The Frome Society for Local Study & Frome Civic Society

You do not need a PayPal card to buy a book, many cards will work!  Postal Rates are included for the U.K.only, but we will quote for customers abroad, also for bulk

orders - just drop us a line at info@fsls.org.uk  Local members and others paying by cash or cheque can collect to save the postage by Emailing info@fsls.org.uk

Willow  Vale  Frome (£11.00 inc UK P&P)

Its Buildings, Industries and People

By Derek Gill and John Buckley

92 pp almost all in colour

ISBN 978-0-9565869-0-2

Men of Iron  The Fussells of Mells (£15.50 inc UK P&P)

Robin Thornes traces the history of the Fussell family and their impact on the East Mendips from the middle of the 18th to the end of the 19th century. The Fussells were best known for making agricultural edge tools of the highest quality, but were also involved in mining, railways and the woollen industry. They started as village craftsmen, became country gentlemen, beforethe sale and final demise of their edge tool works in 1895.                                                   

The Industries of Frome (£10.50 inc UK P&P)

Written by Rodney Goodall

This book follows up 

"The Buildings of Frome" outlining the rise and fall of the towns' industry.

1838 Map of Frome on a CD (£12.99 inc. UK P&P)

The Borough of Frome Surveyed by Maitland & Dixon January 1838 .This is intended principally for Family and Local Historians, being the images of the 1838 Borough Map with all properties and parcels of land numbered. To find who the occupants were must be researched in the archives of St. John's Church using the lists of Parish Rates. These are in the process of being issued on CD by the church and not FSLS. Enquiries should be addressed to myersfh@googlemail.com For exports please contact info@fsls.org.uk You can download a sample PDF of the content here

1886 Map of Frome in 23 sections on a CD (£12.99 inc UK P&P)

The Book of Leigh upon Mendip (£16.99 inc UK P&P)

New Publication by

Joyce Jefferson M.A.

Leigh History Group 2010

All Postage Rates are for the UK only so if abroad please drop us an email and we will send you a PayPal invoice which you can pay by almost any card. Main thing is for you to specify Surface or Airmail services

1886 Map of Central Frome in 9 sections printed as one and folded (£12.99 inc UK P&P)

The Buildings of Frome (£10.50inc UK P&P)
The Buildings of Frome, Goodall, Rodney - The author, a local architect, explores the relationship between existing buildings and the social and economic history of the town. This new edition brings it up to 2000 with new illustrations.

F.S.L.S. Yearbook Volume 2

(£5.00 inc UK P&P)

(these first Year Books are nearly out of print, so digital versions  are  available, click here. There is a sample from Year Book 4 here)

The History of Nunney (£10.50 inc UK P&P) Anthony Windrum has lived in Nunney since 1988 and has researched in depth the history of the village during its long existence of well over a thousand years. This is a true 'history of the village'.

F.S.L.S. Year Book Volume 5

(£5.00inc UK P&P)

You can download a desription of all the Year Books here

Around Frome by Hilary Green, A Francis Frith photographic archive 

(£13.99 inc UK P&P)

F.S.L.S. Year Book Volume 6

(£6.00inc UK P&P)

The Kings Peace (£9.00inc UK P&P)
The notebooks of Thomas Horner, Squire of Mells and Justice of the Peace from 1770 - 1777. They provide an insight into the administration of justice of that time. As editor Michael McGarvie has added a history of the Horner family.

F.S.L.S. Yearbook Volume 7

(£8.00inc UK P&P)

*PDF index of Year Books

- click here

Frome Hundred (£13.99inc UK P&P) Mason, Anita ed. - This is a rich miscellany of articles, poems and fiction contributed by people in the Frome area at a workshop at Frome Library under the guidance of Anita Mason.

F.S.L.S. Yearbook Volume 8
(£8.00inc UK P&P)

Experiences of a 19th Century Gentleman (£13.99inc UK P&P)
Gill, Derek: ed. - Derek Gill has edited the diaries of Thomas Bunn, a visionary who left his mark on the heart of Frome as no one else has done, or is likely to achieve. A gentleman of private means but with legal training, he lived a long and active life. Like the Journals of a Constable his diaries bring the past to life.

F.S.L.S. Year Book Volume 9 (£8.00inc UK P&P)
Contents:The Sage of Marston; Memoirs of Henley Grove; The Piggeries and Hooper's Close; Henry Dowling 'the Boots'; A Frome Man at Dettingen1748; Seven Somerset Church Towers, etc.

A History of Mells (£8.00 inc UK P&P)
Clevendon, Rev. J.W. ed.M. McGarvie - The author of this history was Rector of Mells between 1959 - 1969, thus well-placed to research the history of the village.

F.S.L.S. Yearbook Volume 10 (£8.00inc UK P&P)
Contents::The Old Rectory,Corsley; Early Memoirs of Frome; Evacuees in Frome during the Second World War; Witham Friary Monumental insriptions, etc.

Argyll House (£5.00inc UK P&P)
The author gives a full account of the building and occupants of this Georgian house in Gentle Street, distinctive for its Venetian windows and Chinese staircase. Written and edited by Michael McGarvie.

F.S.L.S. Yearbook Volume 11 (£8.00inc UK P&P)
Contents:: Mells 1916-30 remembered; The Thrashers of Frome; Dean Ramsay in Frome and Rodden; Bellerica Farm; A Schoolmaster's Appointment, etc.

Future of the Past (£3.00inc UK P&P)
Future of the Past, Twelvetrees, Douglas - a history of the early years of the F.S.L.S, of particular interest to the members of the society and the Museum.

F.S.L.S. Yearbook Volume 12 (£13.99 inc UK P&P)
This bumper volume (144 pages) celebrates 50 years of the Frome Society for Local Study with articles on the first 21 years, a superb collection of drawings of Marston and the surrounding area by Gerard LaRoche, a French Canadian soldier, the Waldegraveletters, Fussell's Trial Balance Lock, JW Singer & Sons, The Horner Monument at Mells and many more interesting items.

Frome Street and Place Names (£6.99inc UK P&P)
A detailed explanation of the origin and meaning of many of the towns place names written and edited by Michael McGarvie.

F.S.L.S. Yearbook Volume 13 (£12.99 inc UK P&P)
St. Aldhelm: his life and work, the Theshers of Frome (Part 2), Marston's Antique Maps, Vallis Limestone Quarries, the Woolen Industry in Frome, Lady Louisa at Longleat 1736, George Priestly Early Frome Locomotive Engineer, A Mells  Hallemote of 1358, and index of Year Book contents  1987-2008

Crime and Punishment in Regency Frome (£5.50inc UK P&P)
The journals of Isaac Gregory Constable of Frome paint a vivid picture of the social scene on the streets of Frome in the early years of the 19th century. He pursued his duties with a strong sense of service to the public tempered with humanity.

F.S.L.S. Yearbook Volume 14 (£12.99 inc UK P&P)
Memoirs of an American GI, the Portrait of Bishop Thomas Ken,
letters  to Lord Carlingford by his Steward, Secrets of the Linen Press, Recollections of the DowlingFamily, James Mario Matra and
Quakers in Frome etc. The first in 4-colour!

See the complete index of FSLS Year Books here

Frome through the Ages (£8.00inc UK P&P)
An anthology of prose and verse to commemorate Frome 1300 written and edited by Michael McGarvie.

The Making of Frome (£7.50inc UK P&P)
Belham, Peter - A compact history of Frome from its origins to the end of the 20th century owing much to the work of J.O.Lewis, a local historian.

Chantry Village and Church (£3.99 inc UK P&P) Chantry Village and Church is a short history of the village which covers the main buildings and industry together with a description of the church designed by Gilbert Scott assisted by the Frome architect William George Brown.

A History of Stoke St Michael £11.50inc UK P&P)
The Stoke History Group comprised of local people with varied skills walked every part of the parish to record every historic feature to be found either in the landscape or on the ground when field-walking. In addition they researched documents, newspapers, maps and air photographs and of course talked to the residents to produce a book of their village history.

Beacon Hill - Mendip: Through the Ages 

(£1.50 inc UK P&P)

Booklet by the Beacon Hill Society

Stoke St Michael in Old Photographs

(£10.50 inc UK P&P)

The Bounds of Selwood (£2.99inc UK P&P)
A very detailed account of the boundaries of Selwood in the 13th Century.

Gardening at Marston House

(£5.00inc UK P&P)

An illustrated history of the growth of Marston House 1690 - 1905.

Family Matters, Hardback (£21.00 inc UK P&P )

John Jolliffe has written a history of the Horner and Asquith families of Mells and the Jolliffes of Ammerdown that covers 500 years; all these familes built magnificent houses and laid out fine parks and gardens. In addition they provided much local employment and served as magistrates, clergymen and MPs, one of whom became Prime Minister. 

Villages of the Frome Area. (£6.99inc UK P&P)
Villages of the Frome Area, Belham, Peter - The author, formerly principal of Frome College, has written a very detailed history of neighbouring villages since Saxon times.

Westbarn Grange Part 2 £2.99 (inc UK P&P) Westbarn Grange (Part 2) covers the history of a farm in Witham Friary from1600-1815. The building was refronted ca 1720 by the Wincanton architect Nathaniel Ireson to give the imposing façade that can still be seen today.

The Coopers Companys School in Frome 1939-45

(£12.00inc UK P&P)

Year Books 1 to 4 as PDFs on a CD
£12.99 (inc UK P&P)

The Mystery of Fidele (£4.50inc UK P&P)

This  tale of the memorial to a dog in the grounds of Orchardleigh House and the myths surrounding it have links with the poet Henry Newbolt.