Churches in Somerset
Echo's from the past
Somerset is widely regarded as having some of the most beautiful churches in the land, particularly the medieval towers that rise majestically above even the most modest villages. Many of these towers are decorated with strange carvings which have their own Somerset dialect name, hunky punks. Similar to gargoyles, they have no function other than to attract attention. Step inside and there are more secrets from rare painted walls to unusual pews. Exmoor has some real gems, Oare Church in Lorna Doone country and Culbone, said to be the smallest parish church in England. Some churches are abandoned like Burrowbridge and Uphill.
Because of their significance, in a County that is notably flat in its middle, hills have a rich variety of names here – mump, tor, peak, down. It might seem odd to describe some of these as hidden treasures since they are so obvious but the views from them can be a revelation. Unless you know how to reach the summits, they can remain hidden. Six of these have been named the ‘Somerset 360s’ which you can find on the Visit Somerset website along with details of the Walkers Are Welcome scheme which has more.