Hardington Mandeville
Hardington Mandeville is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated  south west of Yeovil in the South Somerset district. The village has a population of 585. History

The Hardington part of the name of the village means settlement of Heardred's people. The manor was held before the Norman Conquest by Gunhilda, the daughter of Godwin, Earl of Wessex and then by William the Conqueror. during the 12th century it was granted to the Mandeville family, from which the second part of the name is taken. It was later held by the Portmans of Orchard Portman. The parish was part of the hundred of Houndsborough. Notable people 
 Local councillor and village resident Cathy Bakewell was made Baroness of Hardington Mandeville in 2013. Sir Herbert Bartlett (1842 – 1921), English civil engineer and contractor, was born in Hardington Mandeville. Roger Burridge (1957-2020), folk musician, recording artist, and member of Fairport Convention was born at Hill End and lived there until he left school. Rev. Henry Holditch Thomas Cleife (1849-1914), author of England's Greatest National Sin: being selections and reflections on our Asiatic opium policy and traffic, and Mutual Recognition in the Life Beyond, was rector 1883-1914. Rev. Richard James Hunt (1874-1938), missionary and linguist, author of The Livingstone of South America,  was rector 1934-38. Harald James Penrose O.B.E. (1904-1996), experimental test pilot, naval architect and aviation author, lived at Broadhill Cottage for the last decade of his life. Rev. Canon Leonard Sharland (1904-78), missionary to the Sudan and Canon of Khartoum Cathedral, was rector 1969-76. Gilbert Vassall (1876-1941), the top-flight sportsman who excelled at cricket, football, and long jump, was born at Hardington Rectory (now Hardington House). Harry Vassall (1860-1926), Oxford and international rugby player, author of Football: the Rugby Game, and a leading figure in rugby's history, spent his childhood at Hardington Rectory (now Hardington House). Governance

The parish council has responsibility for local issues, including setting an annual precept (local rate) to cover the council's operating costs and producing annual accounts for public scrutiny. The parish council evaluates local planning applications and works with the local police, district council officers, and neighbourhood watch groups on matters of crime, security, and traffic. The parish council's role also includes initiating projects for the maintenance and repair of parish facilities, as well as consulting with the district council on the maintenance, repair, and improvement of highways, drainage, footpaths, public transport, and street cleaning. Conservation matters (including trees and listed buildings) and environmental issues are also the responsibility of the council. The town falls within the Non-metropolitan district of South Somerset, which was formed on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, having previously been part of Yeovil Rural District. The district council is responsible for local planning and building control, local roads, council housing, environmental health, markets and fairs, refuse collection and recycling, cemeteries and crematoria, leisure services, parks, and tourism. Somerset County Council is responsible for running the largest and most expensive local services such as education, social services, libraries, main roads, public transport, policing and fire services, trading standards, waste disposal and strategic planning. It is also part of the Yeovil county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election. Geography

Nearby is the Hardington Moor biological Site of Special Scientific Interest and National Nature Reserve where the meadows are examples of species-rich unimproved neutral grassland, which is now nationally rare. The rare French oat-grass is very abundant on the site and the fields are home to a wide variety of plant species, most notably adder's tongue, corky-fruited water-dropwort and large numbers of green-winged orchid. Invertebrates found at the site include butterflies such as gatekeeper, small tortoiseshell and common blue. Less commonly seen are large skipper, green-veined white and green hairstreak. Religious sites

The Church of Saint Mary was rebuilt in 1123 on the site of an earlier church. It has had renovation work in the 15th century and again in 1864. The circular font is thought to be original dating from 1123, and the clock mechanism was built and installed before 1707. There are 6 bells in the tower, 3 of which are from the Purdue (Closworth) foundry, with the earliest being dated 1591. It has been designated as a Grade II* listed building. Collinson states that, "In this parish are the remains of an ancient chapel of elegant workmanship, converted some time since into a weaving shop." War Memorial 
A tablet in the church honours the memory of sixteen Hardington men who lost their lives in military conflicts in the 20th century. First World War

1915 
Private Gilbert Purchase, 3rd Dragoon Guards, 28 May 1915, aged 23, Belgium. Private Henry George Baker, 6th bn Dorset Regiment, 4 Aug 1915, aged 22, Belgium. Private Frederick Reginald Hawkins, 4th bn Grenadier Guards, 27 Sept 1915, aged 28, France. 1916 
Private Arthur John Partridge, 8th bn Somerset Light Infantry, 27 Jan 1916, aged 36, France. Private Wilfred Ernest Haggett, 1st bn Somerset Light Infantry, 12 Feb 1916, aged 27, France. Drummer Walter Haggett, 2nd bn Dorset Regiment, 10 May 1916, aged 33, Mesopotamia. Private Frederick Arthur Goldring, 4th bn Gloucestershire Regiment, 17 Sept 1916, aged 21, France. 1917 
Private Henry George Purchase, 7th bn Somerset Light Infantry, 16 Aug 1917, aged 36, Belgium. Private Samuel John Gillim, 6th bn Royal Warwickshire Regiment, 27 Aug 1917, aged 24, France. Private George William Rendell, 1st bn Royal Marine Light Infantry, 6 Nov 1917, aged 19, Belgium. 1918 
Private Harold Thomas Voizey, Machine Gun Corps, 14 May 1918, aged 19, France. Rifleman Albert Eastment, 12th bn Royal Irish Rifles, 13 Oct 1918, aged 19, France. Second World War 
Lieutenant Alan Stewart Corbould, Royal Navy, 12 Dec 1943, aged 25, Mediterranean. Private Wilfred John Rawlins, 2nd bn East Yorkshire Regiment, 6 June 1944 (D-Day), aged 22, Sword Beach, Normandy, France. Gunner Henry George Langdon, Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery, 15 Aug 1944, aged 31, London. Malaysia 
2nd Lieutenant Benjamin Bryan Heath, Somerset Light Infantry, 15 Mar 1954, aged 19. References

External links

Villages in South Somerset
Civil parishes in Somerset