St Andrew's Church 

St Andrew’s church is a much loved ancient parish church situated in a beautiful spot nestled behind the Buckland Mill Village site.  The wider community has a strong attachment to the church building which, for most, goes back through previous generations.  These family links result in a comparatively high number of baptisms and weddings.

The ancient and famous ‘Buckland Yew’ Tree suggests that Christian worship has taken place on the site for many centuries, possibly as long as the Christian message came to these shores.

The present church dates back to 1180, but the Doomsday Book records the fact that there was already a church on the site by 1086.

The church is dedicated to St Andrew, Apostle and Martyr (feast day 30th November).  The East window depicts St Andrew kneeling at the side of Our Lord Jesus Christ clutching the church of Buckland in his hands.

The North chapel is dedicated to St Catherine of Alexandria, Virgin and Martyr (feast day 25th November).  According to tradition she was tortured by being splayed on a wheel and then beheaded.  She gives her name to the ‘Catherine wheel’.

The South chapel is dedicated to ‘St’ Thomas de la Hale, Monk and Martyr (feast day 2nd August).  Thomas was a local monk martyred in 1295 by French raiders as they sacked the Priory of St Martin.  The Blessed Sacrament is Reserved in St Thomas’ chapel.

The Buckland Paper Mill closed in 2000 and the site is being developed to create the new Buckland Mill Village which will include a mix of housing, community facilities and offices.

The main service is on a Sunday at 10.30am.

Find out more about the history of St Andrew’s church