History
Over the course of the years there have been a number of shops in Stogumber. There were in fact, so many that people from the surrounding hamlets and villages would come to Stogumber to do their Christmas shopping.
Even in more recent years there were a few small shops – some of the village centre properties still retain large pavement facing windows reminiscent of shop windows.
Examples of old shops are seen at Number 4 to the right of the existing shop at No 6. Then also at the Old Post Office where the window next to the red post box is a good bit larger than the rest, and Derby House in Station Road has big windows on either side of a main front door. Derby House is once again in use as a workshop for interiors and thriving lampshade sales. Wick House also had a shop to the right hand side of the property. Chandlers at No 10 High St., was a maker and dealer of candles and ships supplies. In the old days Chandlers also made and sold soap, paint, tallow (for candles) etc.
Bearing in mind Stogumber is situated on the original main route from Watchet to Taunton and back then was a small Market Town/village, it was an ideal place for supplies for ships. The Market House can still be seen today as part of the pub building. It has outside stairs with iron hand rail to the upper level. The village at that time was thriving and had a large and well known Brewery and 5 pubs – 3 of which were the Swan Inn, The Dragon House situated on Brook St at the junction of Station Road and The Red Lion (encompassing No 8 & part of 6 -The House in the High St). The small barn at the back of The House at 6 High Street, is known to be an old Malting House – which relates to fact that it was once part of The Red Lion pub next door and the kitchen of The House has a void beneath with brick pathway which may well have been a cellar space for the pub – the building line steps back here which may have provided space below and in front of the window for cellar access. The current owners undertook some gardening work in the rear terrace and uncovered a well beneath the paving.
The right hand side of The House at No 6 (to the left of the shop) was in fact part of the Stogumber Shop property and building until well into this century. The bell fittings which attached by wire to the front door of the shop to indicate to the owner when someone entered the shop, had probably been there since the Inkpen family’s time or soon after. The fittings were still in situ in The House until 2019 when it last changed hands and may still be there as a reminder of it’s past.
To entice passers by and local residents into the shop at No 6 High Street, to browse or purchase, the Stogumber shop window displayed goods and advertised many of the products and provisions for sale within the shop. Competition from other shops meant they needed to tell passers by what they sold and needed to attract customers – this was important to all shop owners.
Today however, the window displays seasonal or national themes or ties displays in with village events simply for the interest of villagers. The window volunteers change it regularly to provide villagers with yet another inventive theme (to the apparent bemusement of some of the passing visitors).
There has probably been a building on the site of the current shop since mediaeval times, but the first recorded lease was in 1600 to a John Bacon, when it was just described as “cottage”.
Moving forward 200 years, the tenant was Henry Ford who described himself as “tailor and shopkeeper”. He was followed by James Elworthy a wine merchant.
Then, in 1822, came George Burnett a draper and grocer from Bridgwater. The Burnett family ran the shop until 1888. George described himself as “linen draper, grocer, druggist and ironmonger”. The stock listed in the advertisements was huge, but by 1870, the family had decided to downsize and discontinue delivering goods with his horses and wagons.
Joseph Howe Norman was the next owner of the shop which he ran until about 1900.
When Frederick Inkpen took over, he named it “Central Stores” to distinguish it from the many other shops in the village. He added petroleum (at 25/- per cask) to its still wide range of goods. With advertising signs outside and in the window.
In 1906 the business was sold to John Gooding from Devon. He and his family ran the shop until the early 1970s after which it changed hands several times.
History information: With thanks to Lesley Morgan – History Society
UPDATE 2023: A History of Stogumber based on a series of talks given to Stogumber History Society by Dr Duncan Taylor who used to live in Stogumber . The following information is provided by four themed presentations on a website by Dr Taylor:
