Manor Farmhouse, Meare facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Manor Farmhouse |
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| Location | Meare, Somerset, England |
| Built | 14th century |
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Listed Building – Grade I
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| Official name: Manor Farmhouse | |
| Designated | 22 November 1966 |
| Reference no. | 267769 |
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The Manor Farmhouse in Meare, Somerset, England, is a very old building. It was built in the 14th century, which means the 1300s. Long ago, it was a summer home for the important Abbots from Glastonbury Abbey. Today, it is a working farmhouse. This special building and its other small buildings are protected as a Grade I listed building. This means it's a really important historical site!
Contents
History of Manor Farmhouse
The Manor Farmhouse you see today was mostly built in the 14th century. Before that, there was an older building on the same spot in the late 1200s. Not much of that first building is left.
Building for the Abbots
Adam of Sodbury, who was the abbot from 1323 to 1334, added a chapel and a cellar for the monks. Later, in the early 1500s, Richard Beere added even more rooms.
The land around the farmhouse was very useful. It had an orchard for fruit and a herb garden for plants. There were also four special ponds where fish were kept.
The Abbot's Fish House
Near the farmhouse, you can find The Abbot's Fish House. It was built around the same time as the main house. These fish ponds were so important that they were even written about in the Domesday Book in 1086. At that time, ten fishermen took care of them.
The fishponds were quite large, up to 30 meters long and 5 meters wide. They were connected to Meare Pool and the River Brue by drains and gullies. These ponds were full of fish! At one point, people caught about 5,000 eels every year. They also caught pike, Bream, and other "white fish."
What the Farmhouse Looks Like
The Manor Farmhouse has two floors. You enter through a porch that covers the main doorway. The main hall of the house was located to the east of this entrance.
Special Rooms and Features
In the back of the house, there's a wing with a large room upstairs. This room has a big stone fireplace with a stone hood over it.
Above the porch, there's a stone figure carved into the building. This figure is wearing robes and a special hat called a mitre. People believe this figure represents Abbot Richard Whiting. He was the abbot of Glastonbury when King Henry VIII made big changes to the churches in England. This period was called the Dissolution of the Monasteries.
The Story of Abbot Whiting
Abbot Richard Whiting was imprisoned in the Tower of London. Sadly, he was executed on Glastonbury Tor in 1539. The Catholic Church considers him a martyr, which means someone who died for their beliefs. He was honored as "blessed" on May 13, 1895.
