St Peter and All Hallows Church in West Huntspill is inviting local residents to a special afternoon organ recital next month as part of national celebrations marking the Year of the Pipe Organ.
The event will take place on Thursday 9th July 2026 at 2.30pm, when the church’s organist, David Hill, will perform a programme of music spanning the 17th to 20th centuries. Admission is £4 on the door, including refreshments.
The recital will be held inside one of Somerset’s most admired country churches, often described by historians as the ‘Cathedral of the Levels’.
A Christian community has existed at Huntspill since at least AD 796, when the land was granted to Glastonbury Abbey during the reign of King Offa. The village appears in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Honspil.
A church has stood on the site since 1194. The present building was rebuilt in the 1400s and later restored after a devastating fire in 1878, which left only the stonework standing. The intense heat permanently changed the colour of the pillars, giving them their distinctive red‑orange hue seen today. The Victorian restoration also introduced new pews, a Jacobean pulpit from Stogursey, and the striking Minton tile floor.
The church’s tower remains one of the most recognisable landmarks on the Somerset Levels, visible for miles — including to drivers on the M5. From the top, the views stretch across Glastonbury Tor, Bridgwater Bay, Steart Marshes, the Quantock Hills, the Burnham‑On‑Sea coastline and, on a clear day, across the Bristol Channel to Wales.
The building also stands as a survivor of the catastrophic Somerset tsunami of 1607, which is believed to have destroyed the original village and claimed around 2,000 lives across the Burnham-On-Sea area. Further flooding in 1703 and 1798 again tested the resilience of the community.
Organisers say the recital offers a chance not only to enjoy live music but also to appreciate the heritage of one of the area most historic churches.
