Courtyard Sundials was established in 1998 by Richard White when, on one of his travels, he came across the stunning Courtyard sundial now being offered by his company. At the time he was looking for a present for his 85 year-old father. After 40 odd years of choosing presents 'What do you buy the man who has everything he wants?' 
As a yachtsman and seafarer of many years Richard was well used to working with the sun and stars.
He fell in love with the pure simplicity of the sundial and started to delve in to their history, joining the British Sundial Society. In an age where every aspect of our live is ruled by technology, he became fascinated by the ancient art of measuring time. That it can be measured by such stunning object d'art convinced him that here was a product that demanded his full attention. Courtyard Sundials is dedicated to becoming purveyors and designers of a range of exclusive and high quality objects of beauty that will appeal to the discerning few. We are constantly looking to expand our range but it will only be increased after exhaustive study and then only available from Courtyard Sundials and a limited number of carefully selected retailers and garden centres
Richard's son - Kerry - is responsible for sales administration and engraving which is carried out on a powerful computer-aided engraving machine. Talk to Kerry about your engraving and delivery requirements 01984 629242 or 0797 195 4334.
If you should be in the UK visitors at our Wiveliscombe (near Taunton Somerset) workshop are always welcome but please ring first - we are often away making deliveries or site visits and we'd hate for you to have a wasted journey. But you can see all our armillary sundials on our WEBCAM Click here to View  | Wiveliscombe is a rural town nestling in the Brendon Hills on the edge of the Exmoor National Park. While the population of 2,670 is small for a town, the shops and services meet the needs of a much larger population in scattered farms and villages.
A survey in 1997 revealed that there were at least 300 businesses within a 5 miles mile radius of the town; 14 of these were trading internationally and a further 20 nationally.
It is one of the first towns in the UK to set up a completely free goods and services exchange forum for the local 10 Parishes area.
The Church of St Andrew dates from 1827-9 and was built from red sandstone with Hamstone dressings, although the font is octagonal and originated in the 14th century. The architect was Richard Carver. The church has been designated by English Heritage as a grade II listed building. |
Wiveliscombe is a former borough, market and cloth making town just 5 miles from the border between Devon and Somerset. It is situated at the foot of the Brendon Hills and acts as a gateway to Exmoor.
Traces of a large Roman camp may still be seen to the southeast of Wiveliscombe (Wilscombe, Wiviscombe), which is near the line of a Roman road, and hoards of Roman coins have been discovered in the area. Several megalithic standing stones and round barrows are also present in the vicinity of the town. Wiveliscombe probably owed its origin to the suitability of its position for defence, and it was the site of a Iron age fort, later replaced by Viking and Saxon settlements. |  |
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Set in the rural English county of Somerset, Wiveliscombe is the hub of the Ten Parishes. These are Ashbrittle, Bathealton, Brompton Ralph, Chipstable, Clatworthy, Fitzhead, Huish Champflower, Milverton, Stawley and Wiveliscombe itself. Wiveliscombe serves the needs of many farms in the area and also has a prosperous business community.
The sheltered south-facing vale of the Brendon Hills was an attractive location in the prehistoric period. There is no direct evidence of prehistoric settlement on the site of Wiveliscombe itself but artefact finds have been made in the neighbourhood. Nearby is the Castle, an Iron Age hillfort with signs of earlier occupation.
There are also signs of Roman occupation of the fort at some point. There is no mention of Wiveliscombe in the Domesday Book, although it is likely that agricultural settlements existed in the area at that time.
Visitors could try The Bear Inn or The White Hart Hotel. Accommodation can also be found at nearby Bindon Country House, a historic 17th century country house offering luxury, en suite accommodation sleeping up to 24 guests. |
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Its position has obviously been important for many centuries as remains of Pre-Roman, Roman and Saxon times have been traced, including fortifications. Traces of prehistoric man found in the area are now housed in the museum in Taunton and flint chippings have been found in the area around Croford.
Castle Hill to the east of the town was the site of an Iron Age encampment and still gives commanding views of the neighbourhood. This was later occupied by the Romans. In 1711 coins were found, some dating from the time of the Emperor Trajan, (AD 98-117)and in 1946 a further hoard was found which contained coins from possibly as late as A.D. 338. This would seem to indicate that the Romans occupied Castle Hill for a lengthy period of time.
From the time of the Saxon conquest up to the reign of Edward the Confessor, 1042-66, the manor of Wiveliscombe belonged to the King. Edward, however, "for the good of his soul" granted the manor to the See of Bath and Wells and Bishop Giso became Lord of the Manor. When the town became the favoured home of several medieval bishops of Bath and Wells, the so called Bishop's Palace was much in. use. This was particularly true of Bishop Drockensfield (1309-29), but little or nothing remains of the original.
It was approached by a gatehouse, the arch of which can still be seen from Church Street. Plain Pond is now a housing estate but in earlier times stews or ponds were maintained to provide a plentiful supply of fish for the palace and similar residences. |
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The square represents the commercial hub of Wiveliscombe and with the High Street to the south also contains the majority of the important buildings of architectural and historic interest In High Street there is a house with the date 1804 over the door. This was the public dispensary founded by William Hancock and Henry Sully. Its purpose was to allow "servants, labourers and apprentices" to have free medical treatment and care.
It had a resident doctor and incorporated a hospital and clinic. Patients came from all over west Somerset to avail themselves of the facilities. This was all before the East Reach Hospital in Taunton was built. Narrow streets and interesting old buildings establish Wiveliscombe's agreeably diverse character. The architecture is varied, with the Georgian houses of Church Street giving way to small vernacular buildings along Russells and Rotton Row which in many instances are similar to the buildings in Silver Street and Golden Hill. However it is in Church Street that some of the finest buildings are to be found with the Church of St Andrews, East and West Braynes and Bournes.
The church of St Andrew's is relatively recent (1827-29) compared to most of the other churches in Taunton Deane. The most notable thing about it is the large vaulted undercroft which gives access to extensive catacombs. These housed many of the country's finest works of art rescued from potential bomb damage during World War Two. A plaque listing the treasures stored here at the time can be seen inside the church.
The woolen trade flourished around Wiveliscombe and a coarse blue cloth widely used for the slaves in the West Indies was manufactured in the area. When slavery was abolished throughout the British Empire in 1833 this proved the death knell of the industry in the town. |
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Wiveliscombe has been the heart of West Country brewing for two centuries. The famous Hancocks brewery dominated it and regional economy. Formed in 1807, its vast array of buildings crests the hilltop, known as Golden Hill, and forms the skyline of the town visible for miles around. Courtyard Sundials workshop is now based in one of those buildings. At one time the Hancock’s employed half the town’s workforce, and owned the best of the 36 town pubs!
The Hancock family exercised a huge influence on the town for many decades. The men of the family were fanatical in their enthusiasm for rugby. Wiveliscombe Rugby Club was founded in 1872 largely due to the Hancocks, The family were determined to ensure the club was successful and brought into the town many well-known people solely on the strength of their ability to play rugby. Seven of the ten Hancock sons played rugby for Somerset. One, Frank Ernest, captained Wales and another Phillip Froude played for England.
In the 1920s the brewery provided one of the main sources of employment still being run by Hancock after the amalgamation with Arnolds of Taunton in 1927. Its demise is poignantly catalogued by Ivor Burston in his book Wiveliscombe "Bits and Pieces" 1955 -Sad Days were in store for Wiveliscombe for Arnolds and Hancocks were bought out by Ushers of Trowbridge and many changes were made, eventually Watneys bought out Ushers, the brewery closed and with a number of employees moved to Rowbarton, Taunton. This was indeed the end of an era! |
 | But Wiveliscombe is still home to 2 breweries - Cotleigh Brewery and Exmoor Ales. Exmoor Ales "Golden Hill Brewery" occupied a modest part of the Hancock site in 1980, where it has remained since acquiring more land and buildings as it has grown, continuing something of the history of Wiveliscombe Brew Town, along with a neighbouring local brewery, Cotleigh, situated close by on the local industrial estate. |  |
There is an unusual red tile-hung building in the Square known as the Court House which is now the home of the Public Library, This building was constructed in 1881 and is notable for the cowed grotesque corbels and carved wooden panels depicting stylised fruit, human figures and mythical animals in the style of the Norwegian slave church carvings. Within the churchyard is a 14th century Sandstone cross.
The Recreation Ground "Broad Meadow" was bought from John Tidboald and paid for by public subscription to house a memorial to the fallen in the 1914-18 war. Underneath the memorial is a tin full of relics of the time.
On the 8th June 1871 the railway line was from Taunton to Wiveliscombe opened initially in Brunel's original broad gauge. After eight years it was relaid to the standard gauge. There was an impressive viaduct the piers of which are still to be seen in the area but thanks to the infamous Dr Beeching no rolling stock has tested their construction since October 1966. Abbotsfleld, a country house half a mile to the west of Wiveliscombe, was designed for Lacey Collard, the piano manufacturer, by Owen Jones around 1872. Owen Jones was an influential Victorian design theorist and this is one of the few buildings designed by him that survives to this day. It is reputed the Richard Wagner stayed there and that Adelina Patti once sang from a terrace to an audience seated on the lawn.
To the east of Wiveliscombe is a small settlement called Croford. Croford House, an early nineteenth century building, was built for the owner of Slapes brick works which once stood behind it. The farm buildings nearby are made of misshaped, reject bricks from the brickworks. The good bricks were once used in most of the Victorian development in Wiveliscombe and nearby Milverton.
There is no shortage of history on the doorstep of Wiveliscombe. Famous houses abound. The closest are Gaulden Manor and Combe Sydenham, the latter being the home of one Britain's most famous seafarers - Francis Drake | 
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Email: sales@CourtyardSunDials.co.uk Phone: 01984 629242 or 0797 195 4334 Monday to Friday
 
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