Ashwick: Churches, Architectural History and Archaeology

Ashwick can be explored from several angles when planning a trip: the Church of St James and Ashwick Court illustrate different building phases; the archaeological sites represent early traces; and a linear walking route passes through Ashwick.

The Church of St James and Its Architectural History

The Church of St James in Ashwick is a Grade I listed building. Its tower is a Perpendicular tower dating from around 1450; the rest of the church dates from 1881 and is Gothic Revival in style. The church was originally a chapel of ease under Kilmersdon. The details of its architectural style relate to clearly distinct parts: here, Perpendicular describes the older tower, while the Gothic Revival style applies to the rest of the later church building. Its former status as a chapel of ease adds a separate aspect of church history to the architectural picture.

Ashwick Court: A House Built in Two Phases

Ashwick Court is a substantial house from the early 17th century. It was remodelled in the 18th century and given a new façade; its elegant main façade belongs to this later phase. Unlike the Church of St James, whose historical details relate to different parts of the building, the notable change at Ashwick Court lies in its later façade design. This makes it possible to distinguish the house’s early origins from its remodelling in the following century.

Fosse Way and the Boundary Stone

The eastern boundary of the Parish of Ashwick follows the route of the Roman Fosse Way. On the Fosse Way in Ashwick, at ST6389946560, stands the listed Boundary Stone: an 18th-century limestone boundary stone engraved with the year 1766. The Fosse Way marks the route of the parish boundary; the stone is a specific historic object located beside the road. A smaller rectangular area of woodland also lies within the Parish of Ashwick, west of the Fosse Way.

Archaeological Traces in the Parish of Ashwick

On Beacon Hill, the highest point in the Parish of Ashwick, there are around 14 Neolithic burial mounds dating from between 4,000 and 2,500 BC. In Cockles Wood in the Nettlebridge Valley, there are two rock shelters containing the earliest traces of human settlement in the valley; artefacts dating from around 2,500 BC have been found in them. The two sites offer different archaeological evidence: on Beacon Hill, the burial mounds, their approximate number and the stated date range are the focus; in Cockles Wood, it is the rock shelters, the early settlement traces and the finds. Archaeological remains spanning around 4,000 years extend across the part of Beacon Wood that lies within the Parish of Ashwick.

Walking Route from Gurney Slade to Stoke St Michael

The linear walking route from Gurney Slade to Stoke St Michael is 3.4 miles, or 5.6 kilometres, long. It crosses open pastureland to Ashwick and then continues through woodland and across fields to Stoke St Michael. As this is a linear route, you should take both endpoints into account when planning your day rather than assuming it is a circular walk. The route description was last updated on 27 March 2024. Check the route details before walking locally; conditions in the fields may vary seasonally.

Discover more destinations: Langport, Crewkerne, Cucklington, Laverton, Chard, Sparkford, Milborne Port, Stowell

For the broader travel overview: Somerset.