St Mary the Virgin, Tarrant Crawford

St Mary the Virgin stands in the quiet village of Tarrant Crawford in Dorset. All that survives today is the church, built in the 12th century, once part of a larger Cistercian nunnery founded in the 13th century by Ralph de Kahaines. The flint chancel still dates from the 12th century, while the nave, tower and porch were added in the 14th. Inside the 15th-century tower hang three bells, two medieval and one from the 17th century. The nave roof was raised in the early 16th century and the whole building was restored in 1911. The church holds traces of its past as a lay church for the abbey. Thirteen-century coffin lids inside may cover the remains of Queen Joan, wife of Alexander II of Scotland and daughter of King John, or Bishop Richard Poore, who founded Salisbury Cathedral. Poore was baptised here and later buried in the abbey he established. The walls carry medieval paintings from the 13th and 14th centuries, including scenes of St Margaret of Antioch and the Annunciation. Visitors find a small but rich interior. The 15th-century stained glass, 16th-century font and 17th-century octagonal pulpit with moulded panelling remain in place. Wall paintings cover most surfaces, including a striking row of kings and skeletons on the south wall. The churchyard contains the reputed grave of Queen Joan beneath a golden coffin. Outside, the flint walls and simple porch frame views of the Dorset countryside.