WINCANTON, a trim-looking little market town in the S.E. corner of the county, with a station on the S. & D. line to Bournemouth, and possessing a population of more than 2000. It consists chiefly of one long street, which descends a steepish declivity into the vale of Blackmoor. The river Cale, from which the town derives its name (Wynd-Caleton) flows at its foot. The history of Wincanton is miscellaneous but unromantic. In 1553 travellers gave the place a wide berth on account of the plague. In the Great Rebellion a Parliamentary garrison used the town as a base of operations against Sherborne Castle. In the Revolution the Prince of Orange (William III.) had here a brisk but successful skirmish with a squad of James's Dragoons. The prince's lodgings are still pointed out in South Street. The town, however, contains no antiquities. It has a modern town hall, and virtually a modern church, for of the original fabric nothing now remains but an unimpressive Dec. tower. The present building is a twin structure. The authorities, apparently disgusted at their predecessors' ideas of reconstruction, have lately replaced the N. aisle by a new church of much better design and proportions. The N. porch of the new building contains a curious mediaeval bas-relief, brought here for preservation.
Winford, a parish 4 m. S.S.E. of Flax Bourton station. Its church possesses a stately tower, but retains no other feature of interest.
Winscombe (with a station) is a parish 2 m. N.W. of Axbridge. Its church, which stands conspicuously on rising ground and commands a fine view, has a graceful tower resembling that of Cheddar, with triple belfry windows. Its chief defect is the shallowness of its buttresses. Note the lily on the stone-work of the central window (cp. Banwell). There is a good parapet along the aisles, and the rood-loft stair has an external turret. Within note (1) wooden roof of N. aisle; (2) ancient glass in E. windows of N. aisle and N. window of chancel; (3) some carved seat-ends; (4) old stone coffin in churchyard.
Winsford, a village on the Exe, 8 m. N. of Dulverton Station. It is a pleasant and picturesque little place, situated in a valley just where the Exe as a tumbling brook emerges from the moors to settle down into a sober stream; and is a favourite meet for the staghounds. The church is a good-sized building, with a gaunt-looking tower, but is of no particular interest. The font, is Norm., and so probably is the round-headed S. doorway. The windows at the E. of the nave are peculiar.
Winsham, a village on the Axe, near the Dorset border, 2½ m. N.N.E. of Chard Junction. Its church, which has been extensively restored, possesses a good central tower (though there are no transepts), with a turret at the S.W. angle. The chancel inclines S. from the axis of the nave. The walls of the nave are older than the present Perp. windows, and traces of an earlier window are still visible on the S. wall. The chancel lights are partly E.E., partly early Dec. Note (1) the small squint; (2)the oak screen with its loft; (3) the monument (1639), on the E. wall of the chancel; (4) the old copy of Foxe's "Book of Martyrs"; (5) the much-defaced painting (on wood) of the Crucifixion (said to date from the 14th cent.), which is now hung on the N. wall under the tower, but was formerly placed above the screen, serving to complete the separation of the sanctuary from the nave. The Crucifixion as a subject for representation on such tympana is said to be rare, the Last Judgment being the one usually selected. Opposite the "George Inn" is the base of an old market cross with a modern shaft.
Witham, or Witham Friary a small village 6 m. S. from Frome, with a station (G.W.R.). Its only present-day interest is its church. Its popular designation preserves its early ecclesiastical associations, though with some degree of "terminological inexactitude." It was a settlement not of Friars but of Monks. Here was established the first of the few Carthusian houses in England, which only number nine in all. It was Henry II.'s gift to the church, in part payment for the murder of Becket. Witham had as one of its earliest priors the celebrated Burgundian, Hugh of Avalon, who afterwards became Bishop of Lincoln. The existing church is perhaps a surviving portion of his work. It is a plain vaulted building of severe simplicity with an apsidal E. end, containing a good E.E. triplet. Opinions differ as to whether the present structure was the monks' church, the choir of the monks' church, or the church of the lay brothers (for in Carthusian houses the clergy and the laymen worshipped in separate buildings). In recent years the church has been extended one bay westward, and a belfry added. Note (1) the curious recess in exterior S. wall of apse; (2) double square piscina in chancel; (3) rood-loft stair; (4) Norm. font, which was once built into the tower erected in 1832. There is also a modern font, which was used before the former one was recovered. The buttresses are copies of those constructed by St Hugh for the chapter-house at Lincoln. The domestic buildings have disappeared; they are supposed to have stood N. of the church. One curious relic of the "common life" of the monks has escaped the hand of the destroyer. This is the dovecot, on the other side of the road, now converted into a village reading-room. The building is of unusual size; but the existence of some of the pigeon-holes puts its original purpose beyond doubt (cp. Hinton Charter-house).
Withiel Florey, a village 7 miles N.E. from Dulverton. The church is a small Perp. building with a low W. tower, to which a partial casing of slate scarcely adds additional beauty.
Withycombe, a village 2½ m. S.E. of Dunster. It has an aisleless church, which contains a few objects of interest: (1) a screen; (2) a font with cable moulding; (3) two effigies, both of females (one with curious turret-like ornaments at the head and foot); (4) a large stoup on the L. hand of the S. door.
Withypool, a village on the Barle, 8 m. N.W. from Dulverton. It is one of the lonely outposts of civilisation on Exmoor. Though picturesquely situated itself, it is best known as a sort of halting-place on the way to the still more romantic neighbourhood of Simonsbath. The church is E.E., but not interesting. The local farmers are said to enjoy four harvests in a year—turf, whortleberries, hay and corn.
WIVELISCOMBE, a market town 6 m. N.W. of Wellington, with a station on the G.W.R. branch to Barnstaple. Population, 1417. It is a dull and uninteresting, but clean and comely little place. Of antiquities it has none, except traces, to the S. of the church, of a bishop's palace, built by John Drokensford in the 14th cent., some windows of which have found their way into neighbouring houses. The church is a tasteless building, erected in 1829, with a showy semi-Italian interior. It has an odd-looking S. aisle, containing a somewhat dilapidated monument, with recumbent effigies of Humphrey Wyndham and wife, 1622-70. In the churchyard is a time-worn cross, with an almost defaced effigy (cp. Fitzhead). In the main street is a modern town hall and market house. The town lies pleasantly in the lap of the surrounding hills, which furnish many a pleasant ramble. A mile from the station, on the way to Milverton, is a British camp, and a Danish camp is said to have existed on the site of a neighbouring mansion. Waterrow is a hamlet a couple of miles to the W. on the Bampton road, lying at the bottom of a picturesque combe, through which flow the beginnings of the Tone.