Leigh-on-Mendip

Coordinates: 51°13′35″N 2°26′15″W / 51.2263°N 2.4374°W / 51.2263; -2.4374

Leigh-on-Mendip or Leigh upon Mendip (on Ordnance Survey maps) is a small village on the Mendip Hills in Somerset, England. It lies roughly equidistant from Frome, Radstock and Shepton Mallet at about 5 miles (8 km) from each town.

The village has several sporting clubs, including cricket, shortmat bowls and table tennis. There is a First School.

History

The name of this village is pronounced lye or lie by local residents rather than lee, and probably comes from the Old English meaning grove or glade.

The estate formed part of the manor and liberty of Mells and was held by Glastonbury Abbey from Saxontimes until the dissolution of the monasteries. It then passed to the Horner family. The parish was part of the hundred of Frome.

On 19 June 1643 the village was the site of a skirmish in the English Civil War, between Royalist regiment of Sir James Hamilton and the parliamentary forces under Major Francis Duett.