A CAMPAIGN was launched this week to persuade an Exmoor village to change its name to reflect the country’s change of sovereign.

Brompton Regis, which has a population of fewer than 500, used to be called Kingsbrompton, but the name was changed when Queen Elizabeth II acceded to the throne in 1952. Now, retired farmer George Wescott, aged 72, is calling for the historic name Kingsbrompton to be reintroduced in honour of King Charles III.

Mr Wescott, who now lives in Watchet, said ‘Kingsbrompton’ was on his birth certificate and he lived next to Kingsbrompton Farm and was a member of Kingsbrompton Young Farmers’ Club, both of which still exist.

George as a baby in Kingsbrompton

He has written to West Somerset MP Ian Liddell-Grainger asking him to start the formal process of renaming the village.

Mr Liddell-Grainger said although a number of community name changes had been approved in recent years it was a complicated process to do so, even if it was a historic name.

He said: “The application would need to be made by the parish council, but obviously a logical first step would be for Mr Wescott or his supporters to conduct a proper and thorough parish poll to gauge the degree of local support for the idea.

“Because, unless such a change had the overwhelming backing of residents it could lead to all kinds of conflicts in the community and in extreme circumstances might even end up in the courts.”

But Mr Wescott said it was not a matter for any local council to become involved in, it was something imposed on the community by Royalty.

He said: “It is Kingsbrompton when a king reigns, and Brompton Regis when a queen reigns. That is how it always has been through history. When it was Kingsbrompton nobody wanted Brompton Regis but it was compelled on them to have it, so it should be compelled on them to have it back. I may be out-voted, I do not care. But it is the principle that people suffered when it was changed and so people should suffer again.”

Brompton Regis Parish Council chairman Cllr Matthew Headley said: “It is a new one on me. I have not heard any discussion or rumblings about it in the village.

“If there is something that a member of the parish wishes to raise, there is an opportunity at parish council meetings, or correspondence can be sent to the clerk and it will be discussed at the next available meeting.”

Kingsbrompton Young Farmers’ Club, which remains active today, will celebrate the club’s 90th birthday next year.