History

Oake originally had a village hall at its centre, next to the village shop and post office and opposite Oake and Bradford County Primary School (pictured above). This corrugated clad hall was built in 1927 on land donated by Frederick Sharland ("The Boss").

As the village increased in size, mainly due to the building of over forty new houses in Saxon Close, and the original hall was condemned, the community decided to build a larger hall on land adjoining the new housing development.

In 1999 a dedicated Steering Team and Management Committee set to work raising the finances and planning the project.

Funding was provided by Parish, District and County Councils, the Community Fund (Lottery), Persimmon Homes (the developers of the new estate), Taunton Carnival Club, Wyvern Waste and a well organised and supported fundraising scheme.

Construction began, with a turf cutting ceremony, in the winter of 2002 and was completed in the summer of 2003. The new hall was officially opened by the High Sheriff of Somerset, Brian Tanner, during a grand fete and party in September 2003.