St Mary the Virgin's Church, Upleadon

St Mary the Virgin's Church was a pleasant surprise, as I wasn't expecting to find such a delightful 16th century tower, but it's impossible to miss when driving past. The church is set back from the road in an enclosed “Court” area, and on a prominent mound, which the guide book suggests might have been a site of ancient, and even pre-Christian worship.

It also suggests the mound may have been man-made, providing a place of refuge from the marshy area surrounding the River Leadon. The proximity of the river is evident in this photograph, as I'd travelled here from only a few miles further north, where we were bathed in sunshine to this area, which was shrouded in mist collecting on the low-lying ground. Perhaps not so majestic as Avalon, but seeing the tower rising up out of the mist from a distance was decidedly spooky!

(Information provided by Rosemary Lockie)