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Creech St Michael

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Creech St Michael


Creech St Michael shown within Somerset
Population	2,464 ^[1]
OS grid reference	ST273253
District	Taunton Deane
Shire county	Somerset
Region	South West
Constituent country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	TAUNTON
Postcode district	TA1, TA2, TA3, TA4
Dialling code	01823
Police	Avon and Somerset
Fire	Devon and Somerset
Ambulance	South Western
UK Parliament	Taunton
European Parliament	South West England
List of places: UK • England • Somerset

Coordinates: 51°01′22″N 3°02′16″W / 51.0229, -3.0377

Creech St. Michael is a village and parish in Somerset, England, situated three miles east of Taunton in the Taunton Deane district. The village has a population of 2,464 ^[2]. The name derives from a creech, or creek, on the River Tone, which creates an island in the river to the south of the village, and the parish church of St. Michael, which dates from the 12th century. The Bridgwater & Taunton Canal provides a picturesque route through the village for pleasure boats, and the tow path is open to pedestrians and cyclists. There are also dramatic remains of the Chard Canal, including the (filled) junction with the Bridgwater & Taunton Canal, a raised embankment leading south from the village, a ruined aqueduct that would have carried the canal over the River Tone, and the abutments of a second aqueduct across a local road. The Bristol and Exeter Railway line was opened through the village in 1842 and the junction of the Chard Branch Line was located here in 1860, but Creech St Michael railway station was not opened until 13 August 1928. The station was actually north of the junction so was only used by trains to Yeovil and Bristol. It closed on 5 October 1964 but the line is still open, forming a part of the London to Penzance main line. The branch is closed but remains of it are visible. including the skeleton of a Five Arch Bridge across the River Tone, and an embankment curving south, parallel to the abandoned canal. A large paper mill was built on the river to the west of the village in 1875, finally closing in 1993. In the Second World War, a line of fortifications was built through the village, as part of the Taunton Stop Line. The line was meant to contain any German invasion of the south west peninsula. Several pillboxes remain along the Bridgwater & Taunton Canal, one at the old junction with the Chard canal, and one on the embankment of the Chard railway.