England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Orchardleigh St Mary

The Parish

The parish of Orchardleigh lies in eastern Somerset not too far from its border with neighbouring Wiltshire. Otchardleigh is located roughly 2 miles north of the market town of Frome and sits just over a mile east of the A362 road which connects Frome with Radstock. Orchardleigh was a closed parish, all land in the hands of a single landholder who restricted inbound migration, thus no village grew up, indeed the entire parish is dominated by the grounds of Orchardleigh House, home to the Champneys family. The influence of the estate was such that no public surfaced roads cross the parish, the whole is parkland for the enjoyment of the Champneys. As with all estate parishes the economy was set up to meet the needs of the estate and was dominated by a mixed farming regime. Orchardleigh is drained northwards by a small tributary of the nearby River Frome, the latter reaches the Avon to the southeast of Bath before passing through that town and Bristol to meet the outer Bristol Channel through its iconic gorge. Orchardleigh is sited at around 80 metres above the sea in gently undulating countryside where local heights rise to around 120 metres within a couple of miles. Orchardleigh pariah was a tiny one of just 600 acres within which the estate would have supported close to 50 parishioners. In Domesday times Orchardleigh was modestly more populated, a holding of Bishop Geoffrey of Coutances it could offer 5 ploughs, meadows & woodland and also had a mill. 

The Church

St Mary's church has an iconic position sitting on an island within the lake of the park, making it a much sought after wedding venue today. The church has its origins in the 13th century, the chancel showing the Early English Gothic style of that period, the chancel appears to have been lavishly decorated originally and some traces remain, the aumbry, a recess for holding sacred vessels for the Mass, being especially noted. The completion of the park also saw the church enhanced, in Regency times a northern chapel was added for the Champneys personal use, whilst in Victorian times the whole church was sensitively restored to its present cuteness. There are motorable roads leading to the church,  visitors should approach from Lullington and walk from the Golf Club car park, a delight in itself. The churchyard is compact and surrounded by trees leaving something of a challenge to photographers seeking the landscape view.