Tolland St John The Baptist Church

The churchyard entrance is what hits you first - a proper Somerset stone boundary wall and a lych gate that's seen centuries of funeral processions. St John the Baptist sits in Tolland village, barely a mile from Taunton, and it's one of those parish churches that rewards the ten-minute detour because the interior is genuinely striking. The Early English tower dominates the skyline, and inside you'll find medieval carvings that stop you mid-stride - particularly the misericords, which are both crude and brilliant in equal measure. There's also some solid fifteenth-century woodwork and the usual scatter of memorial tablets that tell you more about local family trees than any genealogy website. The church is open to visitors during reasonable daylight hours, though it's worth checking locally if you're planning a specific trip. This is quiet, contemplative stuff - not a destination that'll hold children's attention for more than twenty minutes unless they're seriously into old buildings. History enthusiasts and anyone tracking medieval Somerset churches will find it worthwhile. If you're staying at Middle Stone Farm Glamping nearby, it's genuinely walkable, making for a gentle pre-breakfast or evening stroll. The village itself is unremarkable, but that's partly the charm - this is active England, not a heritage theme park. Free admission, no tea room, no gift shop. Just a working parish church that's been here since the twelfth century and expects you to respect that.