North Curry combines church architecture with walking routes through the countryside. The Church of St Peter and St Paul has Norman origins and architectural features dating from around 1300; routes run along the river, through the Moors, and over the North Curry ridge. The North Curry Archives are also available for consultation and research, and there is a monthly Produce Market. This gives you a choice of different focuses for your stay: culture, local history, walking routes, and a specific market Saturday.
Churches and Village History
The Church of St Peter and St Paul is listed as a Grade I building and is of Norman origin. The lower parts of the tower, the transepts, and the nave date from around 1300. Thus, several parts of the building belong to a later phase, while its origins are Norman. A wooden chest from the 12th century adds another dated object to the church. The nave is the main lengthwise part of a church; transepts lie across it. Those interested in historic buildings can therefore distinguish individual architectural features and their different historical periods.
The village centre is also currently designated as a Conservation Area. This designation applies to the village centre, while Grade I refers to the individual church; the two descriptions therefore relate to different geographical scales. North Curry Independent Baptist Church was built in 1825. Alongside the older building history of St Peter and St Paul, this gives the village another clearly dated point of reference.
Archive Visit and Market Day
The North Curry Archives are available for consultation and research, and visits are free. For travellers who would like to explore local history in greater depth, this visit differs from looking at the church buildings: it can focus on consulting archival records and conducting your own research. Check the visiting arrangements before you travel. This allows you to choose between seeing the buildings and exploring historical sources in greater depth.
The North Curry Produce Market takes place at the Village Hall on the first Saturday of each month. Its monthly schedule gives you a specific date to bear in mind if you would like to include the market in your stay; check the date before you travel.
Walking Routes and Countryside
North Curry lies on the edge of the Levels and Moors, a wetland of international importance. Walking routes run along the river, through the Moors, and over the North Curry ridge. In addition, numerous well-signposted public footpaths criss-cross the village and the surrounding farmland. This gives you a choice of both specific landscape features and a network of routes through the village and agricultural land for your walks.
Two perspectives can help with your planning: you can focus on a named landscape feature such as the river, the Moors, or the ridge, or consider the public footpath network through the village and farmland. This allows you to choose a walk based on the surroundings you would like to explore. The routes through the countryside and the footpaths through the village and farmland offer different points of interest for your time outdoors.
Discover more destinations: Cucklington, Horsington, Otterhampton, Williton, Montacute, Exford, Bruton, Badgworth.
For the main travel overview: Somerset.
