Discover Cucklington

Cucklington is centred around St Lawrence Church and overlooks the beautiful Blackmore Vale. The village and church form a clear landmark; the view of the Blackmore Vale adds a scenic touch. Cucklington lies just south of the A303. The road provides a geographical reference point when planning your journey. If you are looking for hotels for a stay, you can decide whether Cucklington suits you based on whether you are mainly interested in church history, other historic buildings or activities on the public rights of way.

Church history and services

St Lawrence Church is the village’s parish church and is Grade II* listed. The earliest records of the church in Cucklington are found in the Taxatio of 1291. This brings together two distinct ways of understanding the church: an early written reference to its history and the building’s heritage classification. If you would like to attend a service during your stay, Holy Communion is held at St Lawrence’s Church at 9 am on the first and third Sundays of each month. Check the date before travelling. This way, you can plan a visit around an interest in history or a specific service time.

Buildings and memorials

Church House is a listed building dating back at least to the 18th century and forms part of the setting of the Church of St Lawrence. The house’s relationship with the church surroundings is also part of its context. In the village centre stands the Cucklington War Memorial, a Grade II listed memorial in the form of a Latin cross. It commemorates four men from the parish who died in the First World War. In contrast with the early church history, the memorial draws attention to a particular chapter of the 20th century and to the remembrance of parishioners.

Another link to the history of the buildings can be found at Shanks House. There is a blocked-up, cusped doorway there, probably the last surviving remnant of a medieval farmhouse. A garden sculpture also stands 20 metres north of the entrance hall of Shanks House: a stone garden ornament, probably dating from the 18th century, which was moved to this house in the 1930s. These details therefore bring together different periods: the doorway is thought to be a remnant of a farmhouse, while both the ornament’s probable date of origin and its later relocation form part of its history.

Exploring the public rights of way

The network of public rights of way in and around Cucklington offers opportunities for walking, horse riding and cycling. The routes include longer trails to neighbouring villages and shorter local circuits. When planning, you can therefore choose between different types of route: a longer route leads to a neighbouring village, while a shorter loop stays within the local network. Restricted Byways come with a clear limitation: motor vehicles are not permitted. So when choosing Cucklington as a destination, you can weigh its church and historic attractions against the type of activity you would like to enjoy outdoors.

Discover more destinations: Taunton, Bishops Lydeard, Puriton, Chiselborough, Winsford, Ilchester, Langport, West Huntspill

For the broader travel overview: Somerset.