Gillingham Baptist Church

The Baptist chapel on the high street in Gillingham is one of those places you might walk past without a second glance, but it's worth stopping in if you're exploring this corner of Dorset near Shaftesbury. Built in 1822, it's a proper slice of nonconformist history - the kind of sturdy, unpretentious building that tells you exactly what it values. Red brick and straightforward lines, nothing fancy.

What strikes you inside is the simplicity of it all. No gaudy decoration, no marble angels watching from the rafters. Just wooden pews, good light through tall windows, and the sense that people have gathered here for two centuries to do exactly what they came to do. If you're interested in how ordinary communities worshipped away from the established church, this is authentic and moving.

It's not a destination in itself - you won't spend more than twenty minutes here - but if you're based at Gold Hill Glamping or Sunnyhill Campsite nearby, it's a decent fifteen-minute stroll from either site and worth tacking onto a walk around the town. Shaftesbury itself, with its famous Gold Hill, is only a few miles north, so you could easily bundle this into a half-day exploring both places.

Free to look around, though do respect that it's a working church with a living congregation. Ring ahead if you want to be sure of access, as opening hours aren't prominently posted. Best visited on a quiet weekday morning when you won't feel you're interrupting anything.