Luccombe

An enchanting village just off the Minehead to Porlock road with pleasant walks through the woods and up onto Dunkery's moorland slopes. There is an impressive church and many thatched cottages. Nearby Horner Wood is a nature reserve of national importance and a good place to see the wild red deer.

St Mary the Virgin Luccombe

The name "Luccombe" is said to mean "enclosed valley" or "courting valley", combe meaning valley in these parts of the West Country. The church of St. Mary is remarkable for the extreme beauty of its situation under the very shadow of Dunkery, a large part of which is in the parish.

Luccombe has a population of about 70 people and the whole parish contains only about 100 residents. The church is basically 13th century with 15th century additions and
is the dominant building in the village. Although there are many interesting features perhaps the following are most notable:

• The brass for William Harrison who died in 1615
• The Jacobean pulpit
• The medieval rood screen fragments in the Chancel
• The Jacobean chair
• Old window fragments incorporated into the present Chapel ol Quiet window
• The 6 bells in the tower, 5 of which were cast in 1759
• The wagon roofs in the nave and south aisle
• The faces in the wagon roof bosses
• The Henry Byam memorial. He was a Vicar and Royalist taken prisoner by the Parliamentarians. He was also personal chaplain to Charles II during his exile
• The ancient preaching cross in the churchyard

Cottage and Church Luccombe

A booklet is available in the Church with a more comprehensive description of the church and its history.

A figure on the tower of Luccombe Church

St Mary the Virgin Luccombe

Luccombe (pop 173) is a pretty National Trust village of old cottages, with a beautiful church and thatched shop.

In 1988, HTV made a series of programmes about a Somerset village called Luccombe. Their starting point was the Mass-Observation survey carried out over forty years before.

Luccombe Cottages

OS Grid Reference: SS9144

Contributed by: Jeremy James