Chiselborough Parish Land
The village owns and leases 3 areas of land around the village for the use and enjoyment of villagers.
These are Burridge Copse, Balham Hill and the Common.
Burridge Copse is the newest addition to parish land and was bequeathed to the village by Rosemary Burns in 2017. This is a small copse, situated on the south east of the village.
To read the Woodland Trust report, prepared for CPC in 2023, click here.
December 2023 news: Over the last few months a volunteer group, led by Graham Wheeler, has created a path to make Burridge Copse more accessible.
Their aim was to provide improved, safe, access to the woodland for a broad range of abilities and interests within the community. Additionally, the group endeavoured to keep negative environmental and wildlife impacts to a minimum—the current phase of work was finished by the end of the year to minimise disturbance to breeding animals and nesting birds.
They have worked especially hard with enthusiasm, tenacity and imagination, overcoming adversity with a smile. Without their commitment this path would not have been possible. It is a great achievement, creating a real asset for the community.
The path is around 200 metres long and very gently sloping. It branches off the Bridleway that extends between Skillgate Lane and East Street. The start of the trail can be located using this What Three Words link.
CPC funded the purchase of two rustic benches from an auction at Dillington House and these are now located along the path. The second one, located at the view point above West Chinnock, gives superb southwest views.
On Sunday 17 December the path was opened by Roger Bulley, CPC Chairman, and the tape was cut by CPC Councillor Adrian Pipe. You can enjoy looking through a gallery of super photographs here.
A second phase of work will be undertaken later next year to create a continuation of the path to a higher view point.
The Burridge Copse volunteers welcome your enjoyment of the path and also your input:
• It would be great to share seasonal observations, flora and fauna identifications, and photographs on this village website – please send these to Sara, the website’s editor.
• Any suggestions or offers of help with ongoing development and management will be warmly welcomed by Graham.
• And finally, if there is an individual or group within the community prepared keep a Burridge Diary over the next 12 months, reporting on a year in a semi ancient woodland and all its secrets, please contact Graham. Sounds like a fascinating and rewarding project!
Many thanks from us all to Graham and his team of volunteers for this superb work for our community.
Balham Hill is on a 100 year lease of agricultural land and is at the south west edge of the village. Panoramic views over the village and beyond can be enjoyed from the footpath and field.
The Common was transferred to the ownership of the Parish Council in 1975 from Somerset County Council. This land overlooking the village totals 4.7 acres and is made up of grassland and trees on the North East side of the village. It is a County Wildlife Site, recognised by the Somerset Environmental Records Centre as being especially important for wildlife, including plants, animals, birds, mammals, insects and biodiversity. Villagers are free to walk, picnic, and sit on provided benches—enjoying the wonderful pastoral views over the village. There are organised volunteer events from time to time which are posted on this website. The Parish Council representative for the Common is Jen Buckmaster, T: 882626. In October 2021, a group called Friends of Chiselborough Common was set up—if you are interested in joining, please fill in this form, or call or email Jen. You can read about the history of the Common at the foot of this page.
Read the Common Maintenance Plan here
To find out more about the flora and fauna of our Common, click here
For the Common Parking Statement issued by CPC in 2019, click here
Update February 2024: It has been decided to hold regular working parties on the common on the last Saturday of the month. To keep interested parties in the picture we are setting up a WhatsApp Group. If anyone would like to be included could they text me their details to 07815 569815 —Jen
Painting by Ian Murray 07973 226 425
Our Common in the past
An Historic Fair
The annual Chiselborough Fair was held on the Common—hence the street adjacent to it is aptly called Fair Place.
The Common lies on the side of Chiselborough Hill scarp and is steep in parts, so it might seem surprising that a long-lived and popular fair took place here for many centuries: the fair was founded in 1257 and continued until late Victorian times. The date of this fair was initially Oct 18th but moved in 1752, with the change of the calendar, to St Simon and St Jude’s day, October 29th. Annual fairs were common in Somerset and gave opportunity for trade and also socialising and entertainment. Chiselborough Fair was recorded in a Court Roll of 1529 as generating profits of 24s and the site was described as Fayre Place Hill in 1549. In 1634, when the manor was granted to Giles Strangways by his father, as a marriage gift, it was noted that ‘ there is a verie greate faire yearly kept there upon St. Lukes Daye, the profitte of which does belong to the Lord of the Mannor’. In 1791, a description gives account of a large fair for ‘horses, cattle and toys’ (not children’s playthings, but tools and utensils). Hazel nuts were described by another writer as ‘very vendable commodities’. The fair diminished in the late 19th century with the arrival of the local railway and road improvements, allowing goods to be transported more widely.
Legend has it that the men of Hinton St George were, on one occasion, making merry at the fair. When they did not return home, their wives made 'punkies'—that is candle lanterns made from hollowed-out mangolds with strange faces cut in them—and came looking for them. The men were terrified, and fled home, much to their wives' amusement. A Punkie night continues to be held in Chiselborough on the last Thursday in October, when children make mangold lanterns and prizes are awarded for the best ones.
