Ashill, Somerset

Ashill is a small village and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated 7mi south of Taunton, and three miles north-west of Ilminster in the South Somerset district. The parish includes the hamlet of Windmill Hill and has a population of 529.It has a small junior school, a village pub named The Ashill Inn, a village hall and a playing field.HistoryAshill is mentioned in the Domesday book for its extensive woodland. The manor passed from the de Vaux family to Sir Thomas Moulton by 1317, and then through the Stretche and Beauchamp families to the Spekes who built Jordans as their mansion, which was demolished in the 1960s, although the grotto/summer house (dating from 1828) in the grounds survives. The grotto is on the Heritage at Risk register due to vandalism despite re-thatching.Ashill was part of the hundred of Abdick and Bulstone.GovernanceThe parish council has responsibility for local issues, including setting an annual precept (local rate) to cover the council’s operating costs and producing annual accounts for public scrutiny. The parish council evaluates local planning applications and works with the local police, district council officers, and neighbourhood watch groups on matters of crime, security, and traffic. The parish council's role also includes initiating projects for the maintenance and repair of parish facilities, as well as consulting with the district council on the maintenance, repair, and improvement of highways, drainage, footpaths, public transport, and street cleaning. Conservation matters (including trees and listed buildings) and environmental issues are also the responsibility of the council.