Сомерсеттағы Стоуэй ауылының тарихы мен сипаттамасы

the village in north Somerset

Stowey is a small village and former civil parish, now in the parish of Stowey Sutton, in the Bath and North East Somerset district, in the ceremonial county of Somerset, England. It lies within the Chew Valley, south of Chew Valley Lake and north of the Mendip Hills, approximately 10 mile (16 km) south of Bristol on the A368 road Weston super Mare to Bath. Stowey and its neighbouring and larger village, Bishop Sutton, form the civil parish of Stowey Sutton.

There is some evidence of a possible wooden enclosure from the Iron Age known as Stowey Castle. There is also some evidence of an ochre crushing mill used for making pigment for marking sheep. During the 16th or 17th century, Stowey was a chapelry of Chew Magna. It had become a separate parish by the 19th century, part of the hundred of Chew. It became a civil parish in 1866. On 1 April 1949 the civil parish was abolished and merged with part of the civil parish of Chew Magna to form the civil parish of Stowey Sutton. In 1931 the parish had a population of 127. The early Lords of the Manor were the FitzRichard family. In the early 17th century it was held by the Jones family, who held it until 1840 when it was sold to Sir Edward Strachey. Cloud often forms inland, especially near hills, and reduces exposure to sunshine. The average annual sunshine totals around 1600 hours. Rainfall tends to be associated with Atlantic depressions or with convection. In summer, convection caused by solar surface heating sometimes forms shower clouds and a large proportion of the annual precipitation falls from showers and thunderstorms at this time of year. Average rainfall is around About 8–15 days of snowfall is typical. November to March have the highest mean wind speeds, with June to August having the lightest. The predominant wind direction is from the south west.

According to the 2001 Census, the Chew Valley South Ward (which includes Bishop Sutton and Stowey), had 1,222 residents, living in 476 households, with an average age of 40.3 years. Of these 76% of residents describing their health as 'good', 25% of 16 to 74 year olds had no qualifications; and the area had an unemployment rate of 1.9% of all economically active people aged 16–74. In the Index of Multiple Deprivation 2004, it was ranked at 28,854 out of 32,482 wards in England, where 1 was the most deprived LSOA and 32,482 the least deprived.

Sutton Court, also known as Stowey Court, is a large house built on the site of a 14th century castle, with sections built in the 15th and 16th century. About 1558 (former date on a fireplace) Bess of Hardwick and her second husband, Sir William St. Loe, added a north east wing with a parlour and chapel, which includes Tudor buttresses. Around 1800 it was the seat of the Strachey family including Richard Strachey and his brother John Strachey. Much of the house was remodelled in 1858 by Thomas Henry Wyatt. It is a Grade II* listed building. A curtain wall to the north of Sutton Court with a gazebo is also listed. The Lodge is also Grade II listed.

Another significant building in the village is Stowey House to the north west of the church, which includes original 17th century gables, but was considerably extended in Georgian times. Stowey House Farm has a farm shop open to the public.

The Church of St Nicholas and St Mary is a Church of England parish church, which dates back to the 15th century, when it was a chapelry of Chew Magna, It is a Grade II listed building. "Stowey" is the name of a hymn tune which was adapted by Ralph Vaughan Williams for "When a Knight Won His Spurs."