About Us

Many people discover the delightful country church of St Mary’s Charlcombe by accident.  It is not visible from the road but comes into view as you walk up its drive, or wander through the quiet garden in front of it.  Others chance upon St Mary’s whilst on a country ramble as it’s on a country footpath close to Charlcombe Lane.  For some it is simply ‘close to home’ being only 15 minutes walk away from Larkhall, Richmond, Lansdown and Upper Camden.

Its seclusion and great age adds to the wonderful sense of peace and stillness here.  Many people have left touching comments in the visitors’ book, appreciating the calm and quietude.  We open the church every day from 10 till 4 and there is very often someone there visiting either sitting quietly in the church, strumming a guitar in the garden or sunning themselves on a garden bench looking across the combe.

You are always most welcome.  As in the tradition of monastic hospitality inside you will find shelter and refreshment, silence and space, that has been a thousand years in the making.  Do feel that you can come and rest for a while and let the peace and kindness of God be in your heart and your home.  You will also find illustrated guidebooks to read and take away which explain the history of this, the oldest ecclesiastical building in Bath – a digital version is available here

Charlcombe is quite a dispersed parish and yet there is a lot of getting-together during the week and looking out for one another and we support a food bank.  We are generously supported by our ‘Friends’ organisation and the church and its garden is also a centre for the community as a whole.  The facilities may be modest – in keeping with the age of the place but, when we need it, we also have the well equipped hall of our partner church, St Stephen’s, Lansdown, the one with the colourfully illuminated tower at night.

You are most welcome.  If you were to miss our service at 9am, then the same clergy will be leading worship there at 10.45!

Finally very many have found this to be a beautiful setting for a marriage ceremony, christening or funeral.  Enquiries for these can be made online from this web-site.

Liz Thorne, Jeremy Labram,
Joint Church Wardens