From "The history and antiquities of the county of Somerset, collected from authentick records, and an actual survey made by the late Mr. Edmund Rack" By the Reverend John Collinson

Nailsea
This parish is situated to the west of Flax-Bourton, and to the southwest from Wraxall, in a deep and miry country, in some parts (particularly that called Nailsea-Heath, which has the appearance of a disused and neglected forest) thickly tufted with timber trees, holly and common briar. The soil abounds with coal, of which there are four pits within the precincts of this parish: the coal is of that sort which burns into white ash, and being quick of kindling, affords excellent fuel. A manufacture of crown plate glass has lately been established here by Mr. John Robert Lucas, of Bristol, at which a great number of hands are employed, and a range of houses, forming as it were a small colony, is erected for the habitation of the workmen and their families.

The village of Nailsea, comprising the parish church, lies westward on the skirts of a large moor, to which it gives its name.

This place was another member of the manor of Wraxall, (to the lord whereof it to this day belongs) and the same records which mention Bourton, include this also as a hamlet or outskirt to the then town of Wraxall, whose buildings extended on this side to the brook which traverses the valley on the north side of the village.

But it should seem that some one of the lords of Wraxall had parcelled out the royalty of some estates in this parish to other families. For the inquisitions and other documents expressly shew that the family of de Mora, de la More, or Bythemore, were possessed of a manor in Nailsea in very early time. And it also appears that the said manor, which was held by the lords of Hinton-St-George, passed from them by an heiress to the Percevals, and was sold in 1582 to by George Perceval to Richard Cole of the city of Bristol, who afterwards, reserving a part of it, sold the rest of it in parcels. The court or manor-house, sometime inhabited by Cole's family abovementioned, is situated at a very considerable distance from the village of Nailsea, and near the church of the adjoining parish of Chelvy.

The living is a curacy in the deanery of Redcliff and Bedminster, and is like Bourton a chapel to Wraxall; but with this distinction, that the inhabitants bury in their own parish church, which is a considerable building, composed of a nave, chancel, fourth aile, and tower at the west end containing five bells.