English Heritage sites near Ilchester Parish
MUCHELNEY ABBEY
6 miles from Ilchester Parish
Once a wealthy Benedictine house, Muchelney’s main buildings were demolished by Henry VIII in 1538. See the richly decorated cloister walk and thatched monks’ lavatory – the only one in Britain.
SHERBORNE OLD CASTLE
9 miles from Ilchester Parish
Built on a grand scale in the 12th century by the Bishop of Salisbury, Sherborne was coveted by churchmen and noblemen alike giving it a long, chequered history. Picnic, shop, light refreshments.
GLASTONBURY TRIBUNAL
10 miles from Ilchester Parish
Fine, late 15th century stone townhouse, early Tudor façade and panelled interiors. Home to Glastonbury Lake Village Museum: discover life 2000 years ago when much of Somerset consisted of marshy sea.
MEARE FISH HOUSE
12 miles from Ilchester Parish
The only surviving monastic fishery building in England, this housed the Abbot of Glastonbury's water bailiff and provided facilities for fish-salting and drying.
FIDDLEFORD MANOR
19 miles from Ilchester Parish
The principal parts of a small stone manor house, probably begun about 1370 for William Latimer, Sheriff of Somerset and Dorset. The hall and solar chamber display outstandingly fine timber roofs.
NUNNEY CASTLE
20 miles from Ilchester Parish
Picturesque moated castle built in the 1370s. Held for the King during the Civil War, falling to Parliamentarian cannon in 1645: the gun-damaged wall finally collapsing on Christmas Day 1910.
Churches in Ilchester Parish
St Mary Major
Church Street
Ilchester
(01935) 849441
https://ilchester-district-churches.com/
St Mary Major is a welcoming community! We gather together to celebrate and worship on a weekly basis, either Common Worship Holy Communion or Family service on a Sunday and on a Wednesday morning we also have a Holy Communion service.
We are a part of, and value greatly our fellowship with all the churches of The Ilchester Benefice (Ilchester with Northover, Limington and Yeovilton with Podimore). We also have a strong relationship with the Fleet Air Arm Memorial church of St Bartholomew in Yeovilton village.
St Mary Major church is the last standing of 7 which could be found within the defensive walls of the old Roman town of Lendiniae (along with Dorchester and Bath, Ilchester was one of the most important Roman sites in the South West of England). In fact recent archaeological finds suggest that Christian worship has taken place in Ilchester since the late Roman period.
One of the town’s famous ‘sons’ is commemorated in the church. The scientist and philosopher Roger Bacon was born in the town and received his early education at the Dominican Friary in Ilchester.
The church is a grade 11* building with features revealing its early stages of construction date from the 13th century. Over the years much has happened to the building. A side chapel was added in the late medieval period and a side aisle removed. In the late 19th century a new side aisle was built and the roof of the nave and chancel were raised in height. The tower, along with a few others within the vicinity, rises from a square base to an octagonal top (the octagon is symbolic of the shape which joins the square representing the earth with the circle which depicts the perfect heaven).
If you enjoy worshipping God in Christ Jesus you might like to join us on a Sunday or look out for some of the other events which take place throughout the year; we would love to meet you and get to know you, and hopefully the feeling will be mutual.
Pubs in Ilchester Parish
Bull Inn
The pub has multi-room Sky & BT sports, free Cloud Wi-fi, a Pool Table, Skittle Alley & paved beer garden with table football, an outside dart board and table tennis! The skittle alley is a separate building and now also doubles as a functi...
Dolphin Inn
A listed Georgian traditional pub with a small main bar. There are two fireplaces at the front with woodburners, and there is an open chimney at the back in what is used as a games area which has a pool table and dartboard. Live football ma...
Ilchester Arms
Church Street, Ilchester, BA22 8LN
(01935) 840220
ilchesterarms.com