|
||
|
|
Parish Council Information
SPOTLIGHT ON OAKE PARISH
Oake , which includes four villages with a population of just over 650 people stretching over an area of approximately 5 square miles situated in the Vale of Taunton Deane, about six miles to the west of the county town of Taunton in Somerset. The parish is served by a post office and general store, three Anglican churches, a primary school,two public houses , an equipped toddlers' play area as well as an adventure playground and numerous businesses including farms and garages and a golf course. We are fortunate to share a new community hallsituated in Oake and opened in 2003 to replace the pre-war hall. This project has brought the people together and drawn on the resources of many parishioners. Oake is the largest community, with Heathfield to the north-east and Hillcommon to the north-west while Hillfarrance lies about a mile to the south. We border Preston Bowyer in the west and Norton Fitzwarren in the east: to the north we adjoin the new village of Cotford St Luke. To the south lies Bradford on Tone and Nynehead. Oake Oake lies at the heart of the four communities. The post office and school are situated on the road running from the B3227 to Bradford on Tone, passing the new village hall and Oake Manor Golf Club. Although surrounded by farm land, it is now largely a residential area which has grown significantly over the last ten years with the building of nearly fifty new houses in Saxon Close. Oake Close provides amenity housing, particlarly for the elderly. Businesses within the village include an aromatherapist, photographers and a fencing company.
The ancient village of Oake is mentioned in history as early as AD897 where, in Codex Diplomaticus Aevi Saxonici, it is referred to as ‘ Acon’. In Domesday Book, after the coming of the Normans, it is spelt as ‘ Acha’ and this, through the ages, has become Oake. The name obviously derides from the abundance of oak trees in the neighbourhood – sadly depleted over the years, although a few still remain, notably around the church. It is probable that there was a place of worship in the Saxon settlement, although whether the present church was built on its site is not known. Heathfield The number of residents is approximately 65 young and old. The Church has strong connections with Oake, Hillfarrance and Cotford St.Luke. There are four working farms: Hillcommon Hillcommon is to be found on the B 3227 just to the North of Oake, in fact all the properties are to be found either side of this road. There is a public house called the Orchard Innwhich serves excellent food. Two garages one with repair workshop and car sales, the other has a repair workshop. Two builders the long established firm of Messrs Hardacre and the other one is Wrencon Builders. There is an apple orchardand they supply fruit and apple juice via their shop at Rumwell. There are a couple of smallholdings, Slough Farm which is a popular pony club venue, also Higher House which as well as being a small holding also has a self catering unit. Hillfarrance
Hillfarrance is a small hamlet to the south of Oake and 3 miles from the M5 junction at Wellington. There is a public house, The Anchor Inn, and a church dedicated to The Holy Cross is situated in the centre of the hamlet. The Sustrans cycle route from Bristol to Padstow passes through the village. HISTORY OF OAKE AND BRADFORD SCHOOL The school, originally called Hillfarrance Oake and Heathfield Board school, was built in1879. It was renamed Oake Primary school in 1961. In 1984 Bradford school closed and was amalgamated with Oake school becoming Oake and Bradford County Primary school. In 2010 the local primary school of Nynehead closed and amalgamated with Oake and Bradford, to become as it is today, Oake , The pre school at Oake Bradford and Nynehead has re opened as part of the Foundation Stage Unit of the school. It is called Little Acorns and runs in close partnership with the school. From Oake and Bradford school pupils progress to one of the secondary schools in the area. The majority go to Kingsmead Community School and Court Fields Community School. Parish Council Meetings The Parish Council currently meets eleven times a year at 7.00 p.m. in the ‘Pig and Whistle’ Lounge of Oake & District Hall. The Annual Parish Meeting is in May of each year, this is an open meeting where any group that meets within the Parish is invited to give a brief report of their groups activities over the past year and anyone can put forward items for debate as the Parish Councils aim is to make themselves available and receptive to parishioners’ views. Members of the public and press are always welcome at all Parish Council Meetings but are asked that they respect that the Council does have business to deal with during which time public debates are not permitted. All Parish Councillors have signed the new Code of Conduct, this covers most aspects of interest and responsibilities. Parish Council Notices Agendas, Minutes and any items of interest are on public display in the Notice Boards by the Post Office in Oake and on Hillfarrance Green. Parish Council MeetingsThe Parish Council currently meets eleven times a year at 7.00 p.m. in the ‘Pig and Whistle’ Lounge of Oake & District Hall. We have our Annual Parish Meeting in May of each year, this is an open meeting where any group that meets within the Parish is invited to give a brief report of their groups activities over the past year and anyone can put forward items for debate as the Parish Councils aim is to make themselves available and receptive to parishioners’ views. Members of the public and press are always welcome at all Parish Council Meetings but we would ask that they respect that the Council does have business to deal with during which time public debates are not permitted. All Parish Councillors have signed the new Code of Conduct, this covers most aspects of interest and responsibilities. Parish Council NoticesAgendas, Minutes and any items of interest are on public display in the Notice Boards by the Post Office in Oake and on Hillfarrance Green. If anyone has anything they would like discussed at a Parish Council Meeting would they please let the Clerk know at least a week before a meeting so that it can be put on the Agenda for discussion. This can be done by telephoning or email (See Parish Contacts page)
|
Oake Parish © Oake Parish 2006 |
||
Home
Bradford and Nynehead VC School. The familiar Victorian school building is still very much part of the new school.