One of our local area’s oldest Churches will celebrate its 650th anniversary at a special service on Sunday, 16th October.

St Julian’s Church in Wellow opened its doors in 1372 and has been serving parishioners ever since!

The historic building is full of stories, including those surrounding its opening all those years ago.

Revd Matthew Street, who has served as Parish Priest since 2005, said: “St Julian’s Church has so much to celebrate! For almost three quarters of a millennium, it has ‘stood the test of time’ and been part of the fabric of the community of Wellow.

“The Church has always had a central role in the life of the village. So many families have been a part of our story here at St Julian’s. If only these walls could talk, so to speak!

“Please do join us for our special celebratory event on Sunday, 16th October.”

To understand the historical context of just how old the Church is, in 1372:

Edward III was on the throne of England, one of the last Plantagenet Kings, England was at war with France as part of the ‘Hundred Years War’, Europe was recovering from The Black Death or ‘The Plaque’, the Church of England hadn’t been created yet. 1372 was 162 years before the English Reformation.

The opening of St Julian’s Church in 1372 is not just significant for us locally, it also has its place in our country’s national narrative due to the fact that it was founded by the first ever Speaker of the House of Commons, Sir Thomas Hungerford.

In 1369, Sir Thomas Hungerford bought the villages of Farleigh and Wellow for 1100 marks. A follower of John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, Hungerford was the first leader of the House of Commons to be called ‘The Speaker’.

The new Church was then consecrated on the feast of St. Philip and St. James in 1372 by John Harewell, the Bishop of Bath and Wells.

St Julian’s Church special 650th Anniversary Service will be held on Sunday, 16th October, at 10am with the Bishop of Taunton, Revd Ruth Worsley. The service will be followed by a buffet lunch, activities for children, plus an opportunity to see the bells and the ringing chamber.