Orchardleigh Lake is an 11.23-hectare

Hectare

The hectare is a metric unit of area defined as 10,000 square metres , and primarily used in the measurement of land. In 1795, when the metric system was introduced, the are was defined as being 100 square metres and the hectare was thus 100 ares or 1/100 km2...

 artificial lake in the grounds of the Orchardleigh Estate

Orchardleigh Estate

Orchardleigh is a country estate in Somerset, approximately two miles north of Frome, and on the southern edge of the village of Lullington. It comprises a Victorian stately home, an island church, and an 18-hole golf course...

, just north of Frome

Frome

Frome is a town and civil parish in northeast Somerset, England. Located at the eastern end of the Mendip Hills, the town is built on uneven high ground, and centres around the River Frome. The town is approximately south of Bath, east of the county town, Taunton and west of London. In the 2001...

, Somerset

Somerset

The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...

, England

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

. It was formed by damming a tributary

Tributary

A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...

 of the River Frome

River Frome, Somerset

The River Frome is a river in Somerset. It rises near Witham Friary, flows north through the town of Frome and joins the River Avon at Freshford, south of Bath....

. Today, the lake is used for angling

Angling

Angling is a method of fishing by means of an "angle" . The hook is usually attached to a fishing line and the line is often attached to a fishing rod. Fishing rods are usually fitted with a fishing reel that functions as a mechanism for storing, retrieving and paying out the line. The hook itself...

, and also birdwatching

Birdwatching

Birdwatching or birding is the observation of birds as a recreational activity. It can be done with the naked eye, through a visual enhancement device like binoculars and telescopes, or by listening for bird sounds. Birding often involves a significant auditory component, as many bird species are...

.

There is a small island towards the western side of lake where St Mary's Church

Church of St Mary, Orchardlea

The Church of St Mary sits on an island in the 11.23-hectare artificial Orchardleigh Lake in the grounds of the Orchardleigh Estate within the parish of Lullington, Somerset, England. It was built in the 13th century, and underwent extensive restoration by Sir George Gilbert Scott, for the Rev. W....

 can be found. It was built in the 13th century , and underwent extensive renovation by Sir George Gilbert Scott

George Gilbert Scott

Sir George Gilbert Scott was an English architect of the Victorian Age, chiefly associated with the design, building and renovation of churches, cathedrals and workhouses...

, for the Rev. W. A. Duckworth, in 1878. It has been designated as a Grade I listed building. Its precise location is
51°15′28.36"N 2°19′33.28"W. Weddings are often performed at the church, which has capacity for 120 guests. It is linked from the mainland via a footbridge, and a public footpath runs nearby over another bridge across the lake.

Note that there are actually two lakes at Orchardleigh: the small lake overlooked by the island church, and a much larger one situated approximately 150 metres away through a wooded area to the East which has a stone-built boathouse.

Orchardleigh Lake birds

In 1932 a pair of Black-necked Grebe

Black-necked Grebe

The Black-necked Grebe, Podiceps nigricollis, known in North America as the Eared Grebe, is a member of the grebe family of water birds. It occurs on every continent except Australia and Antarctica.-Taxonomy:There are three subspecies:*P. n...

s bred at the lake, the only occasion on which this species has been recorded breeding in Somerset. The lake regularly hosts small numbers of common waterfowl, including breeding Little

Little Grebe

The Little Grebe , also known as Dabchick, member of the grebe family of water birds. At 23 to 29 cm in length it is the smallest European member of its family. It is commonly found in open bodies of water across most of its range.-Description:The Little Grebe is a small water bird with a pointed...

 and Great Crested Grebe

Great Crested Grebe

The Great Crested Grebe is a member of the grebe family of water birds.- Description :The Great Crested Grebe is long with a wingspan. It is an excellent swimmer and diver, and pursues its fish prey underwater. The adults are unmistakable in summer with head and neck decorations...

s and Mute Swan

Mute Swan

The Mute Swan is a species of swan, and thus a member of the duck, goose and swan family Anatidae. It is native to much of Europe and Asia, and the far north of Africa. It is also an introduced species in North America, Australasia and southern Africa. The name 'mute' derives from it being less...

, and wintering Tufted Duck

Tufted Duck

The Tufted Duck, Aythya fuligula, is a medium-sized diving duck with a population of close to one million birds.- Description :The adult male is all black except for white flanks and a blue-grey bill. It has an obvious head tuft that gives the species its name.The adult female is brown with paler...

 and Pochard. Rarer species have occasionally been sighted:

• Ring-necked Duck
  Ring-necked Duck
  The Ring-necked Duck is a smaller diving duck from North America.The adult male is similar in color pattern to the Eurasian Tufted Duck, its relative. It has a grey bill with a white band, a shiny purple head, a white breast, yellow eyes and a dark grey back...
  
   (male) - March 1997
• Great White Egret - September 2005

External links

• Fidele - a sentimental poem by Sir Henry Newbolt which mentions the lake island at Orchardleigh