehead
Donyatt 2½ miles S.W. of Ilminster, and its weekly market - 19th C inhabitants are chiefly employed in the potteries and woollen-mills.
ASHILL, a village and a parish in Chard district, Somerset. In 19th C it had 92 houses for its population of 445; by 2020 that is 529.
1068 4 villagers. 17 smallholders. And extensive woodland
Tenant-in-chief in 1086: Abey of Athelney (St Peter) Lords in 1086: Ralph of Limésy; Count Robert of Mortain; Roger of Courseulles.
passed from the de Vaux family to Sir Thomas Moulton by 1317, and then through the Stretche and Beauchamp families to the Spekes who built Jordans as their mansion, which was demolished in the 1960s
15th C Rowland Farm is the home of the Speke family ;
Rowland's Mill is a Hamstone watermill dating from the 17th century - have image before restoration in 1995
https://catalogue.millsarchive.org/rowlands-mill-ilminster
The Montacute family held the manor of Donyatt in the 1300's and built a castle or fortified manor house. The Arms houses are that lovely warm honey coloured stone
2 miles South of Ilminster. At Dowlish Ford was a silk mill where silk was thrown at Dowlish Mill, (Image) possibly in the later 18th century, and was eventually replaced by flax and hemp spinning
There were close connections between the Donyatt pottery dynasties and Ilminster, though there is no sign that kilns were located here.
The principal industry in both the medieval and post-medieval period was the textile industry which continued to flourish in the late 18th century. ILM/507
Racks Though the main mills were along the river to the north and west, there is evidence that land close to Ilminster was being used for cloth-drying.
A 1768 map shows two “Rack close” field names.
A SAMUEL POMEROY, LABR. Had a lease . ALONG STREAM ON THE COMMON; 1791,
I wonder. He would have probably lived on his leased land …along the stream
Pomeroys in the area
SAMUEL POMEROY, LABR. had a 1791 lease for lands along the stream on the Common at Donyatt. I have not been able to identify where the Commons were The stream makes a loop past Donyatt round a hill - Commons should still be marked but 18th Enclosures lost many of the Common Lands and this seems to be one of them.
Samuel Pomeroy from Broadway bachelor Banns date 12 Mar 1775 for marriage to Sarah Davy from Donyatt, spinster
Marriage date 19 Apr 1775 Denomination Anglican Place Broadway witness William Upstill & Henry Warry Somerset
Samuel Pomere a Non conformist ( Independent ) baptism at Broadway Som. On 4 Feb 1780 father Samuel mother Mary – father labourer
Samuel Pomeroy born 1739 died age 76 buried 17 Dec 1815 at Buckland St Mary (6 miles to the W. of Ilminster.2020 population of 521 so a tiny place might be because ehe was non conformist
Sarah Pomeroy buried 10 Sept 1797 at Broadway Som
No sign of a Pomeroy in Donyatt census in 1841- hindered by the fact that the census was recorded in pencil which had completely faded out
ASHILL Somerset - a village and a parish in Chard district, Somerset. In 19th C it had 92 houses for its population of 445; by 2020 that is 529.
1851 Census
Mary Pomeroy widow in 1851 in Donyatt Nr Chard Som born 1774 age 77 in 1851 Housekeeper living with daughter Elizabeth , a glover and her son in law William Prewer a labourer with Grandchildren Samuel age 10 a farm labourers , Jane age 7 a glover and 1 year old Eli - Mary died the following year buried in Broadway Som
IN the 1841 census living in Tancred Street Taunton was Elizabeth Pomeroy age 69 a pauper living in a mixed household
with a shopkeeper Elizabeth Hewett age 30 and her 3 children as well as Thomas Swaffield a Tailor and his wife & daughter
1851
Eliza Pomeroy unmarried age 40 born 1811 Dressmaker living at Normans Place , Tancard Street St James Taunton 1851
with mother Elizabeth Pomeroy age 71 born 1780 a widowed char woman & niece Eliza P Hewett an apprentice dress makers age 14 born 1837-
All that remains of Tancred Street is a former coaching inn on the corner
1851 Misterton Beaminster Som
Elizabeth Pomeroy a pauper age 83 born Beaminster 1768 in 1851 living with son in law Matthew Slade age 36 an Ag Lab and his wife Mary age 41 born 1810 a glover born Beaminster and their children Harried age 10 a glover & John age 8
Nicholas Pomeroy in Chard married 1889 to Mary Chick
sisters married brothers in Dowlish Wake Somerset
Jane Pomeroy b 1846 (Bridport ) George Bulgin b 1847 married 1879 at Dowlish Wake
Ellen Pomeroy age 21( b 14 March 1851 in Bridport ) daughter of John Pomeroy (& Susanna) married to Thomas Bulgin age 23 son of James Bulgin in Dowlish Wake 25 Dec 1871
John Pomery son of Joseph Pomery of Bridport Dorset married at Bridport to Susan Hoare dau of William on 6 April 1840
children in Bridport & Allington Dorset
Caroline Bb 5 Aug 1846 Bridport (?delayed baptism ?)
Sarah Bb 9 Oct 1746 Allington
Jane Bb 5 Dec 1847 Bridport
Sarah Bb 26 Oct 1849 Bridport
William Pomeroy Bb 5 March 1748 Allington
Ellen Bb 14 March 1851 Bridport
John Pomeroy Bb 5 April 1752 Allington
1881 census show George Bulgin as a Ag Lb and his wife Jane Pomeroy 'Rover at Tow Factory' living at Dowlish Wake - and a son Alfred an infant
Quarrying was another important industry and marl pits are known at Ilminster and Dunpole.
Registered births in Somerset 1646 -1902
Wincanton St Peter and Paul Pr Baptism 20 Jun 1646 of William son of William & Margaret POMEROY Wincanton Church St Peter and Paul Pr Baptism 12 Jun 1648 of Margaret child of William & Margaret POMEROY
Wincanton Church St Peter and Paul Pr Baptism 26 Jan 1649 of Elizabeth child of William & Margaret POMEROY Wincanton Church St Peter and Paul Pr Baptism 14 Feb 1715 of William child of Samuel & Margaret POMEROY Wincanton Church St Peter and Paul Pr Baptisms 05 Jul 1766 of Mark child of Thomas & Mary POMEROY
Somerset East Coker Church St Michael Baptism 17 Mar 1643/44 of Marie child of Thomas & Joane POMEROY
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