Wraxall, Somerset
Wraxall is a
village in
North Somerset, the
United Kingdom; the
parish of the same name also included
Nailsea and
Flax Bourton until
1811.
The origin of the name Wraxall (which is shared with several other villages in
Somerset,
Wiltshire and
Dorset) is thought to be "a nook of land frequented by Buzzards".
Wraxall Court was the original
manor house. After the
Norman conquest the Manor belonged to the De Wrokeshale family until it passed to the Moreville and then the Gorges families by marriage. In
Victorian times the Ford family lived at Wraxall Court, which was taken over by the
Admiralty during the
Second World War, and became a
Hall of Residence for
Bristol University afterwards.
The
parish church of All Saints was built in the
14th century, with
tower,
clock and
bells being added in later centuries. Parish registers survive from
1562, and include examples of the
baptism of
Negro slaves. There are painted stone figures of Sir Edmond Gorges and his wife in the
chancel. The nearby
rectory was built in the
17th century. The large
churchyard contains several monuments to the Tynte family which gave its name to the nearby
Tyntesfield Estate, which has recently been purchased by the
National Trust.
Along with Tyntesfield another tourist attraction in the village is the Zoo of Noah's ark zoo farm. This zoo has a large collection of animals, with hands on experience and also includes many play areas for kids.
A
dame school was recorded as early as
1801 and several schools followed, the present one being built in
1856. Across the road from this was the Village Smithy, and nearby was the
stocks and
whipping post, for centuries the site of the annual "Stumps Fair".
An area known as "The Rocks" stretches north to
Failand Hill, its many quarries being the source of most of the local building stone. Failand once had a
chapel of ease, but now has the Victorian Church of St Bartholomew; the village is relatively modern.
During the
1940s "Tyntesfield Camp" was built as an
American Hospital. After the war it was turned into housing, and much more housing has been built since then, Wraxall becoming a
dormitory town for Bristol.
*
Noah's Ark Zoo Farm
