All Saints Church, Nether Cerne

All Saints Church stands in the quiet hamlet of Nether Cerne in Dorset. Built in the late 13th century, it is one of England’s protected Grade I listed buildings. The church is no longer used for regular worship and is now looked after by the Churches Conservation Trust. It was declared redundant in 1971 and transferred to the Trust two years later. Beside the church stands a manor house built from bands of flint and stone. The church’s oldest part is a 12th-century font shaped like a melon. Most of the building dates from the 13th century, though the tower with its pinnacles and gargoyle was added in the 15th. The porch and tower show the later medieval style. The contrast between the simple nave and the ornate tower catches visitors’ attention. Inside, the small space holds the ancient font and plain wooden fittings. The flint walls give the interior a cool, calm feel. The church sits beside a country lane in a peaceful valley. Visitors often stop to admire the building’s quiet dignity and the craftsmanship of its medieval masons.