St. Petrock's Church by Bert Hole, 1909 or earlier
Title
St. Petrock's Church by Bert Hole, 1909 or earlier
Subject
Description
A photograph, published as a postcard, of a woman and child in Timberscombe, with St. Petrock's Church in the background. Labelled "Timberscombe Church", the photographer was Herbert John Hole, who usually identified himself professionally as "Bert" (1). Below the photograph is a copy of its' reverse side and printed along the left edge is "Photo by Bert Hole, Dachet" (2)-- which was a mistake. Bert Hole's home and studio was on Swain Street in Watchet, West Somerset (3).
Mr. Hole was born in 1871 at Williton (4), the son of Herbert Henry Hole (1836-1900), also a well known photographer (5), with studios in Williton and Minehead (6). Bert Hole died early in the year of 1915 (7).
Bert Hole would have been familiar with St. Petrock's Church. He was married there by the Rev. Henry Herbert Bell on 28 July 1902 to Alice Maud Williams, who was born in Timberscombe (8), the daughter of Robert, a shoe and boot maker and Eliza Ann (nee Morle) Williams (9). Bert and Alice had five children, Herbert Harold, Roland Ralph, Vera Gwendoler, Cora Christobel and Rita Maud. Both of his sons were baptised at St. Petrock's. His daughters were baptised at St. Decumans in Watchet (10). At least two daughters, Vera, born in 1909 and Rita, born in 1913, attended the Timberscombe School (11).
SP-072 is a Bert Hole photograph of the Timberscombe School. In the foreground of that photograph is a woman in a white pinafore, holding the hand of a little girl with a distinctive bonnet, secured by a dark ribbon. They are similar to the woman and child seen here. They would have only walked a few feet away to pose in both photographs. Another original version of this postcard was shared in 2018 by Tim Collins of Whitelackington (near Ilminster, Somerset) with the St. Petrock's History Group. His copy had not been used or postmarked. The postcard shown here, was donated in January 2020 by Chanelle Singleton of The Brackens at Hole's Square in Timberscombe. The reverse is also depicted, with a written message and two postmarks, one with "TIMBERSCOMBE" and "TAUNTON", the other with "DUNSTER" and both are dated 7 August 1909, dating the photograph to that year and likely a little earlier.
The woman and child are situated near the northwestern gate to St. Petrock's churchyard. This gate survives to modern times, located where in 2022 a listed red telephone box stands. At the time of the photograph, this would have been the area of the church's rectory farm (12). The wall at the left foreground would be a back garden wall of the OId Forge.
The angle of this photograph features St.Petrock's porch and tower. The church is said to have been established by the Welsh St. Petroc between 500 and 600 A.D. Between March and June 2020, when a trench was being dug across the south side of the ancient churchyard to accommodate introduction of modern facilities, incontrovertible evidence came to light of a Saxon settlement here, likely religious, since 777AD (13). The church, as photographed here, is known to have been on this site since the 1100's (14). Built of ironstone and red sandstone random rubble, St. Petrock's north facing porch was added in the 1450's (15). There was an enclosed small door on the south side of the church--blocked up during the Reformation and reopened in 2021-- but the north entrance has probably always been the main entrance, with the village developing in front of it (16). The porch still has its original wagon roof, retaining original timbers (17).
The 2-stage tower replaced an earlier version, completed by 1708 and made possible by Richard Elsworth, of Bickham. (His surname also appears as Ellsworth or Elsworthy on other sources.) On the north facing side of the tower, a memorial tablet is visible, honouring Mr. Elsworth, who died in August of 1714, aged 22 (18) which has been restored in 2021. The tower's parapets were new additions in 1881 by J.D. Sedding (19), topped by a slate pyramid roof and a weathervane reading "1708" and "RE" for Mr. Elsworth.
Visible at the rear of the church are the semi-detached cottages, The Knapp and Higher Ledge. At least The Knapp, closest to the church was constructed in 1836 by Edward Cording, who with his brother, James, built Providence Chapel, later the Timberscombe Methodist Chapel, completed in the same year. Edward Cording lived at The Knapp until his death in 1876 (20).
Mr. Hole was born in 1871 at Williton (4), the son of Herbert Henry Hole (1836-1900), also a well known photographer (5), with studios in Williton and Minehead (6). Bert Hole died early in the year of 1915 (7).
Bert Hole would have been familiar with St. Petrock's Church. He was married there by the Rev. Henry Herbert Bell on 28 July 1902 to Alice Maud Williams, who was born in Timberscombe (8), the daughter of Robert, a shoe and boot maker and Eliza Ann (nee Morle) Williams (9). Bert and Alice had five children, Herbert Harold, Roland Ralph, Vera Gwendoler, Cora Christobel and Rita Maud. Both of his sons were baptised at St. Petrock's. His daughters were baptised at St. Decumans in Watchet (10). At least two daughters, Vera, born in 1909 and Rita, born in 1913, attended the Timberscombe School (11).
SP-072 is a Bert Hole photograph of the Timberscombe School. In the foreground of that photograph is a woman in a white pinafore, holding the hand of a little girl with a distinctive bonnet, secured by a dark ribbon. They are similar to the woman and child seen here. They would have only walked a few feet away to pose in both photographs. Another original version of this postcard was shared in 2018 by Tim Collins of Whitelackington (near Ilminster, Somerset) with the St. Petrock's History Group. His copy had not been used or postmarked. The postcard shown here, was donated in January 2020 by Chanelle Singleton of The Brackens at Hole's Square in Timberscombe. The reverse is also depicted, with a written message and two postmarks, one with "TIMBERSCOMBE" and "TAUNTON", the other with "DUNSTER" and both are dated 7 August 1909, dating the photograph to that year and likely a little earlier.
The woman and child are situated near the northwestern gate to St. Petrock's churchyard. This gate survives to modern times, located where in 2022 a listed red telephone box stands. At the time of the photograph, this would have been the area of the church's rectory farm (12). The wall at the left foreground would be a back garden wall of the OId Forge.
The angle of this photograph features St.Petrock's porch and tower. The church is said to have been established by the Welsh St. Petroc between 500 and 600 A.D. Between March and June 2020, when a trench was being dug across the south side of the ancient churchyard to accommodate introduction of modern facilities, incontrovertible evidence came to light of a Saxon settlement here, likely religious, since 777AD (13). The church, as photographed here, is known to have been on this site since the 1100's (14). Built of ironstone and red sandstone random rubble, St. Petrock's north facing porch was added in the 1450's (15). There was an enclosed small door on the south side of the church--blocked up during the Reformation and reopened in 2021-- but the north entrance has probably always been the main entrance, with the village developing in front of it (16). The porch still has its original wagon roof, retaining original timbers (17).
The 2-stage tower replaced an earlier version, completed by 1708 and made possible by Richard Elsworth, of Bickham. (His surname also appears as Ellsworth or Elsworthy on other sources.) On the north facing side of the tower, a memorial tablet is visible, honouring Mr. Elsworth, who died in August of 1714, aged 22 (18) which has been restored in 2021. The tower's parapets were new additions in 1881 by J.D. Sedding (19), topped by a slate pyramid roof and a weathervane reading "1708" and "RE" for Mr. Elsworth.
Visible at the rear of the church are the semi-detached cottages, The Knapp and Higher Ledge. At least The Knapp, closest to the church was constructed in 1836 by Edward Cording, who with his brother, James, built Providence Chapel, later the Timberscombe Methodist Chapel, completed in the same year. Edward Cording lived at The Knapp until his death in 1876 (20).
Creator
Herbert John (Bert) Hole
Publisher
Bert Hole, Wachet
Date
1909 or earlier
Contributor
Language
English
Identifier
St. Petrock's Church / Timberscombe / village centre
Acquisition Date
2018
2022
2022
Acquisition Method
Gift
Category
PLACES: Churches and Chapels / Timberscombe
Condition
Good
Condition Notes
Entered by Tom Sperling
Condition Date
2020
Dimension Type
W X L
Dimension Units
cm
Dimension Value
16.5 X 10
9.5 X 15
14,5 X 9 (donated by Tim Collins)
9.5 X 15
14,5 X 9 (donated by Tim Collins)
Institution Name
St. Petrock's History Group
Notes
(1) "Secure the shadow: Somerset Photographers 1839-1939" by Robin Ansell, Allan Collier and Phil Nichols, The Somerset & Dorset History Society, 2018 (2) picclick.co.uk/ Timberscombe-Church-Minehead (3) 1911 England Census (4) England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1837-1915 (5) "Secure the shadow: Somerset Photographers 1839-1939" (6) Chronological History of Minehead, minehead-online.co.uk (7) England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1837-1915 (8) 1911 England Census (9) Somerset, England, Marriage Registrations, Bonds and Allegations, 1754-1914 and 1911 England Census (10) Somerset, England, Church of England, Baptisms, 1813-1914 (11) Timberscombe School LOG BOOK, 3 April 1910-25 March 1947 and Timberscombe School ADMISSION REGISTER, 1897-1944, Nos. 315 and 335 (12) Victoria County History.ac.uk (13) "THE VILLAGE OF TIMBERSCOMBE AND ITS CHURCH" by B.L.K. Henderson and G.O.E. Henderson, E. Goodman & Son, Ltd., The Phoenix Press, Taunton, 1955, celticsaints.org and "The Parish Church of St. Petrock, Timberscombe, Somerset, The Results of Archaeological Monitoring", by James L. Brigers, PA, PROSPECT ARCHAEOLOGY, Middlezoy, Somerset, Ref. 18-30/2020, April 2021 (14) "St Petrock's Church Timberscombe", church pamphlet written by Marion Jeffrey, 2017 (15) English Heritage, British Listed Buildings.co.uk (16) "TIMBERSCOMBE St. Petrock, Somerset Churches Project, 2019, Archaeological Assessment 2019, by David and Jerry Sampson, Buildings Archaeology and "THE VILLAGE OF TIMBERSCOMBE AND ITS CHURCH" (17) "St Petrocks Church Timberscombe " (18) "THE VILLAGE OF TIMBERSCOMBE AND ITS CHURCH" and Somerset, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1531-1812 (19) "TIMBERSCOMBE St Petrock", Somerset Churches Project, August 2019, Archaeological Assessment 2019, by David and Jerry Sampson, Buildings Archaeology (20) "WELCOME!", church pamphlet for the Timberscombe Methodist Church, donated by Martin and Joy Booth, 2019
Storage Location
St. Petrock's History Group Archive
Storage Date
2019
2022
2022
Storage Notes
St. Petrock's History Group PHOTOGRAPHS
Item Reference
SP-050
Technique
Copies
Citation
Herbert John (Bert) Hole, “St. Petrock's Church by Bert Hole, 1909 or earlier,” St. Petrock's History Group, accessed May 5, 2024, https://stpetrockshistorygroup.omeka.net/items/show/3262.
Comments