Working for the Local Community

The name Merriott means boundary gate from the Old English Maergeat.

The manor was held at the time of the Domesday Book in 1086 by Harding son of Eadnorth whose descendants took the name of the village and continued until the death of Sir John de Meriet in 1391. The good quality of the soil led to the development of market-gardening, with the first use in England of the word nursery (noresire) occurred at Merriot in 1369.

The parish was part of the hundred of Crewkerne.

Major rebuilding took place in the village following a fire in 1811.

The school building dates from 1876, and now incorporates the former Sunday school which was built in 1834.

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.  Projects completed by the Parish Council include the recreation ground facilities, including the building of a new pavilion in 2014. The securing of land for community use at Shhiremoor Hill; by organising the donation of this land from the original owners any future development is now forbidden and precious green space at the heart of the village has been saved for generations to come.  In the spring of 2021 the construction of a ‘virtual pathway’ will help to make the area of road around the junctions of Broadway, Lower Street and Merriott Road a safer place to walk.

The village 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 Chard 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.

The village falls within Eggwood electoral ward. Merriott is the most populous area but the ward stretches to Dinnington in the west. The total population for this ward taken at the 2011 census was 2,421.

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.