St Mary's Church Beaminster

St Mary's Church, Beaminster, Dorset

Beaminster's Historic St Mary's Church (St Mary of the Annunciation), Dorset

St Mary's Church in Dorset. — The tower at St Mary's Church rises to 100 feet

St Mary's Church in Beaminster, Dorset dates from the 13th to 15th centuries with restorations in subsequent centuries. The church boasts a 30 meter (100 feet) tall tower and several riches within. These include some fine memorial brasses, a 12th century marble font and a memorial created by the noted Flemish sculptor, Peter Scheemakers.

History

There was a church in Beaminster in Saxon times but its exact location is unknown.

The present church was originally built during the Norman period of British history.

The impressive west tower dates from the early 16th century. Covered niches in the tower niches have statues of saints and depictions of scenes from the Bible.

The interior has some wonderful stained glass.

Other treasures include a a memorial to George and Catherine Strode by the Flemish sculptor Peter Scheemakers. He also sculpted the memorial to John Dryden in Westminster Abbey in central London.

St Mary's Church, Beaminster. — Historic St Mary's Church in Beaminster

Goods From Japan delivered to your home or business. — Goods From Japan delivered to your home or business

The graveyard of the church. — The graveyard at St Mary's Church, Beaminster

Access - Getting There

36 Church Street
Beaminster DT8 3BA

The town is 40 miles west of Exeter on the A30 and A35, Beaminster is also within easy reach of Colyton, Honiton, Seaton and Lyme Regis. It is also 15 miles (24 km) northwest of the county town of Dorchester - famous for its associations with the author Thomas Hardy.

The nearest railway stations are Honiton (25 miles away), Crewkerne (5 miles away) and Axminster which all have trains from Exeter St David's Station and Waterloo Station in London.

The nearest railway stations are Honiton (8 miles away) and Axminster (6 miles) which have trains from Exeter St David's Station and Waterloo Station in London.

Bridport is 6.5 miles south on the A3066.

The number 6 bus from The Square runs to Bridport. The number 2 bus runs from Crewkerne via Beaminster to Dorchester and stops outside The Red Lion.

The nearest airport is Exeter International Airport, just 5 miles to the east of Exeter city near Clyst Honiton off the A30.

The airport has regular domestic flights to Aberdeen, Alicante, Belfast, Edinburgh, Guernsey/Jersey, the Isles of Scilly, Leeds Bradford, Manchester and Newcastle.

International destinations include Amsterdam, Dubrovnik, Dublin, Faro, Funchal, Geneva, Hannover, Larnaca, Nice, Palma, Paris, Malaga and Salzburg.

Accommodation

Exeter, the nearest large city, offers a range of accommodation options to suit all budgets and tastes. Choose from a range of hotels and guest houses in Exeter including the four-star Mercure Exeter Southgate Hotel, the four-star Southernhay House Hotel, and Jurys Inn Exeter, also a four-star hotel.

See here for a complete list of accommodation in Exeter.

Lyme Regis also has numerous hotels, B&B's and guest houses available for the tens of thousands who arrive each year. Noted places to stay include the boutique Hotel 1 Lyme, Dorset House on Pound Road, the nearby Mariners Hotel on Silver Street, Westwood Guest House on Woodmead Road, the Fernhill Hotel in Charmouth and a little north of Lyme, The Trinity.

See here for a full listing of hotels, self-catering apartments and guest houses in the Lyme area.

If you wish to stay in Beaminster itself try The Ollerod - a former priest's house - or The Barn - a pleasant holiday home.