CREWKERNE, a market-town and parish in the
hundred of CREWKERNE, county of SOMERSET, 10 miles
(S. W. by S.) from Ilchester, and 132 (W. S. W.) from
London, containing 3434 inhabitants. This place, being
a royal1 manor, anciently enjoyed many privileges, and
in the reign of Henry II. was exempt from taxation.
The town is pleasantly situated in a fertile valley, watered
by branches of the rivers Parret and Axe, and
sheltered by hills richly planted; it consists of five principal
streets, diverging from a spacious market-place, in
the centre of which a large and commodious market-,
house has been erected: the houses are in general well
built and of handsome appearance, and the inhabitants are
amply supplied with water. Sail-cloth, stockings, and
dowlas, are manufactured here. The market, which is
well supplied with corn, is on Saturday: the fair is on
the 4th of September, for horses, bullocks, linen-drapery,
cheese, and toys. The living is a perpetual curacy,
in the archdeaconry of Taunton, and diocese of Bath
arid Wells, endowed with £800 parliamentary grant,
and in the patronage of the Dean and Chapter of Winchester.
The church, dedicated to St. Bartholomew, is
a spacious cruciform structure, in the decorated style of
English architecture, with a lofty and highly enriched
tower rising from the intersection, crowned with battlements
and ornamented with angular turrets: the interior
is finely arranged, the windows are large and filled
with rich tracery, and the piers and arches which support
the tower are lofty and of ..graceful elevation; behind
the altar is a small room, formerly the confessional,
having a door at each end. There are places of
worship for Particular Baptists and Unitarians. The
free grammar school was founded, in 1449, by John de
Combe, Precentor of the cathedral of Exeter, who en-,
dowed it with lands now producing £300 per annum:
there ar'e four exhibitions, of £ 5 per annum each, to
any college at Oxford, founded by the Rev, William
Owsley, who gave a rent-charge of £ 20, which, from
want of applications, has been for some time accumulating
for the augmentation of the exhibitions. A charity
school is supported by subscription; and there
are two almshouses, one of which, for six aged men
and six aged women, was, in 1707, endowed with a
rent-charge of £29, by Mrs. Mary Davis.