England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Muchelney St Peter & St Paul

The Parish

The parish of Muchelney lies in the southern portion of central Somerset roughlu 11 miles southwest of Glastonbury and 14 east of Taunton. Muchelney sits jusr over a mile south of the A372 road which links Langport through towards Ilchester. Sitting in the heart of the Somerset Levels and barely above sea level, Muchelney's internal geography is largely dictated by the shape of the low island on which it sits, an island which saw the foundation of its abbey which is the origin of the settlement. There is dispute over the origins with forged 13th century documents claiming the foundation by King Ine of Wessex as early as 693, it is proven, however, to have been in existence in 762 and a charter changing its association to the Benedictine order in 939. Like so many such abbeys it was leveled after dissolution and lost before excavations in 1873 refound the site. The abbey dominated the medieval economy of the parish but little changed with its dissolution, surrounded by vast areas of marshy ground which became subject to drainage efforts it naturally became grazing pasture and pastoral farming is probably still the major land-use. The parish is drained northwards by the River Parrett the short distance to join the Yeo at Langport, the two forming the Parrett onward to the sea arriving at the Bristol Channel through the port of Bridgwater. The highest point on Muchelney's small island reaches the lofty height of 16 metres, a more substantial height being that of the 77 metres reached westwards at nearby Curry Rivel. Muchelney parish was fairly typically sized at close to 1,600 acres it would have supported a population of close to 350 parishioners. In Domesday times the Abbey of Muchelney held the settlement, a small one at the time offering just 4 ploughs, the usual meadows, pastures and woodland, a sign of its watery environment was the presence of 2 profitable fisheries.

The Church

St Peter & St Paul's church stood to the north of the abbey, but only just there being no more than a metre between the abbey's transept and the southern chapel of the church, it stands within the crook of the bend performed by Law Lane as it passes through from south to north. Whilst founded at a similar time to the abbey and recorded in Domesday there is nothing remaining above ground of that early church. Today's church is a product of the wealth of the 15th century, a century that saw intense church-building after the shock of the Black Death. Using the Blue Lias and stone from nearby Ham Hill the church is a fine example of a Perpendicular style church of that century. The church is highly decorated with battlements and pinnacles together with much finely carved ornamental detailing. Dating is a little imprecise but the style gives every indication of work that began in the 15th century spilling over into the subsequent 16th century. Any Victorian modification was relatively minor wirh a 19th century vestry to the south being the major addition and elsewhere limited to a refreshing of the church. Outside the gates in Law Lane is a triangular area with a small road cutting across the face of the churchyard allowing off-road parking. The churchyard has a low local stone wall and arched metal gates for entry, once within the former abbey site, best appreciated in airorne photography, allows uninterrupted views from all of the favoured southern aspects.