museum
Haynes International Motor Museum
The UK's largest collection of classic and vintage cars and motorcycles, with over 400 vehicles on display.
9 km · about 15 min drive
EuropeUnited KingdomEngland
Ilchester
England, United Kingdom · Europe
About Ilchester
Ilchester works well as a base: 15 minutes from Martock, 25km from Wookey Hole Caves.
Ilchester is in England, United Kingdom, with about 2,200 people. You drive on the left here. The nearest town is Martock, about 7 km away.
Ilchester is a village and civil parish, situated on the River Yeo or Ivel, five miles (eight kilometres) north of Yeovil, in the English county of Somerset. Originally a Roman town, and later a market town, Ilchester has a rich medieval history and was a notable settlement in the county; around the 12th and 13thRead more
centuries it was effectively the county town. It had, however, declined in size and importance by the beginning of the 18th century, and the last markets were held in 1833. In 1889 the historic corporation that had governed the town (the Bailiff and Burgesses) was dissolved.
Ilchester is alternatively called Ivelchester (after the River Ivel) and previously an electoral ward of South Somerset District Council was named Ivelchester.
Where to Stay in Ilchester
Compare prices across Booking.com, Airbnb, Expedia, and more. Select your dates to see availability.
Filter presets
Pick your must-haves once: provider links open pre-filtered. Each filter lists which sites it applies to.
Compare before you book!
Prices can vary significantly between platforms. We recommend checking at least 2-3 sites to find the best deal for your stay in Ilchester.
Explore the Area
Discover famous landmarks, scenic roads, and more near Ilchester.
Loading map...
Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Ilchester?
Within an hour or so of Ilchester: Haynes International Motor Museum (9 km), Glastonbury Tor (15 km), Glastonbury Abbey (16 km), Wells Cathedral (23 km).
Are there any good drives near Ilchester?
The nearest famous roads are Cheddar Gorge Road (B3135), Porlock Hill and A466 Wye Valley (Chepstow to Monmouth).
Where is Ilchester?
Ilchester is in England, United Kingdom, about 7 km from Martock.
Road trip
Drive to Ilchester
Add it as a stop and the planner works out the driving, the nights and what's worth seeing on the way.
Start planningWhat's nearby?
Swipe through places to go
Places within a drive of Ilchester. Keep the ones you like and add them to your trip.
Explore now
Quick Information
- Population
- 2,153
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Region
- England
- Timezone
- Europe/London
- Coordinates
- 51.0059, -2.6798
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in United Kingdom
112 also works. NHS non-emergency medical advice: 111. National Highways breakdown assistance on motorways: 0300 123 5000.
Full driving guide for United KingdomTags
Worth the detour from Ilchester
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
landmark
Glastonbury Tor
Mystical terraced hill crowned by St Michael's Tower, steeped in Arthurian and early Christian legends with panoramic Somerset views.
15 km · about 30 min drive
ancient ruins
Glastonbury Abbey
The ruins of one of England's wealthiest monasteries, linked by legend to Joseph of Arimathea and the graves of Arthur and Guinevere.
16 km · about 30 min drive
cathedral
Wells Cathedral
Exquisite Early English Gothic cathedral with a magnificent sculpted west front displaying nearly 300 medieval figures.
23 km · about 25 min drive
natural wonder
Wookey Hole Caves
A series of chambers carved by the River Axe through the Mendips, occupied in the Iron Age and famous for the Witch of Wookey.
25 km · about 30 min drive
natural wonder
Ebbor Gorge
A quiet wooded limestone gorge and national nature reserve on the Mendip scarp above Wookey, with views across the Somerset Levels.
25 km · about 30 min drive
landmark
Cerne Abbas Giant
A 55 m chalk hill figure of a club-wielding naked man above a Dorset village, now dated to the late Saxon period.
26 km · about 30 min drive
landmark
Stourhead
One of the world's finest landscape gardens with a magnificent lake, classical temples and a stunning Palladian mansion in Wiltshire.
28 km · about 30 min drive
Driving roads near Ilchester
6 named roads, passes and coastal drives within 100km.
- 32 kmCheddar Gorge ViewpointEngland's largest gorge with 450-foot limestone cliffs, offering jaw-dropping views from several pull-off points along the winding road.
- 32 kmCheddar Gorge Road (B3135)The B3135 threads the floor of England's largest gorge beneath 137m limestone cliffs, tight and dramatic but often busy with visitors and goats.
- 32 kmGolden CapThe highest point on England's south coast at 191 m, its sandstone summit glowing gold above Charmouth and Lyme Bay.
- 50 kmClifton Suspension BridgeIsambard Kingdom Brunel's iconic 1864 suspension bridge soaring 75m above the Avon Gorge at Bristol, still carrying traffic and glowing with lights after dark.
- 57 kmPortland BillThe southern tip of the Isle of Portland, marked by a red-and-white lighthouse above a fierce tidal race.
Driving in United Kingdom
- Drives on
- the left
- Petrol
- ~€1.73/litre
- Motorway tolls
- None
When to drive here
April to October
Nearby Destinations
Other places to explore near Ilchester.
Plan a trip around Ilchester
Your trip starts here
Plan a road trip from Ilchester.
Pick the days, drop in the stops, and share it with whoever's coming.