Witham, or Witham Friary a small village 6 m.  S. from Frome, with a station (G.W.R.).  Its only present-day interest is its church.  Its popular designation preserves its early ecclesiastical associations, though with some degree of “terminological inexactitude.”  It was a settlement not of Friars but of Monks.  Here was established the first of the few Carthusian houses in England, which only number nine in all.  It was Henry II.’s gift to the church, in part payment for the murder of Becket.  Witham had as one of its earliest priors the celebrated Burgundian, Hugh of Avalon, who afterwards became Bishop of Lincoln.  The existing church is perhaps a surviving portion of his work.  It is a plain vaulted building of severe simplicity with an apsidal E. end, containing a good E.E. triplet.  Opinions differ as to whether the present structure was the monks’ church, the choir of the monks’ church, or the church of the lay brothers (for in Carthusian houses the clergy and the laymen worshipped in separate buildings).  In recent years the church has been extended one bay westward, and a belfry added.  Note (1) the curious recess in exterior S. wall of apse; (2) double square piscina in chancel; (3) rood-loft stair; (4) Norm. font, which was once built into the tower erected in 1832.  There is also a modern font, which was used before the former one was recovered.  The buttresses are copies of those constructed by St Hugh for the chapter-house at Lincoln.  The domestic buildings have disappeared; they are supposed to have stood N. of the church.  One curious relic of the “common life” of the monks has escaped the hand of the destroyer.  This is the dovecot, on the other side of the road, now converted into a village reading-room.  The building is of unusual size; but the existence of some of the pigeon-holes puts its original purpose beyond doubt (cp.  Hinton Charter-house).

Withiel Florey, a village 7 miles N.E. from Dulverton.  The church is a small Perp. building with a low W. tower, to which a partial casing of slate scarcely adds additional beauty.

Withycombe, a village 2-1/2 m.  S.E. of Dunster.  It has an aisleless church, which contains a few objects of interest:  (1) a screen; (2) a font with cable moulding; (3) two effigies, both of females (one with curious turret-like ornaments at the head and foot); (4) a large stoup on the L. hand of the S. door.

Withypool, a village on the Barle, 8 m.  N.W. from Dulverton.  It is one of the lonely outposts of civilisation on Exmoor.  Though picturesquely situated itself, it is best known as a sort of halting-place on the way to the still more romantic neighbourhood of Simonsbath.  The church is E.E., but not interesting.  The local farmers are said to enjoy four harvests in a year—­turf, whortleberries, hay and corn.