St Andrew, Bayvil

St Mary, Newport

St Thomas, St Dogmael's

St John the Baptist, Axbridge

St Andrew, Cheddar

All Saints, Nunney

The village of Nunney, just south west of Frome, is best known for its attractively moated castle, described by Pevsner as "aesthetically the most impressive castle in Somerset". The nearby church, approached from the castle via a footbridge over the Nunney Brook, contains the impressive tombs of some of the castle's owners.

The church itself (and the chancel in particular) dates from the 13th century, with transepts added in the mid-14th, the arcades slightly later, and the roof and tower in the late 15th or early 16th century. The church was heavily restored in 1874, when the aisles were extended west (they now flank the tower very symmetrically). Inside, the chancel walls are rather scraped, but the real interest lies in its furnishings.

Most impressive are the monuments of the families who owned the castle, grouped together in the north transept. Beneath the window lies Sir John de la Mare (d.1383), the castle's builder, his feet resting on a lion. Beneath him lie Sir John Paulet (d. 1436) and his wife Constance. Sir John's surcoat is decorated with the De la Mare lions and wears the Lancastrian collar of interlinked 'SS', over a tomb chest with shields within quatrefoils. Adjacent is the tomb of Richard Prater (1540-1580) and his wife, he in armour and both wearing ruff collars. The tomb chest has Ionic columns and more shields, only this time in rather florid cartouches. Prater bought the castle just three years before his death, in 1577.

The church also has a badly defaced 14th Century wall painting of St George on one of the north arcade piers: St George and his lance can easily be made out, but not much of the dragon. The background is decorated fleur-de-lis and the White Hart, symbol of Richard II. Nearby is the Norman font, decorated with a turban-like spiral, and a splendid conical font cover, dated 1684. The rather battered chancel screen is 15th Century, decorated with tracery, vine leaves, angels and family crests.

The church is now one of five in the parish of Postlebury, along with those of Wanstrow, Witham Friary, Cloford, and Marston Bigot. All Saints has a Holy Communion every Friday and on the third Sunday of the month, and on alternating second Sundays hosts "Soul Food", an informal evening service of worship.

All Saints, High Street, Nunney BA11 4LN

All Saints, Chitterne

The village of Chitterne sits hidden in a fold of Salisbury Plain, its church of All Saints is a Victorian replacement for two mediaeval parish churches.

The church was built in 1863, to the designs of Thomas Henry Wyatt (1807-1880). At one time president of the Royal Institute of British Architects, he was particularly prolific in Wiltshire, designing or overseeing the restoration of over 50 churches. Built of flint and stone in a chequerboard pattern, All Saints has a stout west tower, and a large nave of four bays with broad aisles and clerestory, all executed in the Perpendicular style. The chancel is a rather more modest affair, a polygonal apse just half the height of the nave. The spacious interior is plastered but not whitewashed, and pleasantly bright, despite the prevalence of Victorian stained glass.

The furnishings include a Norman font, with a series of plain roundels at the foot of the bowl for decoration. The pulpit is also from the earlier church, a pretty example of Jacobean woodwork. The chancel of the old St Mary's survives half a mile away, still in use as an occasional mortuary chapel.

The church hosts services on the second and fourth Sundays of each month, with a 10:30 all age family service of communion on the second and an 9am said communion on the fourth. There is also a monthly prayer and bible study on the first Sunday of the month.

All Saints, Townsend, Chittern BA12 0LG