PORLOCK, a parish (formerly a market-town)
and small port, in the hundred of CARHAMPTON, county
of SOMERSET, 6 miles (W.) from Minehead, containing
769 inhabitants. The name is derived from the
Saxon Porllocan, an enclosed harbour. The place is
of considerable antiquity, having been a residence of
the West Saxon kings, who also had an extensive
chase here. About the year 918, a band of pirates entered
this harbour, but the greater number were slain
by the inhabitants, and the rest having escaped to the
Island of Steep-holmes, died of hunger. In 1052, Harold,
the son of Earl Godwin, having sailed from Ireland
with nine ships, entered Porlock bay, and having been
unsuccessfully opposed by the inhabitants, he slew great
numbers, set fire to the town, and carried off much
booty. The town is romantically situated near the
Bristol channel, being surrounded on "all. sides, except
the sea, by lofty hills, winding valleys, and deep glens:
It consists of two streets, composed of straggling houses
of the meanest order. At the western corner of
Porlock bay is a small harbour, to which three sloops
and several fishing-boats belong, but they have little
employment.- the inhabitants were formerly occupied
in spinning yarn of excellent quality, and which was
carried to Dunster market, at that time the resort of
dealers in that commodity; the trade at present consists
in the importation of coal and lime from Wales.
The market, which was held on Thursday, has been
discontinued. Fairs are held on the Thursday before
the 13th of September, October llth, and November
12th, for cattle, and a small breed of sheep, called
For locks. A manorial court is held annually. The
living is a rectory, in the archdeaconry of Taunton, and
diocese of Bath and. Wells, rated in the king's books
at £18. 11. 8., and in the patronage of the Crown. The
church, dedicated to St. Dubritius, is a fine structure in
the ancient English style, and contains some old monumental
effigies, supposed to be in memory of the early
feudal lords. Eight poor persons living within the
manor are maintained from the rents and profits of
lands purchased with a bequest assigned, for the benefit
of this and other places, by Henry Rogers, Esq., about
1672, who also bequeathed £600 towards a workhouse
and a fund, for the maintenance of those poor inhabitants
of the parish whose ancestors were bom
in it. In an adjacent wood are the remains of an imperfect
oval encampment, .supposed to have been constructed
at the time of Harold's invasion, within the
area of which swords and other warlike implements
have been dug up. John Bridgewater, a controversial
divine, and Matthew Hales, D. D., the companion and
friend of Dr. Stukeley, and axxthor of " Vegetable Staticks,"
were once rectors of this parish; the former
subsequently resigned all his preferment, and embraced
the tenets of the church of Rome.