Church of St Lawrence

The Church of St Lawrence stands on a gentle rise in Bourton-on-the-Hill, a small village in the Cotswolds. Built mainly of local limestone, the church dates from the 12th century and is listed at grade I. Its nave was the first part to be completed, with the chancel added two centuries later. The dedication changed from St Mary to St Lawrence in the 15th century. A stone screen was placed inside in 1927, and the church now belongs to the Vale and Cotswold Edge benefice in the Diocese of Gloucester. The building shows layers of craftsmanship across the centuries. The west tower is braced by diagonal buttresses and holds six bells, the oldest cast in 1677. Inside, a 14th-century piscina and a 15th-century octagonal font remain in use. Scratch dials mark the south porch, and several monuments and memorials line the walls. The church’s simple plan includes north and south aisles, a chancel, and both north and south porches. Visitors step into a quiet space of cool stone and warm light. The tower’s bells still ring for services, while the piscina and font recall medieval worship. Scratch dials on the porch hint at the church’s long role in village life. Outside, the Cotswold landscape stretches away, framing the building in rolling fields and hedgerows.