street.somerset.england.uk
Chairman Nina Swift 01458 443881 : Secretary Deanne Silmon 01458 443284 : Membership Catherine Atkins 01458 443055
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Orchard Cottage

including Swedenborgians

A LITTLE way down Orchard Road when leaving Street High Street is the odd-man-out house. Among the long stone terraces, Orchard Cottage, a single detached red brick house on the left stands out.

According to the writer's family lore Orchard Cottage was built to the specific requirements of a member of the Summerhayes family who was born crippled. Instead of having ramps, as might be done now, the ground floor was given easy access by omitting thresholds and steps on any doors leading to the street or garden. although shallow steps were added by later generations. The tall door shown here gave from the cosy main living room without the little step visible in our picture of the 1920s. Inevitably a black cat sits there, for Ada Summerhayes (second from left) was a very definite cat person and usually had two or more in the family. Hence the colloquial name of Orchard Cottage. Blanche, her sister, a dumpy Queen Victoria type. had had the once common goitre operation and invariably wore either a very high neck, as here, or the classic velvet neck band with a lovely cameo to disguise the scar.

The back garden included the orchard of the house's title, with apple trees and some flowerbeds, much loved by young visitors playing with the cats. Unlike the forbidding parlour kept shut and gloomy and only used on Sundays and festivals or for occasional meetings of the family's Swedenborgian (or New Church) sect, for followers from around the area and as far off as Bridgwater. The sight of up to 20 people kneeling in prayer in someone's front parlour was too much for children leaving the nearby Board School, who lined the wall outside to stare from the pavement, pulling faces in case someone was heathen enough to open their eyes during prayers. Being a child, too, I always did.

Muriel V Mudie

Reports and Concerns

Newsletter here.

Committee Agenda and Minutes

View from the Street Blog - news and views on Street.

Google map of Street, showing places of interest.

Roman Street

Street from the air video

Overleigh video

Visits

Malmesbury July 2007

Bridgwater June 2007

Poundbury/Kingston Maurward pix.

Tyntesfield

Talks

Talk on the Levels - notes

Family History.

Dr Merrick on the past and future of medical services in Street.

The Early History of Millfield School.

Strode College by Principal Ian Bennett

A history of worship in Street by Revd David Parsons

The trees around Leigh Holt

Oral history

They lived in Street

Who was Merriman?

Merriman Park

Walter Raymond, author

Housman Society visit

Catalogue of the Laurence Housman collection in Street library.

The Laurence Housman website.

Concerns

The public consultation on the Houndwood development.

Murals in the library gardens - pictures

Overleigh Character Statement

Visitors since 19 May 2005

© The Street Society 2001, 2002

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