THE HISTORIES OF BICKENHALL CURLAND and STAPLE FITZPAINE

The old English word 'Stapol' means pillar or post and it is almost certain that Staple Fitzpaine gets the first part of its name from the devil stone lying near the church. Such devil stones have curious legends attaching to them so that the village of Staple Fitzpaine is not alone in deriving its name in this way. Long before the village was built the sarsten stone would have provided a useful landmark for a man making his way from the western edge of the Blackdown Hills to the river Tone. See Chapter 1 "Staple Fitpaine and the Forest of Neroche" RA Sixsmith 1957

The early history of Castle Neroche is unfolding almost on a daily basis. Mrs RA Sixsmith in her 1957 publication "Staple Fitzpaine and the Forest of Neroche" indicates that 'although there are no written records until the 13th century it is probable that the site was first used as a camp in the Iron Age when doubtless the plain below was dense forest and swamp and it is to this period that the outer circle of earthworks is thought to belong'. Excavations of the area have been in progress for over two hundred years and according to decriptions provided by RAS it is clear that the quality of such investigations has improved. She quotes that 'it may be that the castle was a Norman one of motte and bailey type and that the Beacon Hill given its present form as the stance of a small keep', although 'the ramparts of the inner court may well be eleventh century and pre-Norman'.

In the Domesday Survey, Staple emerges for the first time as an established community - "The Land of the Count of Mortain". "The Comte's Manor, as measured was about 1400 acres The present (1957) corresponding parishes of Staple Fitzpaine and Curland are more than double in extent. After the survey there is no further written evidence of the history of Staple until the early 13th century. During that time undocumented period churches were built at Staple, Curland and Bickenhall.

Staple, which became known as "Staple Briwes" during the 13th century, took the name by which it is known today during the course of the next century. The tax roll for 1327 has been preserved and provides a list of the names of the inhabitants of 'Staple and Coriland' whose goods were of the value of ten shillings or more. In this document Staple is referred to as being in the hundred of "Abbedik". In mediaeval times the hundred was a unit of the county for financial and legal purposes and also for military purposes. The following is a list of the 1316 boundaries for the Hundredum de ABBEDYK Ilemynstre, Donyat, Stapele, Bykenhull, Hatche beauchamp, Bere, Cory Malet, Ile Abbatis, Stocklynch, Whight Lakington, Ilton, Aschulle.

The Forest of Neroche in Mediaeval Times.

Even before the Norman Conquest, Neroche had become a Royal Forest. It was closely connected with South Petherton where Ina had one of his many palaces, and the Wessex Princes must often have hunted near the forest of Neroche, "Hauekbere", Schotwode" and Le Vynete", "demesne lands of the lord king". In Domesday Staple Fitzpaine was the chief manor connected with the forest of Neroche. It formed with "Ashill, Broadway, Donyatt, Beer(Crocombe) and Bickenhall, part of the great 'Fee of Mortain' with the castle at Montacute as the chief place, occupied by King William's half brother, the Count of Mortain.

In 1203, King John "freed the whole of Devon from all rules which belong to the Forest and Foresters of Dartmoor and Exmoor". The men of Devon were allowed "to bring land into cultivation to make parks free to have hunting of all kinds, to keep dogs, bows and arrows and all other kind of arms and to make deer leaps". The people of Somerset were not so fortunate. There were five Royal Forests in the County, Exmoor, Mendip, North Pederton, Selwood and Neroche. Those living in or near these forests struggles to maintain their rights against the passion of the kings for hunting and their greed for money.

In 1500 the manor of Staple was owned by Henry Earl of Northumberland, 'Henry the Magnificent'. On his death in 1527, his son succeeded to his lands. he became known as 'Henry the Unthrifty'. He was therefore acting in character when in 1532 he sold the manor of Staple to "Henry Pole, knight, Lord of Montague", "paying 40s. yearly". Before the purchase by Hugh Portman in 1595 of "all the deer in the park or enclosed grounds called Staple parke and also the 'pales' of the same" from Gervase Clifton, the Portmans had aleady interests in Staple. John Portman aged 12 in 1478 inherited "8 messuages and 60 acres of land in Staple held of the Earl of Northumberland. In 1556 the Duke of Suffolk sold land to Sir William Portman and by 1600 the Portmans had obtained the whole manor. Then a Bargain and Sale for £2000 was enrolled whereby Sir Gerase Clyfton sold the manor of Staple Fitzpaine to Sir Hugh Portman. details are given in an Exemplification of a Fine taken in 1601: "The manor of Staple, alias Staple Fitzpaine with appurts, and 20 messuages. 20 cottages, 10 tofts, 1 water mill, 1 dovecote, 20 gardens, 20 orchards, 500 ac. of land, 100 ac. of meadow, 400 ac. of pasture, 300 ac. of wood, 60 ac. of moor, 50 ac. of marsh, 20/- of rent and common pasture for all animals with appurts, in Staple Fitzpaine Roch and Neroch also the advowson of the church of Staple Fitzpaine".

Although Staple Manor and the Park were now in the hands of Sir Hugh Portman he had not yet got possession of the estate known as Plaistreet, where [in 1957] the new church at Bickenhall now stands. It is very difficult from about this time to disentangle the relationship between Staple Fitzpaine and Bickenhall as during the Tudor period the latter was regarded as part of the parish of Staple. In 1588 Henry and Edmond Buller claimed almost 500 acres of pasture, land and meadow and also a third of of the manor of Bicknell alias Bickenhall with appurts in Playstreete, Bicknell and Staple with a further 400 acres of wood and pasture in the forest of Neroche.

In 1602 Rachel Portman, daughter of Sir Henry Portman, obtained an assignment of a demise for 1000 years of the whole Buller property. On Rachels death Plaistreet was combined with the rest of the property of the Portmans. A document dated 1642 gives a summary of the Estate. "Manors and lordships of Orchard, Staple, Thurlebere, Bickenhull and Pokington with appurts. and the advowsons and rights of patronage of the churches of Orchard, Staple, Taunton, Wilton, Sherford, Petisford, Thurlbeare, Stoakmaire, Thornefawcon, Bickenhall, Plaistreet, Capland, Roche, alias Neroch and Pokington (except a house built for an Almshouse and half an acre of ground adjoining."

Selected narrative taken by alanprime from RA Sixsmiths "Staple Fitzpaine and the Forest of Neroche".