St John the Evangelist

The stone tower of St John the Evangelist rises above Chard's roofline with a quiet authority that catches you off guard. This is proper parish church architecture - all pointed arches and Victorian solidity - the sort of place locals have worshipped for centuries without fanfare.

Inside, the light filters through stained glass in that particular way only old churches manage. The interior is well-maintained but unpretentious, with carved pews and the usual accumulation of memorial plaques that tell you far more about a town's history than any guidebook. You'll spend twenty minutes here, maybe thirty if you're the type to read every inscription.

It's worth a quick visit if you're staying in Chard rather than a reason to plan your trip around it. The church sits central enough that you can drop in between other errands - the kind of stop that makes sense on a rainy afternoon. Families with older children will appreciate it; younger kids might get restless without something specific to hunt for, though the tower's worth asking about if it's open to visitors.

If you're camping at Wytch Wood or glamping at Dimpsey Shepherd's Hut, both just five miles away, pair this with a proper walk around town or head towards the wider Somerset countryside. The church is free to enter during daylight hours, as most are, and there's usually someone about to chat to if you have questions about the building's history.