Parish Church of Saint John Baptist Membury

The Church of Saint John Baptist sits quietly in Membury village, a few miles south of Chard, looking rather as though it's been minding its own business for the past seven hundred years. And it largely has. This is a proper medieval parish church - not the kind with gift shops or tour guides, just honest stone architecture and the kind of peace that makes you forget your phone is in your pocket.

Inside, there's genuine medieval work: a 15th-century font, timber roof, and windows that tell you something about local craftsmanship without shouting about it. The churchyard itself has character - old graves, mature trees, the sort of place where you can actually sit and think rather than feel rushed through.

It's worth stopping by if you're walking in the area around Chard, or if you're interested in seeing how village churches actually function as community buildings rather than heritage attractions. Don't expect dramatic architecture or dramatic anything really. This is intimate and understated, which is precisely the point.

Stay at Dimpsey Shepherd's Hut Glamping nearby (5.7 miles away) and you're well-positioned for exploring the quieter corners of Somerset's church trail. The location works best for walkers and anyone with a taste for actual rural England rather than the postcard version. Allow half an hour, maybe an hour if the churchyard mood takes you. Free entry, naturally.