St Peter
Manningford Bruce, Wiltshire
The Grade I church is situated off the main road away from the village.
There’s been a church here in North Newnton, serving the rural community for over a thousand years! Parts of the current building are 700 years old, with some sensitive extensions and refurbishment, including when the church was reopened by popular demand after 30 years of closure.
The church tower has the most unusual massive timber beams that extend externally protected by large stone caps, visible from afar. These seem very rare, known as 'excrescences'. There’s ample car parking at the end of a short track (NOT advisable for coaches or caravans) by the churchyard and church. The Church and several gravestones are listed Grade II*.
There is level access into the churchyard, up to a bridge over the stream and weir, and to the porch and south door, or round to an accessible toilet and baby changer behind the tower north wall. (If someone has locked the loo the code - currently 892 - will be in church on the drinks table, by the organ).