St. Mary and St. Hardulph Church had many names, where it was also known as Holy Hill Monastery and Breedon Priory. Its origins date back to the 7th c., built as a monastery under the Anglo-Saxon rule at the Bulwarks Hill fort and hermitage. This was the period where it was known as the Holy Hill Monastery, where its latter name the Breedon Priory was adopted in the 12th c. when it was founded as an Augustinian monastery. The community around the priory had dissipated by the 16th c. at which point it was surrendered to dissolution. At this point some of the components of the priory were retained as part of the parish, while the nave and other buildings were demolished.
Today the church stands as a Grade I listed building since 1962. It is part of the Deanery of North West Leicestershire, the Diocese of Leicester and the Province of Canterbury. The churchyard surrounding the old building is a graveyard including a single war grave from a soldier in WWI.
Located on the top of Breedon Hill, St. Mary and St. Hardulph Church is on the border of Derbyshire and Leicestershire. To get to the Church exit the M1 on junction 23A onto the A42 heading west. Turn right onto Doctor Lane and follow the brown tourist signs that lead to the top of the hill.
Despite its secluded location, there are many restaurants near St. Mary and St. Hardulph Church. Go dine has an index of places to eat near St. Mary and St. Hardulph Church offering you menus, photos and customer reviews. Once you've decided which of the restaurants around St. Mary and St. Hardulph Church you'd like to eat at, you can book a table online for free through Go dine. If you're looking to explore the rest of Derbyshire, our regional pages list the best restaurants in Ashbourne,Long Eaton and The Peak District.
Did you know the church contains one of the largest collections of Anglo-Saxon sculptures?