Church of St Lawrence, Stanton Prior

The Church of St Lawrence stands in the quiet village of Stanton Prior in Somerset. Built in the 12th century but mostly rebuilt in the 15th, it is mainly Perpendicular in style. English Heritage recognises it as a Grade II* listed building. A three-stage tower rises above the church, its corners strengthened by diagonal buttresses. A small polygonal stair turret clings to the north-east corner of the tower. In 1860 a thorough restoration revealed that the nave and chancel had always been the same height. Earlier builders had hidden this fact by inserting windows, raising the walls and adding an open timber roof during the Perpendicular Period. The discovery showed how the medieval craftsmen had planned the whole interior as one balanced space. Inside, the nave and chancel share a single continuous roof line. The open timber roof itself is a fine example of Perpendicular craftsmanship. The church belongs to the benefice that also covers Farmborough, Marksbury, Clutton, Cameley and Bath. Its quiet setting and careful proportions make it a peaceful place to stand and look.