Cranmore is a small village and a civil parish located in the Mendip district of Somerset in close proximity to Shepton Mallet and encompasses Dean, Waterlip and both East and West Cranmore. The village of Cranmore is 3.5 miles from Shepton Mallet and 7 miles from Frome, on the A361, a thriving community with various clubs and societies.
Dean is a hamlet of 37 dwellings lying to the north of Cranmore, on the main road from Shepton Mallet to Frome (A361).
Most of Dean is reached via a lane called Dallimore Lane, which leads up from a small lay-by separated from the A361 by a strip of grass known by some residents as ‘The Banana’ because of its shape.
East Cranmore is best known for All Hallows Preparatory School, the main portion of which is a large 17th-century country house, once known as Cranmore Hall.
Also of interest is the deconsecrated church of St. James, now a private dwelling. Several of the wall plaques from the church were relocated to Doulting Church.
Slait Hill is a small detached portion of the Parish of Cranmore, between East Cranmore and Downhead.
The word ‘slait’ is a local word meaning ‘an accustomed run or pasture for sheep’. It is derived from the Old English word ‘slæget’ or ‘sleget’ which is the source of the dialect word ‘slait’.
‘Tansey’ – an unusual name for a road – leads from Cranmore crossroads up towards Waterlip, and it is also the name for the group of houses that lies alongside it.
Most of the houses lie on the East side of the road, and have a clear view westwards over the Cranmore Cricket Club ground.
A mineral railway line used to run along the east side of Tansey, crossing under the A361 just east of the crossroads, where the bus stop now is. There is very little evidence of it left to see.
Waterlip is the most northerly part of Cranmore Parish, lying past Tansey on the way to Stoke St. Michael.
It is so named because of the very deep and dangerous flooded ex-quarry nearby.