St Lawrence's Church, West Wycombe

St Lawrence’s Church stands on West Wycombe Hill in Buckinghamshire, a mile north-west of the village. The church and its graveyard occupy the highest point in the southern Chilterns, with the tower visible for many miles. Managed by the National Trust, the hill belongs to the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. A golden ball once topped the tower, said to have been a meeting place for the Hellfire Club. The church overlooks the West Wycombe Road and surrounding villages, offering wide views on clear days. The church began as a medieval building, parts of which survive from the 14th century. Sir Francis Dashwood rebuilt it in the 18th century, turning the nave into a grand Egyptian-style hall. The tower was raised and crowned with the golden ball, described by John Wilkes as “the best globe tavern I was ever in.” The interior features Corinthian columns, painted ceilings and Rococo plasterwork by Giovanni Borgnis. Dashwood also added mahogany stalls and fine woodwork throughout. Visitors find a church with medieval chancel and tower alongside Dashwood’s 18th-century remodelling. The nave’s trompe-l’oeil ceiling copies Robert Wood’s prints of Palmyra’s Temple of the Sun. The chancel ceiling shows a Last Supper after Rembrandt, and the walls carry further painted illusions. Outside, the churchyard holds eleven Commonwealth war graves and the grave of artist Constance Smedley. The golden ball remains a landmark, though no longer open to enter.