Ansford

Ansford is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated on the northern edge of Castle Cary. The civil parish has a population of approximately 1,175.[1]

Ansford
Patchwork of fields and trees with buildings showing in the distance. In the foreground is grass with a ruined building.
Ansford from Ditcheat Hill
Ansford is located in Somerset
Ansford
Ansford
Location within Somerset
Population1,175 (2021)[1]
OS grid referenceST640328
Civil parish
  • Ansford
Unitary authority
Ceremonial county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townCastle Cary
Postcode districtBA7
Dialling code01963
PoliceAvon and Somerset
FireDevon and Somerset
AmbulanceSouth Western
UK Parliament

The village lies on the A371, close to Castle Cary railway station and the River Brue, where the bridge dates from 1823.[2]

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.

For local government purposes, since 1 April 2023, the village comes under the unitary authority of Somerset Council. Prior to this, it was part of the non-metropolitan district of South Somerset, which was formed on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, having previously been part of Wincanton Rural District.[3]

It is also part of the Somerton and Frome 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 was part of the South West England constituency of the European Parliament prior to Britain leaving the European Union in January 2020, which elected seven MEPs using the d'Hondt method of party-list proportional representation.

Landmarks

The nearby Hadspen house and garden includes the house which is a grade II* listed building,[4] and a private park with formal gardens created by William Player.[5]

Education

There is a Secondary School called Ansford Academy which has over 700 students aged 11–16.

Religious sites

There is a Methodist church and the Church of England St Andrew's, which has a 15th-century tower, with the remainder of the church being rebuilt by Charles Edmund Giles in 1861.[6][7]

Notable residents

It was the birthplace of clergyman and diarist James Woodforde and, in 1763, his nephew Samuel Woodforde.

References
  1. "Ansford (Parish, United Kingdom) - Population Statistics, Charts, Map and Location". citypopulation.de. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
  2. Historic England. "Ansford Bridge (1056267)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 22 November 2008.
  3. "Wincanton RD". A vision of Britain Through Time. University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 4 January 2014.
  4. Historic England. "Hadspen House (1251809)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 24 November 2007.
  5. "A New Walled Garden at Hadspen". Hadspen Parabola. Archived from the original on 11 August 2007. Retrieved 24 November 2007.
  6. Historic England. "Church of St. Andrew (1307553)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 22 November 2008.
  7. "St Andrew's Ansford". Archived from the original on 21 January 2010. Retrieved 18 January 2010.
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