street.somerset.england.uk
Chairman Nina Swift 01458 443881 : Secretary Deanne Silmon 01458 443284 : Membership Catherine Atkins 01458 443055
email thestreetsociety@btinternet.com

Overleigh Character Statement

Street Society's Current Project

Overleigh is an ancient settlement ('Lega' is mentioned in Domesday Book) which is now part of Street.

On the southern edge of the town, Overleigh is a favourite place for walkers. Its narrow road does not allow motor traffic to rush through and spoil its character. This is, naturally, a factor which has led many of the present residents to choose Overleigh. The dwellings are grouped in a way that modern planners would not envisage. Many of the houses are architecturally interesting and have long histories, and two large houses, Overleigh House and Whitenights, are closely linked with the Clark family. Distinguished visitors have included General Smuts and Emperor Haille Selasse.
lane Whitenights House
The hamlet can boast an old infant school building, which at present performs an important social function as a playgroup meeting place. Well-tended allotments extend along one side of the road. See what HM Inspector had to say about the school in 1891 here. Street Society in collaboration with local residents is making a survey of the hamlet, as the first stage of what we hope will be a complete survey of Street, finding out the history of the place and its buildings. The resulting description will be published and put at the disposal of the planning authorities, who will be able to use it in setting out guidelines for any developments that may be proposed.
school garden
Alan and Sue Ripley are researching the history of Overleigh with the aid of Tithe maps and this Ordnance Survey map of 1885. Alan has made this graph of where Overleigh people worked during the 19th century. Click the graph to enlarge. Notice how farming became less important, shoemaking grew, and quarrying came and went.
Ordnance Survey 1885 Employment graph
This Ordnance Survey map of 1889-91 shows quarries in the Overleigh area. Click to enlarge. Ordnance Survey 1889-91


School Inspector's Report

An extract from the report of Her Majesty's Inspector of Education on his visit to the school in January 1892; the school had opened as a Board School in May of the previous year:

"The children are very well ordered and are taught with care and success as a whole. Arithmetic might be more intelligently known and the children should not use their fingers in counting. The school is doing good work in the neighbourhood, which is a remote settlement of the district. A gallery would be useful."

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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