Discover Puriton

Puriton combines its location at the western end of the Polden Hills with routes into the open countryside, historic buildings and local community facilities. If you are looking for a hotel in Puriton, these themes can shape the focus of your stay: you can explore the countryside on foot, learn about the village church and a nearby monument, or look into local sports and community facilities. This lets you plan your trip around specific interests in the area.

Landscape and getting your bearings

Puriton lies at the western end of the Polden Hills. At the same time, a large part of the parish is in the extensive floodplain of the River Parrett. The hills and the river plain provide different landscape features to help you get your bearings. Numerous public footpaths lead from the village into the open countryside. If you are planning a walk, you can follow these paths and use the downloadable guide “Circular walks from the village of Puriton” to plan your route.

Puriton is directly off Junction 23 of the M5, making it easy to identify a clear road reference point for your arrival, distinct from the footpaths leading from the village into the open countryside. Your plans can therefore include both a named reference point for your journey by road and public paths that lead out into the countryside.

Church and traces of the past

The church of St Michael and All Angels in Puriton is a Grade I listed building. Its tower dates from the early 13th century, and the church was built from locally sourced Blue Lias. Its listed status, the date of its tower and its building material offer three different perspectives on the same structure.

The earthworks of the Down End monument, close to Puriton, are well preserved. The monument was occupied in Norman times. While the church reveals the history of a building, the earthworks offer a different kind of historical trace. You can consider the village church and the archaeological remains as distinct points of interest in the history of the area.

Sport and exercise

Puriton Sports Centre offers indoor bowls and football pitches. Its grounds also include a nature trail, funded by a grant from Somerset Council. A pump track was installed at Puriton Sports Centre in 2021. The J’Dan Pump Track is open to everyone.

The obstacle course in Puriton opened in early August 2023 and includes the “Gravity” zip line. Local facilities range from indoor bowls to the nature trail, with football pitches, a pump track and an obstacle course providing further named options for sporting interests. If you would like to include exercise in your travel plans, you can choose from these facilities according to the type of activity.

The Flower Show and village life

The Puriton Flower Show is a long-standing August tradition. It includes exhibitions in the Village Hall, a brass band, refreshments and a boot sale on the playing field. The village green, Rye Village Green, is also the setting for many community events. While the Flower Show brings together a named programme of activities, Rye Village Green serves as a venue for numerous community occasions. If you would like to plan your trip around the Flower Show, check the specific event date in advance.

Discover more destinations: Stawley, Baltonsborough, Clatworthy, Hatch Beauchamp, Porlock, Holford, Woolverton, Buckland Dinham

For the wider travel overview: Somerset.