St Michael and St Martins Church Gallery

A 12th-century church in a lovely Cotswold village. The twin villages of Eastleach Martin and Eastleach Turville are side by side and the churches practically face each other across a minor road, while the peaceful River Leach meanders by. The churches are linked by a small stone clapper bridge named after John Keble, the well-known Victorian cleric, who served as rector here.

It seems peculiar that there are two churches so close together. The twin Eastleach villages have been distinct parishes and civil districts since the 11th century. Two separate manors meant that the villages developed independently, and churches were founded by the lords of each estate without reference to the other.

Eastleach Martin has historically been the smaller of the two Eastleaches. The church was given by Richard fitz Pons to Great Malvern Priory about 1120, then later transferred to Gloucester Abbey, who retained it until 1820.

See our gallery below