I grew up in Montacute, and I’ve always been curious about the people who lived here before us. But there is so much info out there I was losing track of it all so I started keeping these notes; I thought others might be interested in my findings too, hence the website.
Montacute House, a masterpiece of Elizabethan architecture and
the first National Trust property to be opened to the public, sits at the centre of the village. Overlooking the village is
St Michael's Hill, once the site of
a Norman Castle and now topped by by an imposing hamstone tower. Some say there’s a tunnel from the hill into the village, though no one’s found it yet.
Archaeological finds from the parish range from a
Paleolithic hand axe to
Roman coin hoards. Then there's the medieval
legend of the Holy Cross, and various claims—some more likely than others—linking Montacute to
Joseph of Arimathea,
Macbeth and even
King Arthur. Whether you believe them or not, they make for interesting reading.
You’ll find snippets here about local characters and events from Montacute’s past—a
local hero who strove to lift villagers from poverty, another who
overcame adversity to compose music and poetry, and darker tales too, from the
brutal punishment of a highwayman to the sad fate of a
16th-century Montacute martyr—was he really attacked by frogs?
Whether you live nearby or just ended up here out of interest, I hope you enjoy this site. Explore the stories and
browse the photos of Montacute past and present; highlighted text shows clickable links. Huge thanks to everyone who helped piece this together; and if you spot something I’ve got wrong—or know something I don’t—please do get in touch. There’s always more to uncover.
LATEST UPDATES TO THE SITE:
2025 -
Jousts at Montacute in 1964 on my page about Conan of Montacute, more info about
Montacute Railway Station, my attempts to analyse an inscription in
St Catherine's Church, and preliminary analysis of the development of
Montacute Borough.