Since Aug 04

The Manor of Compton was given by William the Conqueror to Serlo de Burci, one of his followers. It passed soon after to a Norman family named Martin who gave the village the latter half of its name. The first of the Martin family in England was Martin de Tours, a powerful nobleman and a great religious benefactor. In the reign of Henry 1 his son Robert Fitz-Martin inherited the Manor.

The Domesday survey of 1086 refers to Contona with Morthona consisting of 10 hides or about 2520 acres. Morton was latterly a hamlet associated with Compton Martin but is now submerged beneath Chew Valley lake. Compton, being next to the hill, may have derived its name from “cumb” and “tun” meaning an enclosure in a valley and Moreton, being on low lying ground, may have been distinguished as “mor” and “tun”.

1327-1377

In the 14th century the Manor passed to the Wake family. Alice, wife of Ralph de Wake was tried and sentenced to be burned for the murder of her husband. Perhaps she is the inspiration for the legendary White Lady, a ghostly figure said to haunt the parish. In 1348 the Black Death came from Bristol to the West Country like wildfire, carried to the outlying villages by travellers, packmen and panic-stricken populace fleeing the terror. Mortality was particularly high among the priests who gave the Last Rites to the dying. Records show that the Priest at Compton Martin survived the catastrophe.