Tag Archives: East Brent

The Champion family have been associated with East Brent, a village nestled under Brent Knoll since the early 1600’s at least and the area is important in the histories of the Hawkings,  Champion, and related families.

There is lots of information about East Brent and its past on the Rooksbridge website 

Also during the incumbency of Arch Deacon Denison, East Brent suffered from many cases of typhoid as there was no mains drinking water, and the constant flooding of the boggy marshes meant water on the lower ground was often contaminated. He built a well, taking water from the springs, on the high ground of Brent Knoll, bringing it down to the village next to the then Vicarage, which is now Rossholme House. It was then piped to a series of stand pipes around the village. It is said that if attendance at church on a Sunday was poor then he would cut off the water supply!!
East Brent had a wider range of shops and tradesmen.
Kelly’s directory 1897
Shopkeeper, shoemaker, furniture dealer,grocer, saddler, mason, Inn, cooper/tinman, bootmaker, carpenter, mason/sexton, butcher, saddler/shopkeeper, draper/grocer, blacksmith, mason, boot and shoe maker, carpenter/wheelwright/postoffice, boot and shoe dealer/grocer, glass and china dealer, carpenter/wheelwright.
In 1914 Thomas Champion, William Board, Frederick Comer were all farming in East Brent (Kelly’s Directory).

Mawks and Joe Counsell

 Born Aug 17th 1897 After her Father Jesse’s death went to London for a time as house helper to the family of her uncle Ernest Corley. Margaret returned to Somerset as cheese maker for Leonard Burge at Bow Farm,  Badgworth. Near East Brent. There she met Joseph Counsell from Biddisham, a… Continue reading →