A MAP of Winscombe thought to be around 400 years old has been unveiled to villagers. Members of Winscombe and Sandford Local History and Archaeology Society packed into a hall to catch a glimpse of the map of 'Woodbowrow Green', which is now spelt 'Woodb

A MAP of Winscombe thought to be around 400 years old has been unveiled to villagers.Members of Winscombe and Sandford Local History and Archaeology Society packed into a hall to catch a glimpse of the map of 'Woodbowrow Green', which is now spelt 'Woodborough'.The map was found in the attic of a home in Wells by a family of former Winscombe residents when they recently moved in. It is thought to be the oldest map of the village and one of the oldest in Somerset.The owners, Nick and Christine Bristow, found the tattered sketch inside a bundle of old business documents, which probably belonged to a family of attorneys who lived in the house in the early 18th Century.It was passed on to the Somerset Records Office for restoration and given its first showing to the history society last week.The unexpected find bears no date but based on watermarks, it is thought to be from the late 1600s or early 1700s - 100 years older than next oldest map of the village.At the showing in Winscombe Community Centre, Nick Bristow explained his discovery and Frances Neale described the restoration carried out by the records office and how the age of the map had been determined. The restoration work was funded by the history society.