COMPTON-BISHOP, a parish in the hundred of
WINTERSTOKE, county of SOMERSET, 2 miles (W. N. W.)
from Axbridge, containing 513 inhabitants. The living
is a discharged vicarage, in the peculiar jurisdiction and
patronage of the Prebendary of Compton-Bishop in
the Cathedral Church of Wells, rated in the king's
books at £11, endowed with £400 private benefaction,
and 400 royal bounty. The church is dedicated tO'
St. Andrew: in the churchyard is an ancient cross,
with six rows of steps. The village lies in a hollow,.
under the southern declivity of the Mendip range of
hills, presenting a very picturesque appearance. A little
to the south-west is a spacious natural cave, entered by
a perpendicular shaft: proceeding by a difficult winding
passage, a still more extensive cavern opens to the
sight: from the roof, which expands into a kind of
arch, hung formerly some beautiful specimens of stalactites
5 and various incrustations, assuming the most
fantastic shapes, lay scattered about, but all have been
defaced of removed by visitors. William Cray, in
1728, bequeathed laud, now producing £ 17 per annum,
for teaching poor children in two schoolrooms. At
the village of Cross, in this parish, are some good posting-
houses: and by a recent regulation it has been
made the station of a general post-office, whence bags of
letters are sent to the neighboiiring parishes.