Photographs of Shipham,
Somerset, England

Shipham is a small village located within the parish of the same name, situated in the northwestern corner of the Mendip Hills, a region of Somerset known for it's industrial heritage. Today the village consists principally of two pubs, a hotel, a school, a garage, a coffee shop (Lenny's), a small grocery, and clusters of small to medium size homes. Two historic landmarks located at opposite ends of the village guard the approach to Shipham, the parish church of St. Leonard's, and a 19th century tollhouse. Little remains in the village to remind visitors of Shipham's turbulent industrial heritage, which in the 18th and 19th centuries centered primarily around the mining of lead and "calamine" (zinc) as it was locally known. Today the tranquility of the village and its peaceful surroundings belies its former days, when Shipham had a reputation for lawlessness and general poverty, something that was noted by several commentators including Hannah More, the well-known social worker who spent many years here teaching and performing other charitable works on behalf of the community.

My Hares ancestors begin showing up in the records of St. Leonard's in the mid 18th century and the family has been associated the village church ever since. My wife and I visited Shipham in May of 2006 and took several photographs of the village and church, some of which are found below. I hope you enjoy the presentation.

Jeffrey L. Thomas
jltbalt1@verizon.net

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Below: this attractive sign welcomes modern visitors to the village.

 

Below: this interesting sign is found on the main road near the Penscot Inn.

 

Below: view of the parish church of St. Leonard's, Shipham.
Follow this link to view additional photographs of the church.

 

Below: view of the parish church cemetery.

 

Below: two views of the 19th century tollhouse on the edge of the village.
This single storey tollhouse was on a turnpike established by the Wedmore Trust (1827-1874).

 

 

Below (3): views of the Miner's Arm's pub, which for many years was owned by the Hares family.

 

 

 

Below: The Penscot Inn, Shipham's other historic pub.

 

Below: view of the old courthouse.

 

Below: additional view of the village. The war memorial is to the right of the photograph.

 

Below: view of the village from near the war memorial.

 

 

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• History of Shipham Parish, from The Heart of Mendip, by Francis A. Knight
• Photos & history of St. Leonard's Church, Shipham
• Photos & observations on Shipham's lead mining industry
• Visit the Hares Family web site