 It is possible that a Roman road ran from here to the Quantocks, because the names Nether Stowey and Over Stowey come from the Old English stan wey, meaning 'stone way'.By the 12th century the parish had both a church and the 'old castle precinct' on the Stowey 'herpath'.The castle may have been the caput of the estate of Alfred d'Epaignes at Stowey.