Bishops Hull
Bishops Hull is located right next to the County Town of Taunton in Somerset. The Brinsmead family thrived there in the 1500's and 1600's. However, after that they appear to have died out. We know some moved to the new colonies in the Americas and others appear to have moved to London.

Family tree of an early Bishop's Hull Family - (a *.pdf file - requires Adobe Acrobat

Over the next while we will be adding details of our research into the Brinsmeads who lived in and around Bishops Hull. For now, we provide a few pictures of the Village taken in 2000, as well as a couple of old pictures showing it in former times.

At least one of the family was a Dominican monk. An entry recorded in Devon and Cornwall Notes and Queries Vol. 18 1934-35 reads:

25. Dom. William Brymsmede, having a pension of five pounds paid out of the house of Tawnton, died at Teigngrace, 26 March, in the first year of our Queen, viz., of your Majesty aforesaid (1558/9).

While Teigngrace is in Devon, the monastery was apparently in Tawnton, adjacent to Bishop's Hull. It may have been that this pension was one of the pensions granted upon the dissolution of the monasteries. If so, it was relatively generous and suggests a high standing.

A early indenture - a lease by Symon Brinsmead

Click here for a map of the Bishops Hull  area. Scroll down and change the resolution to see the full area. Click on the pictures to see full size versions.

 Bishops Hull Church

Main Street looking towards the church
Church Tower

Manor House
The Church in days gone by

The Church from farm fields in days gone by

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