Church of St Mary, Orchardlea

The Church of St Mary is a 13th-century church in the grounds of the Orchardleigh Estate.

Church of St Mary
Location within Somerset
General information
Town or cityLullington
CountryEngland
Coordinates51.2578°N 2.3259°W / 51.2578; -2.3259
Completed13th century

History

The church sits on an island in the 11.23-hectare (27.7-acre) artificial Orchardleigh Lake in the grounds of the Orchardleigh Estate within the parish of Lullington, Somerset, England. It was built in the 13th century, and was heavily restored by Sir George Gilbert Scott for the Rev. W. A. Duckworth in 1878, whose relations held the estate at that period. It has since been designated a Grade I listed building.[1]

The church has retained its sculptures and stained glass from the 14th and 15th centuries respectively. Around 1800 Thomas Champneys of the Mostyn-Champneys Baronets who owned the estate had a moat dug around the church.[2]

Memorials

The church has the grave of the poet Henry Newbolt and his wife, who was a member of the Duckworth family.

Present Day

Weddings are often performed at the church, which has capacity for 120 guests. It is linked from the mainland via a footbridge, and a public footpath runs nearby over another bridge across the lake. The church does not have an electricity supply and therefore services are candlelit. The organ is pumped by hand.[3]

The Anglican parish is part of the benefice of Beckington with Standerwick, Berkley, Rodden and Orchardleigh within the Frome deanery.[4]

Services

Services are held on mornings of the second and fourth Sundays of each month, while those on the first, third and fifth are held at the nearby Church of All Saints, Lullington.

See also

References
  1. "Church of St. Mary, causeway bridge, and gates". historicengland.org.uk. Retrieved 20 November 2007.
  2. McGarvie, Michael. "History". Beckington Village. Retrieved 4 November 2011.
  3. "St Mary's Church". Beckington. Retrieved 4 November 2011.
  4. "St. Mary's, Orchardleigh". Church of England. Retrieved 4 November 2011.


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