Leigh-on-Mendip

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Leigh-on-Mendip is a small village on the Mendip Hills in Somerset, England. In 2011 the population was 514. It sits about 5 miles from Frome, Radstock and Shepton Mallet.

Amenities and clubs:
- First School
- The Bell pub
- Allotments, a busy Memorial Hall, and outdoor play equipment
- Sports clubs for cricket, short-mat bowls and table tennis

Local charity Friends of Leigh Church raises funds for repairs to the parish church, St Giles, which is Grade I listed.

Pronunciation and name
The village name is pronounced lye or lie (not lee) and likely comes from an Old English word meaning grove or glade.

History
Leigh-on-Mendip formed part of the manor and liberty of Mells and was held by Glastonbury Abbey before passing to the Horner family after the monasteries dissolved. It was in the hundred of Frome. On 19 June 1643, during the English Civil War, a skirmish occurred here between Royalist and Parliament forces.

Quarry and geology
Close by is the Halecombe limestone quarry, which extracts Carboniferous Limestone. Quarrying began around World War II and the quarry is now owned by Anglo American.

Governance
The parish council handles local issues, finances, planning applications, policing, traffic, and maintenance of facilities. Since 1 April 2023, Leigh-on-Mendip falls under the unitary authority of Somerset Council (previously Mendip district).

Parliamentary representation
Leigh-on-Mendip is in the Frome and East Somerset constituency and elects one MP by first past the post.

Church
The parish church of St Giles dates from about 1350 and was rebuilt around 1500. It is Grade I listed and features an unusual faceless clock. There used to be a Methodist chapel, now a private house.