Wincanton under Shaftesbury 5th Clause Post

Bruton, Castle Cary and Wincanton were under the Shaftesbury 5th Clause Post, which was set up in 1823.  Bruton and Castle Cary were also in the Shepton Mallet 5th Clause Post, mail going northward via Shepton Mallet while mail for London and the south went via Shaftesbury.

The following two sheets show that Wincanton, unlike Bruton and Castle Cary, was very unlikely to have been in the Shepton Mallet 5th Clause Post.

Both sheets contain entires from Wincanton to Wells, the first in 1824 and the second in 1829, both with postage charges of 10d from Wincanton to Wells, being made up of 1d in the 5th Clause Post from Wincanton to Shaftesbury plus 9d in the General Post (from Shaftesbury to Salisbury, Bath and to Wells being about 85 miles).  If the post had gone via Shepton Mallet the charge would only have been 1d for the 5th Clause Post plus 4d in the General Post (from Shepton Mallet to Wells being six miles) or 5d in total.