Martock

Coordinates: 50°58′13″N 2°45′55″W / 50.9704°N 2.7653°W / 50.9704; -2.7653

Martock is a large village and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated on the edge of the Somerset Levels 7 miles (11.3 km) north west of Yeovil in the South Somerset district. The parish includes Hurst, approximately one mile south of the village, and Bower Hinton, which is located at the western end of the village and bounded by Hurst and the A303. Martock has a population of 4,766 and was historically a market town.

History

Etymology

Martock was known in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Mertoch. It means ‘Rising bright from the shining sea’ from the Old English ‘meretorht’. It was the property of Queen Edith (Eagdith), wife of Godwin and mother of Earl Harold (Harold II). By 1066 it was the property of Queen Edith, wife of Edward the Confessor. The word root ‘Mer-’ can also refer to ‘a boundary or shore line’ from the Old English ‘maere’. It is possible that the name included the Old English element ‘stoc’ meaning ‘by a lake’.

Hundred of Martock

The Hundred of Martock is one of the 40 historical Hundreds in the ceremonial county of Somerset, England, dating from before the Norman conquest during the Anglo-Saxon era although exact dates are unknown. Each hundred had a 'fyrd', which acted as the local defence force and a court which was responsible for the maintenance of the frankpledge system. They also formed a unit for the collection of taxes. The role of the hundred court was described in the Dooms (laws) of King Edgar. The name of the hundred was normally that of its meeting-place.

The Hundred of Martock consisted of the ancient parish of Martock. The northern boundary was the River Ivel and the southern boundary the Fosse Way. It originated in a Royal Estate which existed before the Norman Conquest.

The ancient Hundred of Martock is formed in the shape of a trapezoidal rectangle, the north side bounded by the River Ivel (Yeo) and the south side bounded by the Fosse Way (A303). National Grid References at the four ‘corners’ are: NW ST 4450.2525 Wet Moor, NW ST 4890.2355 Kingsmoor Drove, SW ST 4500.1670 Petherton Bridge and SE ST 4961.2045 Tailes Farm.