Made with Xara Home      NEW.  Hamdon Youth Group -- Under “Groups & Societies”.   Faster Broadband for Norton and Chiselborough http://www.nortonchiselborough.btck.co.uk/  The village of Norton-sub-Hamdon and the adjacent hamlet of Little Norton lie some 40 metres above sea level on the fertile land below the western slope of Ham Hill in the district of South Somerset.  The land is watered by the Pill Brook which drops gently down to the River Parrett to the west of the small 600 acre parish, and the southern boundary is sheltered by Chiselborough Hill.  To the north, a few fields away, lies the village of Stoke-sub-Hamdon overlooking the Somerset Levels beyond. The present day village is a thriving community that has many social groups who really do make it an enjoyable place to live and work in the middle of South Somerset. It is a village that in years gone by was heavily into agriculture (fruit and flax), and also supplied labour for the Hamstone quarry on Ham Hill.  Ham Hill, with its great Iron Age fort, has provided Hamstone for local building from ancient times.  The warm colour and valued working qualities of this renowned freestone have made the area one of striking consistency and harmony, yet great variety.  The surrounding pastoral landscape, with its numerous paths and bridleways, is small in scale, but rich in wild flora and fauna.  Ideal for walking, riding, cycling, and exceptionally attractive to visitors and natural history enthusiasts. Norton was long a self-sufficient agricultural settlement with an important quarrying function, lying seven miles from the town of Yeovil to the east and one mile from the Roman through route of Fosse Way.  It still retains the essential community elements of church, primary school, shop, post office, hair salon, pub and village hall; serving a well- balanced population of about 650 that has varied little in number for a century, while diversifying greatly in employment and improving dramatically in housing.  The majority of earners now commute elsewhere, so while the school flourishes, village industry has declined.  Nevertheless, there remain over 30 occupations actually carried on within the village, many of them continuing a strong artistic tradition, but very few associated with agriculture or quarrying. Norton is small.  Nevertheless, there is a strong sense of community and a vigorous wealth of activity.  The village supports a Local History Society, the annual Norton, Chiselborough and District Flower Show, the Friends of Norton School, the Parochial Church Council, Bell Ringers, Ladies Group, Football teams, the Friends of Norton Church, a Book Club, Movie Nites, various weekly activities in the Village Hall and the    bi-annual Pantomime. Fund-raising and social events occur throughout the year.  Publications include the monthly Norton Newsletter, the shared Parish Magazine, and the ‘Nortonian’ historical notes. The village has its salient characteristics in common with many others in Somerset - Hamstone buildings, a dominant medieval church, a constricted linear street plan and splendid mature trees; but no broad streets, no village square or green, and no great country house.  It is intimate and picturesque without being too ‘chocolate box’.  Some of its buildings are densely grouped or joined together, while others have considerable space around them.  Some roads have housing on one side only.  Development has been through infill rather than spread. The village’s distinctiveness lies much in its shape, but more in its setting; a backdrop of wooded slopes looking outwards, and the remarkable view inwards from the Ham Hill viewpoint above, from where the main village can be seen in its entirety, surrounding the landmark church and the important major tree groups.  The quality of its older features is marked by the status of Conservation Area conferred on a large section of the main village and on the smaller area around Little Norton Mill. All the old streets (Great Street, Little Street, Rectory Lane, Higher Street, Broadmead Lane) are very narrow.  All have terraces of cottages, and each street has at least one example of thatch. Much the largest building is the impressive 1997 Church of England four- classroom primary school.  The much used Village Hall, new in 2005, sits in a corner of the large Recreation Ground, with its football pitch, children’s play area and multi-use games area. In the pages of this site you will be able read about our social lives, locate us, that is if you wish to come and see us! Or, you can view the photographs of the village and the surrounding countryside.   For maps, click here We also publish a list of forthcoming events and report on events after they have happened in the village.  Also there is a list of the businesses in the village and photographs of our Parish Councillors. The idea of setting up this site was to allow the ex-pats who are now situated throughout the world to keep in contact with us and have up to date information on what is going on in their village.  It also allows the local folk to read about what is going to happen and also the newsletter, if their spouse has thrown it out with the rubbish by mistake. The History Society has a large section on which can be found The Pittard Index which lists the Births, Marriages and Deaths at St Mary's Church since 1558 to the present day in alphabetical order.  Also the Local Census lists for 1851 and 1901 This site is in no way intended to replace items such as the newsletter, it is here for interest and research and entertainment. The site is also for the benefit of the villagers and we welcome contributions for publishing along with photographs, if possible. E-mail: mike.orchard@btinternet.com Sponsored by: Norton Village Stores.  (Spar Stores & Post Office)