St Thomas of Canterbury, Cothelstone is a small parish church at the foot of the Quantock Hills in Somerset. The church has celebrated over 850 years of continuous worship. Our services are still traditional and taken from the 1662 Book of Common Prayer with lessons from the King James Bible. Visitors are made very welcome. The church and estate have been associated with two families over the years with 600 years of the Stawells and 250 years of the Esdailes. Esdaile descendants still worship here today. The church is quiet and peaceful with visitors often calling in whilst walking past on the Coleridge Way. Ianthe Shelley, daughter of the poet, married an Esdaile and is buried here. Her grave is at the top of the churchyard on the northern side. The church is open during daylight hours and has a BCP service most Sundays at 11.15 am.
The parish of Cothelstone is committed to the safeguarding of children, young people and adults. We follow the House of Bishops guidance and policies and have our own Parish Safeguarding Officer (PSO). The Diocese of Bath & Wells’s safeguarding pages contain vital links and information including contacts for the Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser (DSA) who advise our PSOs. If you are concerned that a child or adult has been harmed or may be at risk of harm please contact the DSA. If you have immediate concerns about the safety of someone, please contact the police and your local authority Children or Adults Services.
