Holy Rood
Buckland Newton, Dorset
Set away from its village, Buckland's church looks unappealing at first because it is completely rendered on the outside.
Largely 15th century in appearance, including an elegant tower, the church was originally built in the 1300s.
Above the west door is a stone carving of Mary and the infant Jesus. In the nave are elegant painted biblical texts, originally painted in 1679.
There is a 15th century rood screen, and the elaborate wooden pulpit with its tester dates from 1640.
Carved into the chalk hillside above the church is the world famous Cerne Abbas Giant, which may be prehistoric, or, as some local legends, say, may have been carved by a monk as a joke against a disgraced senior cleric.
