Historic churches · South West England
Church of St Mary, Orchardleigh
In or near Great Elm.
Church of St Mary, Orchardleigh — church in Orchardleigh, Somerset, England, UK.

Wikimedia Commons contributors — see linked file page for photographer and licence licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 30 min–1 h
- Nearest railway station
- Frome · 3.6 km
- Free entry
Getting there & planning your visit
The Church of St Mary, Orchardleigh is located in Somerset, with the nearest railway station being Frome, approximately 3.6 km away. Entry to the church is free.
About
Church of St Mary, Orchardleigh is a historic church in the United Kingdom. Records date its origin to 1201. Heritage designation: Grade I listed building. Affiliated with Anglicanism. Wikidata describes it as: "church in Orchardleigh, Somerset, England, UK". Coordinates: 51.2578°, -2.3259°.
Photo gallery
Heritage listing
The Church of St Mary is a 13th-century church in the grounds of the Orchardleigh Estate in Somerset, England.
From the Historic England List Entry under OGL v3.
From the Wikipedia article
The Church of St Mary is a 13th-century church in the grounds of the Orchardleigh Estate in Somerset, England.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
History
The church stands on an island in the 11.23 ha artificial Orchardleigh Lake in the grounds of the Orchardleigh Estate within the parish of Lullington, Somerset. 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. The church has retained its sculptures and stained glass from the 14th and 15th centuries respectively. Around 1800, estate owner Thomas Champneys of the Mostyn-Champneys Baronets had a moat dug around the church.
Visiting
Weddings are often performed at the church, which has capacity for 120 guests. It is reached 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. The Anglican parish is part of the benefice of Beckington with Standerwick, Berkley, Rodden and Orchardleigh within the Frome deanery. The church was used as a filming location in 1974 for The Treasure of Abbot Thomas, a dramatisation of the M.R James ghost story produced by the BBC as part of its A Ghost Story for Christmas series.
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 51.2578, -2.3259
- District
- Somerset
- Parish
- Lullington
- Postcode
- BA11 2PH
- Parliamentary constituency
- Frome and East Somerset
- Established
- 1201
- Nearest railway station
- Frome — 3.6 km
Sources
- wikidata: Q5117531 (CC0)
- wikipedia: Church of St Mary, Orchardleigh (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- commons: Orchardleigh Lake1.JPG (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Other places nearby

Orchardleigh Lake
Natural landmarks · 0.6 km

Bridge And Sluice At Ngr St 7818 5100
Historic bridges · 0.8 km

Bridge And Walling Of Bank Of Former Ngr St 7728 4993 To Ngr St 7740 4987
Historic bridges · 1.1 km

Orchardleigh Stones
Archaeological sites · 1.1 km

Mells River
Museums · 1.2 km

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Bridge On Approach Road To Orchardlea House At Ngr St 7858 5168
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Lullington Mill
Mills · 1.5 km

Selwood Manor
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Murtry Aqueduct
Aqueducts · 1.6 km

Murtry Aqueduct
Historic bridges · 1.7 km
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Orchardleigh Lake
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Bridge And Sluice At Ngr St 7818 5100
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Bridge And Walling Of Bank Of Former Ngr St 7728 4993 To Ngr St 7740 4987
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Frequently asked questions
- Where is Church of St Mary, Orchardleigh?
- Church of St Mary, Orchardleigh is in South-East England, United Kingdom (postcode BA11 2PH), in the parish of Lullington.
- What is Church of St Mary, Orchardleigh?
- Church of St Mary, Orchardleigh — church in Orchardleigh, Somerset, England, UK.
- How do I get to Church of St Mary, Orchardleigh?
- The nearest railway station is Frome, about 3.6 km away. Drivers can use postcode BA11 2PH.
- When was Church of St Mary, Orchardleigh built?
- Built or established in 1201.
- Is Church of St Mary, Orchardleigh a listed building?
- Church of St Mary, Orchardleigh is officially recognised as Grade I listed building listed.
- Is Church of St Mary, Orchardleigh free to visit?
- Yes, Church of St Mary, Orchardleigh is free to enter.
- How do I get to Church of St Mary, Orchardleigh?
- The nearest railway station is Frome, about 3.6 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode BA11 2PH.