Porlock Pilgrimage Trail on Exmoor.
​
This Trail involves visiting 9 churches and chapels in a beautiful part of the world = Somerset, no less!
​
We heard about this challenge whilst we were exploring some of the local churches close to where we live near Taunton. In fact we have already visited many of these churches whilst on other moorland walks, but the idea of a themed walk with proof of our visits made for a lovely mini holiday.
The Porlock Pilgrim's Trail is 29 miles long and links nine of Exmoor's churches and chapels. The Trail can be walked in two loops, each 15 miles long and both starting in Porlock, or as shorter day walks. The latter was the option we took as we found a cottage in Porlock Weir as our base.​
The Trail passes through ancient oak woodlands, grass meadows and high moorland. Several streams are crossed, all running north to the sea. The hills are occasionally steep but never too long and the view from the top of the climb always makes it worth the effort.
Here is the website and we would urge walkers to get the guidebook.
https://www.porlockpilgrim.co.uk/shop
Church Number Eight St Mary at Oare
Church Number Nine simply known as Stoke Pero Church
We based ourselves at Porlock Weir
Our Cottage on Turkey Island
​
The middle cottage of three approached over a footbridge from beautiful Porlock Weir. Well known and much loved.
We called the bridge The Bridge of Hats, because there is always a wind blowing through and people were losing them!
Porlock Weir St Nicholas Chapel
This is a typical tin tabernacle, also known as an iron church perched high above the bay at Porlock Weir. It was flat-packed and came down by train to Minehead station before being taken over the hill by horse and cart to be built on site. Remember this is in the days before DPD.
​
Churches of this type were exported to the British Empire, including Africa, Canada and Australia as well as to the USA.
Porlock. St Dubricius.
I am sure you have no interest in knowing that it was named after the illegitimate grandson of King Peibio Caflog of Ergyng. It must be true because you couldn’t make this up = so I will go on. Ergyng was in Wales which became Herefordshire.
​
The king threw Dubricuis’ mother into the river Wye when he discovered she was pregnant. Dubricious was reconciled with Pelbio only after Pelbio cured him of leprosy by the laying on of hands and Dubricious became an outstanding member of the church in Wales and may have visited Porlock.
​
Don’t blame the messenger, I’m only telling you what I read in the guide book..
​
The other thing to note about this church is that the spire looks unfinished. Apparently it blew away in a storm but what is interesting is that the bit that is missing looks exactly like the church spire on tiny Culbone church see further below.
Culbone. St Beuno
​
The Doomsday Book records a church on the site in 1068 but there was probably a church on the site centuries earlier. There are no roads to Culbone. Access is only on foot and I think there are only 3 buildings there.
​
In 1265 this small, isolated settlement became a penal colony for people convicted of low grade civil laws such as adultery and bankruptcy. Then in 1544 it became a leper colony. The last leper died in 1620 aged 80.
In 1720 38 prisoners of war, probably French and captured in India were sent to Culbone and used as charcoal burners.
​
In the 19th century Culbone’s population was at its peak with 62 people living in 11 houses. There was even a pub.
​
-
Notice the spire attached to the roof. Doesn’t it look like the missing bit above St Dubricious?
-
There is a leper squint in the north wall where lepers who were banned from the church could observe the celebration of the sacraments from the outside.
-
The font is most likely to be 800 years old, carved from one piece of sandstone.
-
Culbone church is reported to be the smallest in England, the chancel is 13'6" x 10', the nave 21'6" x 12'4". Total length 35ft. It seats about 30 in great discomfort.
-
Culbone has been a place of pilgrimage for over a thousand years , even today its peaceful and undeniably spiritual atmosphere remains unique..
​
If you are interested in reading more about the history of this valley, click this link CULBONE -KITNOR
​
We describe an earlier visit and the walk to Culbone on this page.
​
​
Don't you think the plonked-on steeple looks like the missing bit from St Dubricious in Porlock?
See above.
The font is most likely to be 800 years old, carved from one piece of sandstone.
SEEKING - 9 ONE LEGGED WALKERS!
​
​
So - you walk the walk
​
you follow the route whichever way you choose
​
you enter the church and find the single walking boot filled with concrete
you pull the chain and find the stamp pad
​
Eureka, you have a personal record of the journey in your guide book.
​
I'm still worried about the early "pilgrims" who kindly donated their boots. Did they get home safely?
Luccumbe St Mary the Virgin
​
This church is substantial in size and it is located in a picture perfect rural village. To prove the point, as we walked up the church pathway we looked back to a grassy field sloping down to the cottage gardens. To our delight we watched a fox strolling through, enjoying the sunshine, calm as you like.
We sat and had our sandwiches on the village green and after 5 minutes were joined by the village dog who sat at our feet and kept us company. We have no idea where he lives, he just strolled down the village lane and came over for shelter.
​
The church was built in around 1300 with various add-ons over the years. It is a big church with a tall tower and we were amazed to learn that it was built without foundations.
Apart from lifting a rug by the pulpit to see the brass of a resident who died in 1615 there is also the stump of an ancient cross in the churchyard decapitated by Cromwell supporters.
It is remarkable to find such undisturbed beauty freely open for visitors.
Seen here, the fresh flowers, the alter and its dressings and the bible open at Chronicles 13/14.
​
Couple that with complete stillness and a sense of veneration.
​
Tivington Chapel of St Leonard
What a fun little chapel to visit. If we hadn't been told where to go we wouldn’t have known anything about this place. All we remembered of passing by is a thatched cottage by the roadside in a rural location west of Minehead but read -on.
​
The Chapel was built in the 14th century. After the dissolution of the monasteries the Chapel was secularised and a fireplace installed. Later the building was split in two with most of it becoming a cottage now owned by the National Trust and let out as a holiday cottage.
The Chapel was restored in 1896 and used for a time as a school and later as a store room. In 1940 it was re consecrated with the local Lords of the Manor the Aclands funding the work.
The roof is thatched supported on oak beams.
There is a hidden door behind the altar that still leads into the cottage which is now a holiday home.
The fireplace installed after the dissolution of monasteries can still be seen.
​
Here is the only approach to the chapel which is located behind a cottage.
The only external door to the chapel
Imagine our surprise when we looked behind the curtain to the rear of the alter to find a locked door with someone doing the washing up at the kitchen sink behind it. I think they were unaware of us because they have no overlooking windows and won't have seen us enter.
Pews located right up to the fireplace. "Ah vicar, I enjoyed your long sermon today and I'm leaving with a warm glow"
Goodbye chapel it has been interesting and thought provoking
Selworthy Church of All Saints
​
We had been particularly looking forward to visiting the inside of this church again but sadly the doors were shut because some of the plasterwork needs remedial attention to the ceiling.
​
The gleaming lime washed walls of this imposing church overlooking Exmoor give a foretaste of the wonderfully light and spacious feeling interior, with its slender white pillars and soaring wagon roofs.
​
We were able to stamp our Guide Book because the church volunteers had kindly left the apparatus in the entrance porch for wayfarers.
​
We will go back to revisit and photograph the inside to complete the set.
​
This is as far as we could get and Sheila , brochure in hand, acted like a Tour Guide and met a party of walkers to explain why the doors were closed
Sheila's view looking out from the porch over the Exmoor Hills.
Photographically challenging because the hill slopes away
In need of attention outside too because this churh is a landmark from miles around
Bossington Chapel of Ease
Lynch. Chapel of Ease was built around 1530. It was probably a Chapel for the use of the Manor of Bossington.
After the dissolution of the monasteries in 1536 this Chapel was used as a barn until 1884 when it was restored by Sir Thomas Ackland, the owner of the Holnicote estate.
Despite its smaller size the chapel had three doors . The doors opposite each other may have been arranged to enable processions to be held.
The Chapel has an open waggon roof.
There is an oak memorial to Jaune Pilcher who was killed in 1941 in World War 2. It has a crossed sporting gun and fishing rod. A crossed bayonet and Sabre as well as the badge of the Grenadier Guards.
Thanks for looking. I hope you have enjoyed it.
FOOTNOTE
On our way up to Selworthy Church we crossed the A39 and had a chuckle at what we saw.
​
If the deer could read they would have scampered!
