ANECDOTES ABOUT THE VILLAGE.
John Huntley died at the age or 94 in 1891 having been born in the year 1797.The following are reminscinces of the village told by him to Miss Helen Foxcroft in 1888

An election anecdote

In the days before the 1914- 18 war, political elections, in the view of the older ones among us, had far more savour than is the case nowadays. In the old Frome Division, and elsewhere, the contests were generally straight fights between Conservative and Liberals. The colours adopted by the two parties were the same throughout the Country. Blue for Conservative and Red for Liberals. Plenty of red and blue paint was splashed about not unaccompanied by a certain amount of free beer of the old kind. Our village was no exception. Traces of the blue paint splashed on the wall of Mr. Ernest Andrews's cottage can still be seen. "there is one story related by Mr. Arthur Swift in particular, which never fails to delight.
Living in what is now Mr. Carter's cottage in Wellow Lane was the late Mr. John Deverell, possessor of a name once well known in this village. A stout hearted Conservative of exceedingly blasphemous address, he owned a grey mare of which he was very proud. One night at election time two bright sparks (rumour has it Mr. Chancellor and Mr. Holcombe) took a large pot of red paint and painted this grey mare, the joy of Tory John Deverell's heart, with beautiful red stripes and the words "Vote for Barlow". The next day found John Deverell almost at a loss for oaths. He was told by friends in the Local to take his mare, perhaps in the hope of some redress to the local J.P. Squire Foxcroft, but warned not to swear. The phenomenon was duly led up to the front door, where Mr. and Mrs. Foxcroft were waiting to receive man and horse. It was very hard for either of those holding the reception to think of anyadequate or soothing comment. Eventually Mrs. Foxcroft remarked on the fact that even the ears were bedaubed with the Liberal colouring. "Yes" says John Deverell that's were b...s caught hold of `un". He was led off muttering, having broken his promise.