Holcombe, Somerset Its place name is derived from the Old English Hol, meaning deep or hollow and cumb meaning valley.[2] The parish of Holcombe was part of the Kilmersdon Hundred,[3] The original medieval village was buried at the time of the plague and the old parish church, which survives, is surrounded by the mounds that bear testimony to this burial. It is suggested that the rhyme Ring a Ring o Roses began there as a result. An alternative explanation relates to the drowning of five children from the village in an icy pond in 1899.[4] The village has two pubs: The Duke of Cumberland, which can be found at the bottom of the villages hill and the Holcombe Inn, which recently changed its name from The Ring O Roses to its original 1960s name.[5] It was named the Ring O Roses as a reminder of the plague that previously destroyed the village. Holcombe has four churches, two of which are in use. Holcombe was the site of several mines on the Somerset coalfield; however these are all now closed.[6] Due to the importance of Somerset coalfield a branch canal from the main Dorset and Somerset Canal was proposed, and construction began in 1786 following a route from Coleford, Somerset to Nettlebridge through Holcombe. This intersected the main road through Holcombe around 75 metres north of the Duke Of Cumberland inn. However in 1803 the entire canal was abandoned without being completed. There is limited evidence of the canal remaining except for some masonry such as bridges and retaining walls remaining near to the Duke Of Cumberland. Holcombe quarry is no longer in use and has been fenced off. However, although highly dangerous and despite various warnings, it remains a popular destination for teenagers to go swimming and tombstoning during the summer months. These activities have resulted in personal injuries and some deaths.[7][8]
Posted on: Mon, 28 Oct 2013 03:18:00 +0000
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