The best road cycling routes around Shipton Gorge

Great place for free parking if you get here early enough

From the Pilsdon Pen car park, you are treated to a stunning, sweeping panorama of West Dorset’s rolling hills. Looking south, the lush Marshwood Vale opens up dramatically, framed by distant coastal ridges near Charmouth. It is an expansive, breathtaking introduction to the landscape before you even begin the hill climb.

If you’re visiting St Mary's Church in Marshwood, you’re stepping into a Victorian "reboot" of a much older story. While it looks like a classic 19th-century country church, its history is a bit of a survivor's tale, involving ruins, 2,000-person parties, and birds hidden in the stone. Opening Times The church is part of the Golden Cap Team of Churches and is generally open every day for visitors (typically from around 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM). Sunday Best: Services are usually held at 11:00 AM, but check the local noticeboard in the porch—it's the village's "analog social media" and always has the most up-to-date timings. School Days: The church has a very cool partnership with the adjacent primary school. Don't be surprised if you see kids using the building as a classroom or hall! The "New" Old Church The original medieval chapel was closer to Marshwood Castle but became a ruin by the 1600s. The current building was a 19th-century "do-over": The Party of 1840: When they laid the foundation stone for the new tower in 1840, about 2,000 people turned up to watch. That’s a massive crowd for a tiny village—it must have been the Iron Age equivalent of a stadium concert! The "Pecking Birds": Keep a sharp eye on the stone pillars inside. The capitals (the tops of the pillars) are carved with "stiff-leaf" foliage and tiny birds pecking at the leaves. It’s like a Victorian version of Where's Waldo. A Bargain Rebuild: Most of the church was rebuilt in 1884 for just £900. While that sounds cheap now, back then it was a huge community effort led by the local Reverend. Why it’s Worth a Peek Aside from the bird-spotting, the church offers a quiet, contemplative atmosphere with great views over the Marshwood Vale. It’s constructed from local rubble walls with ashlar dressings, giving it a rugged, "honest" look that perfectly matches the surrounding Dorset hills.

Gemini said If you find yourself in the rolling hills of West Dorset, the Church of St John the Baptist in Broadwindsor is a classic, "slow-paced" country church that packs a surprising amount of history into its quiet stone walls. It’s perched on a high spot right in the heart of the village, looking out over the square like it’s been keeping watch forever (which, to be fair, it mostly has). Here’s why it’s worth a wander: A Royal Fugitive’s Hiding Spot The village’s biggest claim to fame involves a high-stakes game of hide-and-seek. After losing the Battle of Worcester in 1651, King Charles II fled for his life and spent a night right here in Broadwindsor. While the King was hiding in a nearby inn (now private cottages), Parliamentarian soldiers actually arrived in the village to search it. Legend says he only escaped because a local woman went into labor in the same building, causing such a chaotic distraction that the soldiers moved on without finding him. He eventually escaped to France, but the church stands as a silent witness to that tense night. The "Witty" Rector In the 1630s, the church was led by Thomas Fuller, a man described as one of the first English writers to actually make a living from his pen. He was famous for his "pregnant wit" and once said, "Charity begins at home, but should not end there." * Even today, the village is very proud of him—you’ll often find his quotes inscribed in the local community pub, The White Lion, just down the road. What to Look For Inside The "Wonky" Architecture: The church has a mix of styles because it’s been rebuilt and patched up over nearly 900 years. You’ll see heavy, rounded Norman arches on one side of the nave and more pointed "Early English" ones on the other. It gives the interior a slightly mismatched, organic feel. The Ancient Font: There is a square font made of Purbeck Marble that dates back to the early 1200s. It’s been used to baptize village children for eight centuries. The Bells: The tower holds a ring of six bells. Some of them are "pre-Reformation," meaning they’ve been swinging in that tower since before Henry VIII broke away from Rome. The "Compromise" Clock: If you’re there during the day, you’ll hear the clock chime. There was a recent local debate about whether it should chime at night; in a very "British village" move, they compromised—it now stays quiet from 9:00 PM to 6:00 AM so the neighbors can sleep!

Beautiful views are always guaranteed, regardless of the what the weather holds.

What a lovely farm shop: great coffee and tea, plus fresh milk straight from the farmer, and much more. All this in a cozy courtyard with chickens and roosters. You should definitely stop here....

A hard hill to get up, but the views are worth it

So unusual to see a flying buttress on a village church!