Discover Templecombe: History and Walking Trails

For travellers interested in local history, Templecombe combines historic buildings and artefacts with walks that vary considerably in the time they take. Parts of the original 12th-century church survive at the Church of St Mary the Virgin. The two routes described range from about an hour and a half to several hours. When planning, you can weigh up whether a shorter walk or a longer outing better fits your stay. The Templar history also offers connections to different periods.

Church, Templars and Manor House

The Church of St Mary the Virgin preserves parts of its original 12th-century fabric. The Church of St Mary also houses an image of Christ’s head painted on wooden panels. It may date from the 13th century; a connection to the Knights Templar is conjectured. The church and image therefore point to different historical layers, although the painting’s date and Templar connection remain uncertain.

The Knights Templars Preceptory in Templecombe was founded in 1185. The site of the Manor House was a preceptory of the Knights Templars until 1300. The Manor House itself is a 17th-century house on a medieval site. Thus, the town’s history brings together the site’s medieval use and the much later construction of the house. The railway also has a specific date in its history: Templecombe railway station reopened in October 1983 following a local campaign.

Village features and traces on the ground

Templecombe’s original village stocks are being preserved; a replica can be seen outside Stocks Cottage. A well at a natural spring is also located on Templecombe’s Village Green. These features add smaller, clearly identified points in the village to the history of its larger buildings. At the stocks, it is worth distinguishing the original from the replica: the original stocks are being preserved, while the copy can be seen outside the cottage.

Two walks with different time requirements

The Abbas Combe and Templecombe Trail is about 8 miles (12.5 km) long and takes 4–5 hours. Walk 2 in Templecombe is about 3.5 miles (5.6 km) long; its stated duration is 1 hour 30 minutes, and its difficulty is rated easy to moderate. The routes therefore differ in both length and time required: Walk 2 is the shorter option, while the longer trail takes up a larger block of time.

The route information is from an official 2023 walking guide; route conditions may change. Check conditions before your walk and plan your day around the duration of the route you choose. The easy-to-moderate rating applies to Walk 2.

Find a hotel for your stay in Templecombe

If you are looking for a hotel for a stay in Templecombe, the walks and historical themes can help with your planning: consider whether to allow time for the several-hour trail or to focus your stay more on local history. When comparing specific hotel offers, check the stated location and amenities for each, and choose according to your travel plans.

Discover more destinations: Sparkford, West Chinnock, Clatworthy, Goathurst, West Camel, West Huntspill, West Quantoxhead, Milborne Port.

For the wider travel overview: Somerset.