EAST NYNEHEAD

East Nynehead may or may not be fairly categorized as an 'interesting place' but it certainly exists - a fact which escaped the notice of Royal Mail and the compilers of their data base of 'official' addresses until well into the twenty-first century. Notwithstanding that East Nynehead has been recorded for centuries as a separate entity distinct from Nynehead, albeit not always so called, and similarly noted on maps, let alone being indicated as East Nynehead on both highway sign posts and the entry signs at its boundaries, only in 2011 was Royal Mail persuaded by a resident to open their eyes to geographical and historical reality.

East Nynehead has been East Nynehead since at least 1836 when it was named thus on the Tithe Map. Before that, the Reverend John Collinson wrote of Nynehead in 'The History and Antiquities of the County of Somerset...' published in Bath in 1791;

"NINEHEAD-FLORY, anciently NICHEHEDE is a fmall parifh in the extreme angle of this hundred towards the fouthwest, being fituated betwixt Milverton and Wellington, from which laft parifh it is divided by the river Tone.

"A mile eaftward from the church is EAST-NINEHEAD, or NINEHEAD-MONKS or MONKTON; and about half a mile north is the hamlet of Upcot."

(There is a complete transcript in three parts of what Collinson wrote about Nynehead. Or see under HISTORY - Collinson at your leisure.)

East Nynehead and Nynehead are identified as such on the 1885 O.S. and all subsequent O.S. maps.

So, in 2011 the residents of East Nyenhead were consulted, as were the 'relevant authorities', as to whether Royal Mail should be urged to acknowledge our oriental proclivity. The support was "overwhelming" and Royal Mail was urged to gird their snail-like loins to regularise, in their mind, inclusion of the word 'East' in Nynehead addresses - but they have not as yet [June 2011]. Until they do, inclusion of East in a Nynehead address is not regarded by Royal Mail as 'official'.

STOP PRESS!

It's official! In a letter to residents of East Nynehead dated 5.vii.2011, Royal Mail acknowledged the right to existence in East Nynehead.