Ashwick

Ashwick sits at the eastern edge of the Mendip Hills, a small Somerset village barely three miles north of Shepton Mallet and around seven miles east of Wells. Its parish also takes in the neighbouring settlements of Oakhill and Gurney Slade, spreading across a stretch of rolling, wooded countryside where limestone quarries, old coal workings and Iron Age remains sit quietly beneath the fields.

The name Ashwick comes from the Domesday Book entry 'Escewiche', meaning the farmstead by the ash trees, and the settlement's roots go back further still, with Neolithic tumuli on Beacon Hill and Bronze Age rock shelters in nearby Cockles Wood. It is a place with more history than size would suggest, from a 1061 royal charter to the Grade I listed tower of St James' Church, which has stood since 1463, and Ashwick Court, a Grade II* listed 17th-century country house. For visitors, it makes a peaceful, unhurried base for exploring the eastern Mendips.

Top things to do near Ashwick

Ashwick itself is small, but it sits within easy reach of some of Somerset's best-known countryside and heritage attractions.

• Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty — the hills rise immediately around Ashwick, offering walking and cycling routes across limestone grassland and ancient woodland.
• St James' Church, Ashwick — a Victorian Gothic church built between 1876 and 1881, incorporating a much older 15th-century tower.
• Oakhill Brewery site — the neighbouring village of Oakhill was home to a major Victorian brewery, founded in 1767, that once ran its own light railway connecting to the Somerset and Dorset line.
• Shepton Mallet — a historic market town just a few miles south, with a long brewing and railway heritage of its own, plus shops, cafes and the Bath and West Showground nearby.
• Wells — England's smallest city, around seven miles west, home to Wells Cathedral and the moated Bishop's Palace.

Getting to Ashwick

Ashwick lies just off the A367, which links Shepton Mallet with Radstock and Bath, making it straightforward to reach by car from the A37 or A361. The nearest mainline railway stations are at Bath and Frome, both around 30 minutes' drive away, with onward bus links serving Shepton Mallet. There is no railway station in the village itself, so a car is the most practical way to get around this part of rural Somerset.

Best time to visit Ashwick

Spring and summer bring the Mendip countryside to life, with good walking conditions on the surrounding hills and long daylight hours for exploring nearby Shepton Mallet and Wells. Autumn suits those after quieter lanes and woodland colour, while winter has a genuinely rural, tucked-away feel, best enjoyed with a cosy base and a nearby pub fire.

Where to stay near Ashwick

Ashwick itself has little in the way of formal accommodation, so most visitors base themselves in or around Shepton Mallet, Wells or the wider Mendip Hills, where B&Bs, country inns and self-catering cottages are more plentiful. Farm stays and rural holiday lets in the surrounding villages of Oakhill and Gurney Slade offer a quieter alternative close to Ashwick itself.

Food and drink near Ashwick

For food and drink, most visitors head into Oakhill or Shepton Mallet, where village pubs and local cafes serve the wider parish. Shepton Mallet itself has a good range of independent cafes, pubs and restaurants, reflecting its status as the area's main market town, while Wells offers a wider choice again for a day out with a meal included.