I’d like to say a little bit about three of the young men whose names we remembered this morning at the War Memorial and who were killed in action in 1916. They were the first men from the village to die in the 1st War and their sacrifice was commemorated in this Church with the dedication in April 1917 of a now rather overlooked memorial plaque at the back of the Church.
Wookey Hole and its caves have one of the longest continuously recorded histories in the British Isles. Wookey Hole is rightly famed for the manufacture of hand made paper and is a fine example of a complete industrialised village with its mill and housing for the employees all supplied by a benevolent employer - the Hodgkinson family. It is, however known world-wide for its Great Cave. Numerous writers throughout the ages have written of their experiences and fascination as they ventured into the chambers of the Great Cave. Their writings however come long after the cave's earliest inhabitants.
The area of Wookey Hole west of the river Axe was within the parish of Wookey until 1856. During the Middle Ages these lands were once part of the Bishop’s estates of Wells. Other areas of land in Wookey Hole, both east and west of the Axe, belonged to the manor of Melsbury and Wookey Hole which was the local estate for the Almshouses of Wells (Bubwith).
When Lionel Lovell purchased the village shop in the 1940’s, included was all the land surrounding the premises. Along with grazing land for pigs and cows there was also an orchard and an area set aside for potato crops. ‘Garden Cottage’, a renovated barn, once housed the harvest from this land.
With the expansion of the EMI electronics site on Wookey Hole Road there was an immediate need for accommodation. Requests for suitable land were made by the company’s management to which Mr. Lovell replied. It was not long after that the first mobile home units were being positioned in the grazing field. Their success is now evident and with the motive being to develop the site commercially the camping area soon followed.
In September 1968 Godfrey and Barbara Seddon purchased the Park and continued its commercial development. The old garages which were used as an office were demolished in 1973 and replaced with a new reception area and house for the owners. The touring pastime peaked in the late 70’s but soon started to decline with the opening of the M5 motorway. Holiday makers now had the ability to travel further south without the need for a break in their journey.
A second park was purchased in Shropshire in 1984 and was run by Godfrey and Barbara. Son-in-law Stuart Palmer took over the management of Homestead Park and to this day continues to do so. In 1989 the Shropshire caravan park was sold and the couple returned to Wookey Hole.
Homestead Park made the national headlines during August 1987. On suspicion of plotting to kill the then Northern Ireland secretary Tom King, three members of the IRA who were camping at the park were arrested.
Over a period of 20 years mobile home units have advanced from glorified caravans to luxury park homes containing all the expected modern conveniences. Homes that are well looked after can expect to have a life span in excess of 35 years. The main layout of the park has changed little over the years although improvements have included the introduction of street lighting and tarmac roads. Additional car parking for the residents replaces what used to be until recently a tennis court and crazy golf area.
S. Palmer, D. Hudsmith
The millennium committee was started in the late spring of 1998 with representatives from all of the village organisations. It was set up to plan a programme of special events and activities to celebrate the millennium with some lasting memorials in the village.
A list of the best ideas was selected from the many suggestions put forward. Appropriate fund raising was then planned for the eighteen months leading up to the millennium.
On St David’s Day, March 1st 1894, there was great excitement in Parliament. A new Local Government Bill was being debated in the Commons; and there were eight hundred amendments. The Prime Minister was Mr Gladstone. He was eighty four years of age and it was his last speech in Parliament. Two days later he resigned. On March 5th 1894 the Local Government Act was passed and the new civil Parish of Out St Cuthbert was conceived.