Symondsbury

For details of places to stay and things to do near Symondsbury, please try the links on the right. The nearest featured town to Symondsbury is Bridport & West Bay.

The small village of Symondsbury is set in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and has the added attraction of being less than 2 miles from the sea at West Bay.

Sitting in the centre of the village is the parish church of St John the Baptist, and although the date of its construction is unknown records show that the first rector arrived in 1325. In the north and south transept there are spyholes, known as squints, through which the congregation could see the priest at the altar. The stained glass in a memorial window in the church was designed around 1884 by William Lethaby, who later became Professor of Ornament & Design at the Royal College of Art.

Visitors to Symondsbury are struck by the Englishness of this traditional village, which has changed little over the years. The strong community spirit is reflected in the thriving local organisations that include the Symondsbury Mummers, who perform annually on New Year's day in the car park of the village inn, the Ilchester Arms.

Nearby is Colmers Hill, which can be seen from all around the area. It was named after the Rev. John Colmer, who was the local rector from 1805-06. During WW1 trees were planted on the top of the hill and this has now become a popular subject for artists and photographers.