THE HISTORY OF NEROCHE HALL, BICKENHALL Previously St Pauls Church, made redundant in 1970 standing on the site of Old St. Pauls Church demolished in 1849.

Long before the Norman conquest, Christianity was established in the villages of Somerset. Curland is said to have had an old church dating back to the 9th century. After the coming of the Normans the desire to build churches must have been extraordinarly strong as churches were built in many Somerset villages, Staple and Bickenhall being amongst them. Bickenhall had been in the hands of the de Lestre family since the Conquest and since 1219 Bickenhall church has continued under the care of the rector of Staple Fitzpaine.

Recent History When St Pauls was declared redundant Mr Donald Denham (still a Church Warden at Staple Fitzpaine) bought the building and donated it to the Parishes of Bickenhall, Curland Orchard Portman and Staple Fitzpaine in memory of his father. A massive fund raising effort and various grants enabled the Hall to be opened in August 1977. In 1980 dry rot was discovered and the whole floor had to be taken out and rebuilt. This meant that the Hall was closed for 3 years until another fund raising programme provided the money for the repairs.