All Saints
North Cerney, Gloucestershire
This unusual and rather lovely church gets its character from an eclectic mix of work from the 12th, 15th and 20th centuries.
The saddleback tower that helps lend the building its timeless air is in fact comparatively recent, dating from only 1587.
The nave is the place to look for the origins of the church. Here there are two Saxon doorways and other distinctive Saxon workmanship: herringbone masonry and quoins with long and short stonework. All but one of the windows are small and narrow, adding to the age old feel of the building, and there are traces of early wall paintings.
The tiny crypt chapel below the Norman chancel has a small, unglazed round-headed east window to let in the morning sun. A medieval cross in the churchyard completes the idyllic scene.
